Preliminary Geotechnical Investigation of Two Basaltic Landslide Sites in Mauritius, Offshore Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhoopendra, D.; Fukuoka, H.; Kuwano, T.; Ichikawa, K.

2016-12-01

Landslide hazards in developing areas in Mauritius became a great challenge as well as a fundamental concern for the government and the citizen of the country. In recent years, landslide disasters have caused losses of both public and private properties. In 2005, a large-scale landslide at Chitrakoot affected 54 houses and infrastructures, and it was reactivated in 2006, damaging another 14 houses. Vallee Pitot landslide is frequently reactivated in these years and threatening several houses in the densely-populated zone. Being of volcanic origin, Mauritius has observed dramatic and quick weathering of the soil which may partly contribute to creating landslide-prone geo-environment. This study focuses on the preliminary geotechnical investigation of the two basaltic landslide areas in Mauritius. A recent investigation was conducted jointly by JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) and Ministry of Public Infrastructure and Land Transport of Government of Mauritius on both sites from 2012 to 2015 to survey the landslide surface and to implement countermeasures works.Both sites are located in the highly populated area in the capital city of Mauritius.The geological features of the sites were studied with the borehole core logging data obtained from 6 boreholes and it was found that possible sliding surface was observed in the colluvium layer consisting of gravels and stiff silty-clays, at depths from 6 to 10 m below the ground surface. The rate of landslide movement during heavy rainfall amount exceeding 100 mm/hr was elaborated with past records of extensometers installed on these sites. Colluvium samples from both sites of the same characteristics with the sliding surface were tested in the ring shear apparatus in Japan under different normal stresses reducing from 300 kPa to 50 kPa step-wise at a shear velocity of 0.02 mm/min under drained condition to obtain the residual friction angle (φ) and the cohesion (c). Obtained residual friction angle and cohesion of the Chitrakoot sample can explain why the landslide has been reactivated at extreme rainfall events. The shear strength values of the colluvium have been carefully evaluated to assess the critical ground water level and precipitation on those two basaltic areas in Mauritius as well as a method of issuing the early warning for evacuation of the citizens.

Preliminary Geotechnical Investigation of Two Basaltic Landslide Sites in Mauritius, Offshore Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dabycharun, Bhoopendra; Kuwano, Takeshi; Ichikawa, Kensuke; Fukuoka, Hiroshi

2016-04-01

Landslide hazards in developing areas in Mauritius became a great challenge as well as a fundamental concern for the government and the citizen of the country. In recent years, landslide disasters have caused losses of both public and private properties. In 2005, a large-scale landslide at Chitrakoot affected 54 houses and infrastructures, and it was reactivated in 2006, damaging another 14 houses. Vallee Pitot landslide is frequently reactivated in these years and threatening several houses in densely-populated zone. Although the long-term annual precipitation show slightly decreasing trend, number of tropical cyclone over Mauritius is clearly increasing at least in the past 3 decades. Being of volcanic origin, Mauritius has observed dramatic and quick weathering of the soil which may partly contributes to creating landslide-prone geo-environment. This study focuses on the preliminary geotechnical investigation of the above-mentioned two basaltic landslide areas in Mauritius. Recent investigation was conducted jointly by JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) and Ministry of Public Infrastructure and Land Transport of Government of Mauritius on both sites from 2012 to 2015 to survey the landslide surface and to implement countermeasures works. In the field investigation, aerial photo interpretation was used to investigate the zone of cracks and scarps for both sites. The landslide areas for Chitrakoot and Vallee Pitot were estimated to 1.8 km2 and 5,000 m2 respectively. Both sites are located in the highly populated area in the capital city of Mauritius. The geological features of the sites were studied with the borehole core logging data obtained from 6 boreholes and it was found that possible sliding surface was observed in the colluvium layer consisting of gravels and stiff silty-clays, at depths from 6 to 10 m below the ground surface. The rate of landslide movement during heavy rainfall amount exceeding 100 mm/hr was elaborated with past records of extensometers installed on these sites. Colluvium samples from both sites of the same characteristics with the sliding surface were tested in the ring shear apparatus in Japan under different normal stresses reducing from 300 kPa to 50 kPa step-wise at a shear velocity of 0.02 mm/min under drained condition to obtain the residual friction angle (φ) and the cohesion (c). Obtained residual friction angle and cohesion of the Chitrakoot sample can explain why the landslide has been reactivated at extreme rainfall events. The shear strength values of the colluvium have been carefully evaluated to assess the critical ground water level and precipitation on those two basaltic areas in Mauritius as well as a method of issuing early warning for evacuation of the citizens.

Racialized Spaces in Teacher Discourse: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Place-Based Identities in Roche Bois, Mauritius

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiehe, Elsa M.

2013-01-01

This eleven-month ethnographic study puts critical discourse analysis in dialogue with postmodern conceptualizations of space and place to explore how eight educators talk about space and in the process, produce racialized spaces in Roche Bois, Mauritius. The macro-historical context of racialization of this urban marginalized community informs…

Maternal Reports of Home Literacy Experiences in Multilingual Mauritius: A Case Study of Pre-Schoolers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Auleear Owodally, Ambarin Mooznah

2014-01-01

While the extant literature has highlighted the important contribution of home literacy experiences to early literacy development, limited research has been carried out among children living in postcolonial contexts, where there is a mismatch between the home and school language. Such is the case of Mauritius. The present exploratory case study…

Student Loans Schemes in Mauritius: Experience, Analysis and Scenarios

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mohadeb, Praveen

2006-01-01

This study makes a comprehensive review of the situation of student loans schemes in Mauritius, and makes recommendations, based on best practices, for setting up a national scheme that attempts to avoid weaknesses identified in some of the loans schemes of other countries. It suggests that such a scheme would be cost-effective and beneficial both…

School Culture in a Private Secondary Institution in Mauritius

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ajaheb-Jahangeer, Shamim; Jahangeer, Abdul Cayum

2004-01-01

This paper presents a case study of the school culture in a secondary school in Mauritius. It analyses how the school culture has an impact on the effectiveness of an educational organisation. The literature on school culture is reviewed and discussed. The education system in the Mauritian context is described; and its advantages and drawbacks…

Interactive Whiteboard for Primary Schools in Mauritius: An Effective Tool or Just Another Trend?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bahadur, Goonesh Kumar; Oogarah, Deorani

2013-01-01

Mauritius is among the few African countries where the interactive whiteboard has been implemented in all primary schools. The interactive whiteboard is an important tool in the classroom as it changes the mode of instruction. Many researches have been carried out in many countries to investigate the effectiveness of the interactive whiteboard.…

Receptive English Vocabulary in a Foreign Language Context: A Case Study of Preschoolers in Mauritius

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Auleear Owodally, Ambarin Mooznah

2014-01-01

In Mauritius, English, the least socially used language, is the main language of literacy and the main written medium of instruction throughout the education system, starting from the first year of compulsory primary education. The importance of English as a school language is reflected in the 2003 Preschool Curriculum Guidelines, which mention…

Interreligious education: Conceptualising a needs assessment framework for curriculum design in plural societies (with special reference to Mauritius)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maudarbux, Mohammad Belall

2016-08-01

The growing debate on intercultural and interreligious dialogue has one major drawback: how to translate academic and theoretical contributions into practical tools for educators and policy makers. This paper aims to fill this gap by presenting a transferable "needs assessment model" based on five criteria and twenty measurable indicators of interreligious relations within a country. Using the example of Mauritius, a densely multilingual and multireligious country, the paper gives an inside view of the preparations which led to the launch of an innovative "Peace and Interfaith Studies" course at the University of Mauritius in 2010. The author was himself involved first as a curriculum consultant and then as a project manager of this course at the Council of Religions in Mauritius. After clarifying the differences between related concepts like multicultural education, intercultural education and religious education, the author defines "interreligious education" as being distinct from all of the above. The paper then proceeds to explain the rationale of interreligious education, followed by the identification of the critical factors which affect curriculum design and policy making. It uses these factors to highlight how each of them operates in Mauritius to create a web of complexity which makes interreligious education extremely volatile. This is followed by an overview of religious education in the Mauritian schooling system, an overview of the needs assessment framework and a description of the innovative "Peace and Interfaith Studies" course. The paper ends with a brief discussion of the main challenges of this model.

Beating the Language Barrier in Science Education: In-Service Educators' Coping with Slow Learners in Mauritius

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cyparsade, Mohun; Auckloo, Pritee; Belath, Ismut; Dookhee, Helina; Hurreeram, Navin

2013-01-01

This study describes how in-service teachers in the pre-vocational sector in Mauritius adopted specific strategies to overcome the language barrier in the learning of science (Van Driel, Verloop & de Vos, 1998). Students of form III were taught few basic ideas related to "Earth & Space" through the use of role play and ICT. The…

Does Human Capital Contribute to Economic Growth in Mauritius?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neeliah, Harris; Seetanah, Boopen

2016-01-01

Purpose: Real gross domestic product (GDP) growth for Mauritius has averaged more than 5 per cent since 1970 and GDP per capita has increased more than tenfold between 1970 and 2012, from less than $500 to more than $9,000. It has often been reported that human capital, along with other growth enablers, has played an important role in this…

Language Shift and Maintenance in Multilingual Mauritius: The Case of Indian Ancestral Languages

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bissoonauth, Anu

2011-01-01

This paper reports on a research study conducted in Mauritius between June and July 2009. The aim of this research was to investigate the use of Indian ancestral languages in the domestic domain by the younger generations. The data were collected in the field by means of a questionnaire and interviews from a quota sample of secondary school…

Exposing Preschoolers to the Printed Word: A Case Study of Preschool Teachers in Mauritius

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Owodally, Ambarin Mooznah Auleear

2013-01-01

Mauritius is a multilingual island, where there is a linguistic and literacy paradox. While Mauritian Creole dominates as the spoken language of the population, English and French are the main print languages, as well as the main languages of literacy and education. In such a complex situation, preschool is an interesting terrain in which to…

Trend analysis of annual precipitation of Mauritius for the period 1981-2010

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raja, Nussaïbah B.; Aydin, Olgu

2018-04-01

This study researched the precipitation variability across 53 meteorological stations in Mauritius and different subregions of the island, over a 30-year study period (1981-2010). Time series was investigated for each 5-year interval and also for the whole study period. Non-parametric Mann-Kendall and Spearman's rho statistical tests were used to detect trends in annual precipitation. A mix of positive (increasing) and negative (decreasing) trends was highlighted for the 5-year interval analysis. The statistical tests nevertheless agreed on the overall trend for Mauritius and the subregions. Most regions showed a decrease in precipitation during the period 1996-2000. This is attributed to the 1998-2000 drought period which was brought about by a moderate La Niña event. In general, an increase in precipitation levels was observed across the country during the study period. This increase is the result of an increase in extreme precipitation events in the region. On the other hand, two subregions, both located in the highlands, experienced a decline in precipitation levels. Since most of the reservoirs in Mauritius are located in these two subregions, this implies serious consequences for water availability in the country if existing storage capacities are kept.

The Early-Warning System for incoming storm surge and tide in the Republic of Mauritius

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bogaard, Tom; de Lima Rego, Joao; Vatvani, Deepak; Virasami, Renganaden; Verlaan, Martin

2016-04-01

The Republic of Mauritius (ROM) is a group of islands in the South West of the Indian Ocean, consisting of the main islands of Mauritius, Rodrigues and Agalega and the archipelago of Saint Brandon. The ROM is particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change, especially in the coastal zone, where a convergence of accelerating sea level rise and increasing intensity of tropical cyclones is expected to result in considerable economic loss, humanitarian stresses, and environmental degradation. Storm surges and swell waves are expected to be aggravated through sea level rise and climate change effects on weather patterns. Adaptation to increased vulnerability requires a re-evaluation of existing preparedness measures. The focus of this project is on more effective preparedness and issuing of alerts developing a fully-automated Early-Warning System for incoming storm surge and tide, together with the Mauritius Meteorological Services and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Centre (NDRRMC), such that coastal communities in Mauritius, Rodrigues and Agalega Islands are able to evacuate timely and safely in case of predicted extreme water levels. The Mauritius Early-Warning System for storm surge and tide was implemented using software from Deltares' Open-Source and free software Community. A set of five depth-averaged Delft3D-FLOW hydrodynamic models are run every six-hours with a forecast horizon of three days, simulating water levels along the coast of the three main islands. Two regional models of horizontal resolution 5km force the three detailed models of 500m resolution; all models are forced at the surface by the 0.25° NOAA/GFS meteorological forecasts. In addition, our Wind-Enhancement Scheme is used to blend detailed cyclone track bulletin's info with the larger-scale Numerical Weather Predictions. Measured data is retrieved near real-time from available Automatic Weather Stations. All these workflows are managed by the operational platform software, Delft-FEWS. The presently operational Mauritius Early-Warning System produces a set of intuitive tables for each island, containing time- and space-varying information on threshold crossings by predicted water levels. At multiple locations for each island of the ROM, the operator is informed in one glance about the recommended preparedness level, from "Safe" to "Watch", "Alert" or "Warning" based on water level forecasts. The HTML page was designed together with the MMS and the NDRRMC, in order to be easy to interpret and disseminate by local authorities.

Supporting Early Oral Language Skills for Preschool ELL in an EFL Context, Mauritius: Possibilities and Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Auleear Owodally, Ambarin Mooznah

2015-01-01

In Mauritius, Kreol is the home language of the majority of school children, while English is the main language of literacy and the main written medium of instruction as from the first year of primary schooling. This has had a backwash effect on the preschool sector, where English is introduced. A cross-sectional study of local preschools revealed…

Language, Education and Identities in Plural Mauritius: A Study of the Kreol, Hindi and Urdu Standard 1 Textbooks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Owodally, Ambarin Mooznah Auleear

2014-01-01

The present study was carried out in the context of the recent (2012) introduction of Kreol in the primary school curriculum in Mauritius. The time-tabling of Kreol as an optional subject offered at the same time as the other existing ancestral languages, institutionalised Kreol as an ancestral language, despite its status as a national language.…

Solving the Acoustic Problem in Polyvalent Hall at Mauritius: Global Design Challenge Facing Larsen and Toubro, Limited

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sankar, Chetan S.; Raju, P. K.; Alur, Ramachandriah; Venkateswaran, Rajan; Elangovan, Rajasekar

2011-01-01

The architect for the Mauritius Auditorium project sat in his office at Larsen & Toubro's headquarters in Chennai, India, pondering the phone call he had just received from the vice president, Mr. K.P. Raghavan. The polyvalent hall of the conference center was about to be used to host its first rock concert in February 2005, but during a…

Girls and Science Education in Mauritius: A Study of Science Class Practices and Their Effects on Girls

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Naugah, Jayantee; Watts, Mike

2013-01-01

Background: The population of Mauritius consists of 52% females and scientific literacy is seen to be of vital importance for all young people if they are to be sufficiently equipped to meet the challenges of a fast changing world. Previous research shows, however, that science is not popular among girls. This paper explores one of many reasons…

First Archean Zircons Found in Oceanic Crustal Rocks of Mauritius

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashwal, L. D.; Wiedenbeck, M.; Torsvik, T. H.

2016-12-01

A fragment of continental crust has been postulated to underlie the young plume-related lavas of the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius, on both the basis of inversion of gravity anomaly data (crustal thickness) and the recovery of Proterozoic zircons (660-1971 Ma) from basaltic beach sands (Torsvik et al., Nature Geosci. 6, 227, 2013). We recovered 13 zircon grains from a trachyte associated with the Older Series basalts (9.0-4.7 Ma) of Mauritius, the second youngest member of a hot-spot track extending from the active plume site of Réunion. Extreme care was taken to avoid contamination during sample processing. Ten of the 13 grains are featureless, with no internal structures, and SIMS analyses (Cameca 1280-HR instrument) yield 49 spots with Miocene U-Pb systematics and a mean age of 5.7 ± 0.2 Ma (1 sd), constraining the magmatic crystallization age of the trachyte. Three grains with partially resorbed magmatic zoning, partial metamictization and mineral inclusions (quartz, K-feldspar, monazite) show uniquely mid- to late-Archean systematics: 20 spot analyses give concordant to near-concordant ages of 3030 ± 5 Ma to 2766 ± 13 Ma. This suggests that during ascent, the trachytic magmas incorporated silicic continental crustal material that preserves a record of several hundred m.y. of Archean evolution. This is consistent with Sr-Nd isotope systematics of the Mauritian trachytes, which can be modelled as having been contaminated with 0.4-3.5% of ancient granitoid crustal components. Our new age results, combined with the Proterozoic ages of zircons recovered from Mauritian beach sands, are best correlated with continental crust of east-central Madagascar, presently 700 km west of Mauritius, where Archean gneisses and Neoproterozoic intrusive rocks are juxtaposed such that a 2000 km2 area could correspond to a fragment of continent presently underlying Mauritius. This, and other continental fragments formed during Gondwana break-up, may be scattered across the western Indian Ocean. Some were later blanketed, and in the case of Mauritius, sampled, by plume-related volcanics.

‘11 for Health’, a football-based health education programme for children: a two-cohort study in Mauritius and Zimbabwe

PubMed Central

Fuller, Colin W; Junge, Astrid; Dorasami, Cadrivel; DeCelles, Jeff; Dvorak, Jiri

2011-01-01

Objectives To implement and assess Fédération Internationale de Football Association Medical Assessment and Research Centre's ‘11 for Health’ football-based health education programme for children. Design Prospective, 2-cohort study. Setting In-school groups (Mauritius); out-of-school groups (Zimbabwe). Participants Mauritius: 389 children, aged 12–15 years; Zimbabwe: 395 children, aged 10–14 years. Intervention Eleven 90-min sessions, each divided into two 45-min halves of Play Football (focusing on one football skill) and Play Fair (focusing on one health issue). Main outcome measures 30-item questionnaire implemented pre and postintervention to assess children's health knowledge; six-item questionnaire implemented postintervention to assess children's views about the ‘11 for Health’ programme. Results Mean pre and postintervention health knowledge scores were greater in Mauritius (pre: 69.3%; post: 87.1%) than Zimbabwe (pre: 57.8%; post: 76.2%) but the mean gain in health knowledge was greater in Zimbabwe (18.4%) than Mauritius (17.8%). There were few significant differences in the outcomes for boys and girls in both countries. The ‘11 for Health’ programme was received positively by the children in both countries and there were no significant differences in the views of boys and girls in either country. Conclusions The study demonstrated that it was possible to achieve significant increases in children's knowledge for all health messages by implementing the ‘11 for Health’ programme in a school-based setting in collaboration with a national Football Association and in an out-of-school setting in collaboration with a non-government organisation. Based on these positive results, the authors recommend that the programme be widely implemented in Africa in co-operation with government and non-government organisations. PMID:21504962

'11 for Health', a football-based health education programme for children: a two-cohort study in Mauritius and Zimbabwe.

PubMed

Fuller, Colin W; Junge, Astrid; Dorasami, Cadrivel; DeCelles, Jeff; Dvorak, Jiri

2011-06-01

To implement and assess Fédération Internationale de Football Association Medical Assessment and Research Centre's '11 for Health' football-based health education programme for children. Prospective, 2-cohort study. In-school groups (Mauritius); out-of-school groups (Zimbabwe). Mauritius: 389 children, aged 12-15 years; Zimbabwe: 395 children, aged 10-14 years. Eleven 90-min sessions, each divided into two 45-min halves of Play Football (focusing on one football skill) and Play Fair (focusing on one health issue). 30-item questionnaire implemented pre and postintervention to assess children's health knowledge; six-item questionnaire implemented postintervention to assess children's views about the '11 for Health' programme. Mean pre and postintervention health knowledge scores were greater in Mauritius (pre: 69.3%; post: 87.1%) than Zimbabwe (pre: 57.8%; post: 76.2%) but the mean gain in health knowledge was greater in Zimbabwe (18.4%) than Mauritius (17.8%). There were few significant differences in the outcomes for boys and girls in both countries. The '11 for Health' programme was received positively by the children in both countries and there were no significant differences in the views of boys and girls in either country. The study demonstrated that it was possible to achieve significant increases in children's knowledge for all health messages by implementing the '11 for Health' programme in a school-based setting in collaboration with a national Football Association and in an out-of-school setting in collaboration with a non-government organisation. Based on these positive results, the authors recommend that the programme be widely implemented in Africa in co-operation with government and non-government organisations.

Economic development, income inequality and environmental degradation of fisheries resources in Mauritius.

PubMed

Sobhee, Sanjeev K

2004-07-01

This article examines how environmental degradation of fisheries resources in the context of Mauritius is linked up with human investment in education, economic growth, and income inequality. Empirical evidence shows that public-sector investment in education promotes economic growth, but at the expense of greater inequality of income. Among the vulnerable groups affected by this type of development process lies the fisherman community. In fact, children of poor families in coastal Mauritius have constrained access to complete school education because of the persistently high opportunity cost involved. Hence, this community is caught up in a vicious circle, as its children or grandchildren would barely be redeployed elsewhere other than in the fisheries sector itself. Such exclusion might account for the overexploitation of marine resources of the island and the accompanying reduction in fish catch over recent years.

Marie Rozette and her world: class, ethnicity, gender, and race in late eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century Mauritius.

PubMed

Allen, Richard B

2011-01-01

In 1790, Marie Rozette, a freedwoman of Indian origin on Mauritius, executed a series of notarial acts which revealed that she possessed a small fortune in cash assets as well as slaves and substantial landed property in one of the island’s rural districts. The life of this former slave between 1776, when she first appears in the archival record, and her death in 1804 provides a vantage point from which to gain a subaltern perspective on aspects of Mascarene social and economic history, as well as developments in the wider Indian Ocean world during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Marie Rozette’s life history challenges the notion that free persons of color in Mauritius were little more than an “unappropriated” people, and invites us to consider how supposedly marginalized individuals were able to cross various socio-economic and cultural boundaries. More specifically, her life affords an opportunity to consider the ways in which class, ethnicity, and gender, as well as race, interacted to create a distinctive Creole society in Mauritius, the nature and dynamics of which bear directly on our knowledge and understanding of the free colored experience elsewhere in the European colonial slave plantation world.

Dodo-Bird or Dressing Up the Pig and the Politics of Psychotherapy: A Reply to Vandenberghe and de Sousa (2005)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cautilli, Joseph

2006-01-01

It is fitting that the concept of all having one and having prizes is attributed to the Dodo-Bird. The dodo was a flightless bird. In shape and form it was similar to the modern turkey. The dodo was native to Mauritius, where it lived for thousands of years before domestic animals brought to Mauritius hunted it to extinction. The last live…

Defense Management: Improved Planning, Training, and Interagency Collaboration Could Strengthen DOD’s Efforts in Africa

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-07-01

Swift and USS Nicholas November 2009–March 2010 Comoros, Djibouti, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Reunion (French Island ), Seychelles, South Africa...exception of Egypt, as well as its island nations. The command’s mission is to work in concert with other U.S. government agencies and international...Djibouti, Kenya, Tanzania June–August 2009 USS Arleigh Burke Djibouti, Kenya, Mauritius, Reunion , Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Reunion

Criteria for evaluating the condition of a tropical cyclone warning system.

PubMed

Parker, D

1999-09-01

This paper evaluates the condition (i.e. health) of a tropical cyclone warning system (TCWS) during a 'quiet period' between infrequent intense cyclones. Capacity to make pre-disaster evaluations is important--disaster warning systems need to be in sound condition before, not after, disaster. The research--part of the UK's International Decade of Natural Disaster Reduction Flagship Programme--focuses upon an evaluatory method first used on flood warning systems. The Criteria-development Matrix comprises social, organisational and institutional criteria by which a TCWS may be assessed using a five-stage development scale. This method is used to evaluate Mauritius's TCWS using in-depth interview data. Ways to enhance the method and apply it to other disaster warning systems are discussed. The TCWS in Mauritius is a relatively sound one from which others can learn. Weaknesses requiring attention for Mauritius's TCWS to progress to an advanced level of development are identified.

Language Teaching in the Indian Ocean: Policy and Pedagogy in Three Developing Nations. A Study of the Formation of National Language Policies and Related Educational Programs in the Comoros, Mauritius, and Seychelles.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richmond, Edmun B.

The findings of a study of language and language education policy in each of the three independent nations of Comoros, Mauritius, and the Seychelles are reported in this book. Each country is discussed separately, focusing on the linguistic and educational history, the existing educational system, and current language policies and programs.…

A Precambrian microcontinent in the Indian Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torsvik, Trond H.; Amundsen, Hans; Hartz, Ebbe H.; Corfu, Fernando; Kusznir, Nick; Gaina, Carmen; Doubrovine, Pavel V.; Steinberger, Bernhard; Ashwal, Lewis D.; Jamtveit, Bjørn

2013-03-01

The Laccadive-Chagos Ridge and Southern Mascarene Plateau in the north-central and western Indian Ocean, respectively, are thought to be volcanic chains formed above the Réunion mantle plume over the past 65.5 million years. Here we use U-Pb dating to analyse the ages of zircon xenocrysts found within young lavas on the island of Mauritius, part of the Southern Mascarene Plateau. We find that the zircons are either Palaeoproterozoic (more than 1,971 million years old) or Neoproterozoic (between 660 and 840 million years old). We propose that the zircons were assimilated from ancient fragments of continental lithosphere beneath Mauritius, and were brought to the surface by plume-related lavas. We use gravity data inversion to map crustal thickness and find that Mauritius forms part of a contiguous block of anomalously thick crust that extends in an arc northwards to the Seychelles. Using plate tectonic reconstructions, we show that Mauritius and the adjacent Mascarene Plateau may overlie a Precambrian microcontinent that we call Mauritia. On the basis of reinterpretation of marine geophysical data, we propose that Mauritia was separated from Madagascar and fragmented into a ribbon-like configuration by a series of mid-ocean ridge jumps during the opening of the Mascarene ocean basin between 83.5 and 61 million years ago. We suggest that the plume-related magmatic deposits have since covered Mauritia and potentially other continental fragments.

Dissemination of clonal Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium isolates causing salmonellosis in Mauritius.

PubMed

Issack, Mohammad I; Garcia-Migura, Lourdes; Ramsamy, Veemala D; Svendsen, Christina A; Pornruangwong, Srirat; Pulsrikarn, Chaiwat; Hendriksen, Rene S

2013-07-01

Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium is one of the leading causes of salmonellosis in Mauritius, where it has also been associated with outbreaks of foodborne illness. However, little is known about its molecular epidemiology in the country. This study was therefore undertaken to investigate the clonality and source of Salmonella Typhimurium in Mauritius by studying human, food, and poultry isolates by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and antibiotic minimum inhibitory concentration determination. Forty-nine isolates collected between 2008 and 2011 were analyzed, including 25 stool isolates from foodborne illness outbreaks and sporadic gastroenteritis cases, four blood isolates, one postmortem colon isolate, 14 food isolates, and five poultry isolates. All isolates were pansusceptible to the 16 antibiotics tested, except for two isolates that were resistant to sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim. Overall characterization of the isolates by PFGE digested with XbaI and BlnI resulted in eight different patterns. The largest of the clusters in the composite dataset consisted of 20 isolates, including two raw chicken isolates, four poultry isolates, and nine human stool isolates from two outbreaks. A second cluster consisted of 18 isolates, of which 12 originated from human blood and stool samples from both sporadic and outbreak cases. Six food isolates were also found in this cluster, including isolates from raw and grilled chicken, marlin mousse, and cooked pork. One poultry isolate had a closely related PFGE pattern. The results indicate that one clone of Salmonella Typhimurium found in poultry has been causing outbreaks of foodborne illness in Mauritius and another clone that has caused many cases of gastrointestinal illness and bacteremia in humans could also be linked to poultry. Thus, poultry appears to be a major reservoir for Salmonella Typhimurium in Mauritius. Initiating on-farm control strategies and measures against future dissemination may substantially reduce the number of cases of salmonellosis in the country.

Molecular confirmation of Hepatozoon canis in Mauritius.

PubMed

Daskalaki, Aikaterini Alexandra; Ionică, Angela Monica; Jeetah, Keshav; Gherman, Călin Mircea; Mihalca, Andrei Daniel

2018-01-01

In this study, Hepatozoon species was molecularly identified and characterized for the first time on the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius. Partial sequences of the 18S rRNA gene of the Hepatozoon isolates were analysed from three naturally infected dogs. The sequences of H. canis were similar to the 18S rRNA partial sequences (JX112783, AB365071 99%) from dog blood samples from West Indies and Nigeria. Our sequences were deposited in the GenBank database. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Forgotten, excluded or included? Students with disabilities: A case study at the University of Mauritius.

PubMed

Pudaruth, Sameerchand; Gunputh, Rajendra P; Singh, Upasana G

2017-01-01

Students with disabilities in the tertiary education sector are more than a just a phenomenon, they are a reality. In general, little attention is devoted to their needs despite the fact that they need more care and attention. This paper, through a case study at the University of Mauritius, sought to answer some pertinent questions regarding students with disabilities. Does the University of Mauritius have sufficient facilities to support these students? Are students aware of existing facilities? What additional structures need to be put in place so that students with any form of disability are neither victimised, nor their education undermined? Are there any local laws about students with disabilities in higher education? To answer these questions and others, an online questionnaire was sent to 500 students and the responses were then analysed and discussed. The response rate was 24.4% which showed that students were not reticent to participate in this study. Our survey revealed that most students were not aware of existing facilities and were often neglected in terms of supporting structures and resources. ICT facilities were found to be the best support that is provided at the University of Mauritius. The right legal framework for tertiary education was also missing. Ideally, students with disabilities should have access to special facilities to facilitate their learning experiences at tertiary institutions. Awareness about existing facilities must also be raised in order to offer equal opportunities to them and to enable a seamless inclusion.

Comparative life cycle assessment and life cycle costing of four disposal scenarios for used polyethylene terephthalate bottles in Mauritius.

PubMed

Foolmaun, Rajendra Kumar; Ramjeeawon, Toolseeram

2012-09-01

The annual rise in population growth coupled with the flourishing tourism industry in Mauritius has lead to a considerable increase in the amount of solid waste generated. In parallel, the disposal of non-biodegradable wastes, especially plastic packaging and plastic bottles, has also shown a steady rise. Improper disposal of used polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles constitutes an eyesore to the environmental landscape and is a threat to the flourishing tourism industry. It is of utmost importance, therefore, to determine a suitable disposal method for used PET bottles which is not only environmentally efficient but is also cost effective. This study investigated the environmental impacts and the cost effectiveness of four selected disposal alternatives for used PET bottles in Mauritius. The four disposal routes investigated were: 100% landfilling; 75% incineration with energy recovery and 25% landfilling; 40% flake production (partial recycling) and 60% landfilling; and 75% flake production and 25% landfilling. Environmental impacts of the disposal alternatives were determined using ISO standardized life cycle assessment (LCA) and with the support of SimaPro 7.1 software. Cost effectiveness was determined using life cycle costing (LCC). Collected data were entered into a constructed Excel-based model to calculate the different cost categories, Net present values, damage costs and payback periods. LCA and LCC results indicated that 75% flake production and 25% landfilling was the most environmentally efficient and cost-effective disposal route for used PET bottles in Mauritius.

The impact of gender, culture, and sexuality on Mauritian nursing: Nursing as a non-gendered occupational identity or masculine field? Qualitative study.

PubMed

Hollup, Oddvar

2014-05-01

International studies have generally defined nursing as a female-dominated occupation. The almost absence of male nurses seems universal, except as a privileged minority occupying positions within nursing specialties ('islands of masculinity'). Nursing is associated with relatively low status owing to gender and income, and is also influenced by cultural perceptions of social status, the nature of the work and sexuality. This study aims to describe and analyse how gender and cultural perceptions influenced the development of nursing in Mauritius. This paper examines why nursing in Mauritius became gendered in different ways due to the impact of gender equivalence in the work force, the gendered segregation in clinical practice and the absence of caring feminisation in nursing. This qualitative study is based on in-depth, semi-structured interviews and convenience sampling. The sample includes nurses working at five hospitals. They all come from the central and southern part of Mauritius. The data were collected over a five-month period during 2006. Individual qualitative interviews were conducted with 47 nurses, both men (27) and women (20), of different grades, ages, religions and ethnic backgrounds. Nursing practice is gender segregated, influenced and supported by cultural traditions and perceptions of gender relations, sexuality and touch in nursing. However, the professional identity and role is considered non-gendered, implied by the title of 'nursing officer' and the presence of male nurses who constitute almost 50 percent of the work force. Male nurses do not face similar barriers deterring them from entering nursing profession. Nursing did not develop the image of women's work and a low status job in Mauritius. The nursing profession in Mauritius has been shaped by a different 'history of origin', social, cultural and societal conditions on the basis of the absence of gender imbalance in the work force and caring feminisation in nursing. Moreover, the increase of men's presence in nursing influenced its name, status and perception, shifting nursing into a masculine sphere with advantageous impacts on nursing. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Girls and science education in Mauritius: a study of science class practices and their effects on girls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naugah, Jayantee; Watts, Mike

2013-11-01

Background: The population of Mauritius consists of 52% females and scientific literacy is seen to be of vital importance for all young people if they are to be sufficiently equipped to meet the challenges of a fast changing world. Previous research shows, however, that science is not popular among girls. This paper explores one of many reasons why few girls opt for science subjects after compulsory schooling. Purpose: This study investigated the approaches to teaching in four science classrooms in Mauritius, with particular emphases on the preferences of girls as they learn science. Sample: A total of 20 student interviews and 16 teacher interviews were conducted in four schools in Mauritius. The four mixed-faith schools comprised two all-girl schools (one state, one fee-paying), and two mixed-sex schools (one state, one fee-paying), within urban, suburban and rural situations. Design and method: 80 non-participant lessons were observed, of which 60 were science lessons while the remaining 20 non-science lessons were in economics, accounts and commerce. Group interviews with five pupils in each of the four schools were conducted and 16 individual interviews with teachers in the four schools gave an insight into the pedagogic approaches used for the teaching and learning of science. Results: Transmissive approaches to teaching, giving little opportunity for collaborative or activity-based learning, were found to be the most important factors in alienating the girls from science. Conclusions: There need to be radical changes in approaches to teaching to retain young girls' interest in the sciences.

Forgotten, excluded or included? Students with disabilities: A case study at the University of Mauritius

PubMed Central

Gunputh, Rajendra P.

2017-01-01

Background Students with disabilities in the tertiary education sector are more than a just a phenomenon, they are a reality. In general, little attention is devoted to their needs despite the fact that they need more care and attention. Objectives This paper, through a case study at the University of Mauritius, sought to answer some pertinent questions regarding students with disabilities. Does the University of Mauritius have sufficient facilities to support these students? Are students aware of existing facilities? What additional structures need to be put in place so that students with any form of disability are neither victimised, nor their education undermined? Are there any local laws about students with disabilities in higher education? Method To answer these questions and others, an online questionnaire was sent to 500 students and the responses were then analysed and discussed. The response rate was 24.4% which showed that students were not reticent to participate in this study. Results Our survey revealed that most students were not aware of existing facilities and were often neglected in terms of supporting structures and resources. ICT facilities were found to be the best support that is provided at the University of Mauritius. The right legal framework for tertiary education was also missing. Conclusion Ideally, students with disabilities should have access to special facilities to facilitate their learning experiences at tertiary institutions. Awareness about existing facilities must also be raised in order to offer equal opportunities to them and to enable a seamless inclusion. PMID:28936422

Variations in Reading Achievement Across 14 Southern African School Systems: Which Factors Matter?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hungi, Njora; Thuku, Florence W.

2010-02-01

In this study the authors employed a multilevel analysis procedure in order to examine the pupil and school levels factors that contributed to variation in reading achievement among Grade 6 primary school pupils in 14 southern African school systems (Botswana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zanzibar). The data for this study were collected in 2002 as part of a major project known as the Southern and Eastern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality (SACMEQ) that sought to examine the quality of education offered in primary schools in these countries. The most important factors affecting variation in pupil achievement across most of these school systems were grade repetition, pupil socioeconomic background, speaking the language of instruction at home, and Pupil age. South Africa, Uganda and Namibia were among the school systems with the largest between-school variation while Seychelles and Mauritius had the largest within-school variation. Low social equity in reading achievement was evident in Mauritius, Seychelles and Tanzania. Policy implications of the findings are discussed.

An assessment on the recycling opportunities of wastes emanating from scrap metal processing in Mauritius

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mauthoor, Sumayya, E-mail: sumayya.mauthoor@umail.uom.ac.mu; Mohee, Romeela; Kowlesser, Prakash

2014-10-15

Highlights: • Scrap metal processing wastes. • Areas of applications for slag, electric arc furnace dust, mill scale and wastewater sludge. • Waste generation factor of 349.3 kg per ton of steel produced. • Waste management model. - Abstract: This paper presents an assessment on the wastes namely slag, dust, mill scale and sludge resulting from scrap metal processing. The aim of this study is to demonstrate that there are various ways via which scrap metal processing wastes can be reused or recycled in other applications instead of simply diverting them to the landfill. These wastes are briefly described andmore » an overview on the different areas of applications is presented. Based on the results obtained, the waste generation factor developed was 349.3 kg per ton of steel produced and it was reported that slag represents 72% of the total wastes emanating from the iron and steel industry in Mauritius. Finally the suitability of the different treatment and valorisation options in the context of Mauritius is examined.« less

Multiple Ethnic Origins of Mitochondrial DNA Lineages for the Population of Mauritius

PubMed Central

Betancor, Eva; Suárez, Nicolás M.; Calaon, Diego; Čaval, Saša; Janoo, Anwar; Pestano, Jose

2014-01-01

This article reports on the first genetic assessment of the contemporary Mauritian population. Small island nodes such as Mauritius played a critical role in historic globalization processes and revealing high-resolution details of labour sourcing is crucial in order to better understand early-modern diaspora events. Mauritius is a particularly interesting case given detailed historic accounts attesting to European (Dutch, French and British), African and Asian points of origin. Ninety-seven samples were analysed for mitochondrial DNA to begin unravelling the complex dynamics of the island's modern population. In corroboration with general demographic information, the majority of maternal lineages were derived from South Asia (58.76%), with Malagasy (16.60%), East/Southeast Asian (11.34%) and Sub-Saharan African (10.21%) also making significant contributions. This study pinpoints specific regional origins for the South Asian genetic contribution, showing a greater influence on the contemporary population from northern and southeast India. Moreover, the analysis of lineages related to the slave trade demonstrated that Madagascar and East Asia were the main centres of origin, with less influence from West Africa. PMID:24676463

Grasshoppers of the Mascarene Islands: new species and new records (Orthoptera, Caelifera).

PubMed

Hugel, Sylvain

2014-12-23

The grasshopper fauna of Mascarene Islands (Mauritius, Rodrigues and La Réunion), in South Western Indian ocean is examined. Numerous field surveys and examination of museum specimens recorded twenty species of Grasshoppers on the archipelago. Five of them are new records, including a new species: Odontomelus ancestrus n. sp. restricted to Round Island, a 2 km² islet North to Mauritius. Despite intensive searching, five of the non endemic species once recorded on the archipelago have not been recorded again and might correspond to temporary settlements/introductions. A key to Mascarene grasshoppers is given.

Burrowing crickets endemic to summits in Mauritius (Orthoptera, Gryllidae): occupation of similar niches by species possibly derived from Australasian and African colonists.

PubMed

Hugel, Sylvain

2014-08-15

Two ground burrowing crickets are described from the oceanic island of Mauritius (South Western Indian Ocean): Gialaia (Eugialaia) strasbergi n. sp. belongs to a subgenus that was only known from Papua-New Guinea, and Taciturna baiderae n.sp. belongs to a genus that was only known from South Africa. Taciturna baiderae n. sp. displays a maternal care behavior to clutch of eggs and offspring. Elements of the biology of these two new species are given and their conservation status is assessed. 

Tackling unsafe abortion in Mauritius.

PubMed

Nyong'o, D; Oodit, G

1996-01-01

Despite a contraceptive prevalence rate of 75% Mauritius has a high incidence of unsafe abortions because of unprotected intercourse experienced by many young women in a rapidly industrializing environment. The Mauritius Family Planning Association (MFPA) tackled the issue of unsafe abortion in 1993. Abortion is illegal in the country, and the Catholic Church also strongly opposes modern family planning methods, thus the use of withdrawal and/or calendar methods have been increasing. The MFPA organized an advocacy symposium in 1993 on unsafe abortion with the result of revealing the pressure the Church was exerting relative to abortion and contraceptives. The advocacy campaign of the MFPA consists of having abortion legalized on health grounds and improving family planning services, especially for young unmarried women and men. The full support of the media was secured on the abortion issue: articles appeared, meetings were attended by the press, and public relations support was also received from them. The MFPA worked closely with parliamentarians. A motion was tabled in 1994 in the National Assembly which called for legalization of abortion on health grounds, but the Church squelched its debate. In March 1994 MFPA hosted the IPPF African Regional Conference on Unsafe Abortion in Mauritius with the participation of over 100 representatives from 20 countries, and subsequently a second motion was tabled without parliamentary debate. The deliberations were covered by the media and the Ministry of Women's Rights recognized abortion as an urgent issue as outlined in a white paper prepared for the Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing in 1995. The campaign changed the policy climate favorably making the public more conscious of unsafe abortion. The Ministry of Health decided to collect more data and the newly elected government seems to be more open about this issue.

Secondhand smoke assessment in the first African country adopting a comprehensive smoke-free law (Mauritius).

PubMed

López, María José; Burhoo, Premduth; Moussa, Leelmanee; Nebot, Manel

2011-11-01

A new smoking regulation came into force in Mauritius in March 2009. Environmental nicotine and particles less than 2.5 μm in diameter (PM2.5) were measured in 60 hospitality venues and shopping malls on December 2009. There was presence of secondhand smoke in 69% of the samples. The overall median [IQR] nicotine and PM2.5 concentrations were 0.05 [

Early colonial health developments in Mauritius.

PubMed

Parahoo, K A

1986-01-01

The historical development of Mauritius and in particular the early developments in health care are crucial to an understanding of the contemporary health system. The introduction of major epidemic diseases through the movements of French soldiers to and from India and the immigration of indentured laborers from India account for the high mortality and morbidity rates in the 18th and 19th centuries and later. The colonial economy created and fortified the dependence on a single cash crop and on imported food. It also contributed toward the impoverization of large sections of the Mauritian population. The colonial era is also responsible for initiating a three tier system of health care.

Evaluation of the EIA system on the Island of Mauritius and development of an environmental monitoring plan framework

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ramjeawon, T.; Beedassy, R

The Environment Protection Act (EPA) in Mauritius provides for the application of an EIA license in respect of undertakings listed in its first schedule. Following the promulgation of the Act in June 1993, the Department of Environment (DOE) is issuing an average of 125 EIA licenses yearly. In general, the review exercise of an environmental impact assessment (EIA) is terminated once the license has been granted. The aim of this project was to evaluate the EIA system in Mauritius and to identify its weaknesses and strengths. One of the main weaknesses, besides the lack of EIA audits, is the absencemore » of EIA follow-up monitoring. It is necessary to distinguish between monitoring done for regulatory purposes (compliance monitoring) and environmental monitoring related to the EIA. With the growth of the tourism industry on the island, coastal development projects have the potential to cause significant environmental impacts . A sample of EIA reports pertaining to this sector was assessed for its quality and follow-up mechanisms. Proposals for the contents of EIA Prediction Audits, Environmental Monitoring Plans (EMP) and the format for an EMP report are made.« less

2nd Radio and Antenna Days of the Indian Ocean (RADIO 2014)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2014-10-01

It was an honor and a great pleasure for all those involved in its organization to welcome the participants to the ''Radio and Antenna Days of the Indian Ocean'' (RADIO 2014) international conference that was held from 7th to 10th April 2014 at the Sugar Beach Resort, Wolmar, Flic-en-Flac, Mauritius. RADIO 2014 is the second of a series of conferences organized in the Indian Ocean region. The aim of the conference is to discuss recent developments, theories and practical applications covering the whole scope of radio-frequency engineering, including radio waves, antennas, propagation, and electromagnetic compatibility. The RADIO international conference emerged following discussions with engineers and scientists from the countries of the Indian Ocean as well as from other parts of the world and a need was felt for the organization of such an event in this region. Following numerous requests, the Island of Mauritius, worldwide known for its white sandy beaches and pleasant tropical atmosphere, was again chosen for the organization of the 2nd RADIO international conference. The conference was organized by the Radio Society, Mauritius and the Local Organizing Committee consisted of scientists from SUPELEC, France, the University of Mauritius, and the University of Technology, Mauritius. We would like to take the opportunity to thank all people, institutions and companies that made the event such a success. We are grateful to our gold sponsors CST and FEKO as well as URSI for their generous support which enabled us to partially support one PhD student and two scientists to attend the conference. We would also like to thank IEEE-APS and URSI for providing technical co-sponsorship. More than hundred and thirty abstracts were submitted to the conference. They were peer-reviewed by an international scientific committee and, based on the reviews, either accepted, eventually after revision, or rejected. RADIO 2014 brought together participants from twenty countries spanning five continents: Australia, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, France, India, Italy, Mauritius, Poland, Reunion Island, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, The Netherlands, United Kingdom, and USA. The conference featured eleven oral sessions and one poster session on state-of-the-art research themes. Three internationally recognized scientists delivered keynote speeches during the conference. Prizes for the first and second Best Student Papers were awarded during the closing ceremony. Following the call for the extended contributions for publication as a volume in the IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering (MSE), both on-line and in print, we received thirty-two full papers. All submitted contributions were then peer-reviewed, revised whenever necessary, and accepted or rejected based on the recommendations of the reviewers of the editorial board. At the end of the procedure, twenty-five of them have been accepted for publication in this volume.

FOREWORD: Radio and Antenna Days of the Indian Ocean (RADIO 2012)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monebhurrun, Vikass; Lesselier, Dominique

2013-04-01

It was an honor and a great pleasure for all those involved in its organization to welcome the participants to the 'Radio and Antenna Days of the Indian Ocean' (RADIO 2012) international conference that was held from 24th to 27th September 2012 at the Sugar Beach Resort, Wolmar, Flic-en-Flac, Mauritius. RADIO 2012 is the first of a series of conferences that is to be regularly organized in the Indian Ocean region. The aim is to discuss recent developments, theories and practical applications covering the whole scope of radio-frequency engineering, including radio waves, antennas, propagation, and electromagnetic compatibility. Following discussions with engineers and scientists from the countries of the Indian Ocean as well as from other parts of the world, a need was felt for the organization of such an international event in this region. The Island of Mauritius, worldwide known for its white sandy beaches and pleasant tropical atmosphere, provided an excellent environment for the organization of the 1st RADIO international conference. The Local Organizing Committee consisted of scientists from SUPELEC, the University of Mauritius, and the University of Technology, Mauritius. Various members of staff of the University of Mauritius provided help for the organization of the conference. The International Union of Radio Science (URSI) made available technical and financial sponsorship for partial support of young scientists. A number of companies also supported RADIO 2012 ('Platinum': GSMA, ICTA & MMF, 'Gold': CST & FEKO). The event itself was organized in a premier hotel on Mauritius. In this foreword, we would like to take the opportunity again to thank all the people, institutions and companies that made the event such a success. More than 120 abstracts were submitted to the conference and were peer-reviewed by an international scientific committee. RADIO 2012 overall featured six oral sessions, one poster session and two workshops. Three internationally recognized scientists delivered keynote speeches during the conference. The two workshops consisted of both regular and invited papers. A call to extended contributions for publication as a volume in the IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) both on-line and in print, was made. Following the call, we received thirty-three full papers and all submitted contributions were then peer-reviewed by the co-editors with considerable help from the editorial board. Following this procedure, twenty-seven of them were accepted for publication in this volume. We believe that this volume will be both an excellent source of pertinant and long-lasting scientific material in the fast evolving fields that are covered by RADIO 2012 as well as good proof of its relevance to the scientific Indian Ocean community and far beyond. Editors Vikass Monebhurrun Dominique Lesselier Editorial Board Members Subramaniam Ananthakrishnan Pavel Belov Michael Gaylard Stephen Gedney Yashwant Gupta Sheshakamal Jayaram Wout Joseph Per-Simon Kildal Dominique Lesselier Jean-Daniel Lan Sun Luk André de Lustrac Vikass Monebhurrun Russel Taylor Lok C Lew Yan Voon

Anampses viridis Valenciennes 1840 (Pisces: Labridae)--a case of taxonomic con- fusion and mistaken extinction.

PubMed

Russell, Barry C; Craig, Matthew T

2013-01-01

Anampses viridis Valenciennes 1840 is known from only three specimens collected from Mauritius, and despite intensive sampling, the species has not been seen or reported since it was originally described. This apparent failure to 'rediscover' A. viridis at Mauritius has led to speculation that it is extinct, and the species has been widely cited as an example of a marine fish extinction. Far from being extinct, Anampses viridis has been taxonomically confused and actually is the adult male (terminal phase) colour form and a junior synonym of A. caeruleopunctatus Rüppell 1829, a species that is common and widespread throughout the Indo-West Pacific region.

Mid-Holocene vertebrate bone Concentration-Lagerstätte on oceanic island Mauritius provides a window into the ecosystem of the dodo ( Raphus cucullatus)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rijsdijk, Kenneth F.; Hume, Julian P.; Bunnik, Frans; Florens, F. B. Vincent; Baider, Claudia; Shapiro, Beth; van der Plicht, Johannes; Janoo, Anwar; Griffiths, Owen; van den Hoek Ostende, Lars W.; Cremer, Holger; Vernimmen, Tamara; De Louw, Perry G. B.; Bholah, Assenjee; Saumtally, Salem; Porch, Nicolas; Haile, James; Buckley, Mike; Collins, Matthew; Gittenberger, Edmund

2009-01-01

Although the recent history of human colonisation and impact on Mauritius is well documented, virtually no records of the pre-human native ecosystem exist, making it difficult to assess the magnitude of the changes brought about by human settlement. Here, we describe a 4000-year-old fossil bed at Mare aux Songes (MAS) in south-eastern Mauritius that contains both macrofossils (vertebrate fauna, gastropods, insects and flora) and microfossils (diatoms, pollen, spores and phytoliths). With >250 bone fragments/m 2 and comprising 50% of all known extinct and extant vertebrate species ( ns = 44) of Mauritius, MAS may constitute the first Holocene vertebrate bone Concentration-Lagerstätte identified on an oceanic volcanic island. Fossil remains are dominated by extinct giant tortoises Cylindraspis spp. (63%), passerines (˜10%), small bats (7.8%) and dodo Raphus cucullatus (7.1%). Twelve radiocarbon ages [four of them duplicates] from bones and other material suggest that accumulation of fossils took place within several centuries. An exceptional combination of abiotic conditions led to preservation of bones, bone collagen, plant tissue and microfossils. Although bone collagen is well preserved, DNA from dodo and other Mauritian vertebrates has proved difficult. Our analysis suggests that from ca 4000 years ago (4 ka), rising sea levels created a freshwater lake at MAS, generating an oasis in an otherwise dry environment which attracted a diverse vertebrate fauna. Subsequent aridification in the south-west Indian Ocean region may have increased carcass accumulation during droughts, contributing to the exceptionally high fossil concentration. The abundance of floral and faunal remains in this Lagerstätte offers a unique opportunity to reconstruct a pre-human ecosystem on an oceanic island, providing a key foundation for assessing the vulnerability of island ecosystems to human impact.

Geothermal surveys in the oceanic volcanic island of Mauritius

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verdoya, Massimo; Chiozzi, Paolo; Pasqua, Claudio

2017-04-01

Oceanic island chains are generally characterised by young volcanic systems that are predominately composed of basaltic lavas and related magmatic products. Although hot springs are occasionally present, the pervasive, massive, recent outpourings of basaltic lavas are the primary manifestation of the existence of geothermal resources. These islands may have, in principle, significant potential for the exploitation of geothermal energy. In this paper, we present results of recent investigations aimed at the evaluation of geothermal resources of the island of Mauritius, that is the emerging portion of a huge submarine, aseismic, volcanic plateau extending in the SW part of the Indian Ocean. The plateau is related to a long-lived hotspot track, whose present-day expression is the active volcano of La Réunion Island, located about 200 km SW of Mauritius. The island does not show at present any volcanic activity, but magmatism is quite recent as it dates from 7.8 to 0.03 Myr. Geochemical data from water samples collected from boreholes do not indicate the presence of mature water, i.e. circulating in high-temperature geothermal reservoirs, and argue for short-term water-rock interaction in shallow hydrogeological circuits. However, this cannot rule out that a deep magmatic heat source, hydraulically insulated from shallow aquifers, may occur. To evaluate the geothermal gradient, a 270-m-deep hole was thus drilled in the island central portion, in which the most recent volcanic activity (0.03 Myr) took place. Temperature-depth profiles, recorded after complete thermal equilibration, revealed a thermal gradient of 40 mK/m. Attempts of extracting additional thermal information were also made by measuring the temperature in a 170-m-deep deep water hole, no longer used. The results were consistent with the gradient hole, i.e. pointing to a weak or null deep-seated thermal anomaly beneath Mauritius and low geothermal potential. The deep thermal process (mantle plume) invoked to occur in the hotspot area thus seems to yield no particular thermal signature.

An assessment of zoonotic and production limiting pathogens in rusa deer (Cervus timorensis rusa) from Mauritius.

PubMed

Jori, F; Godfroid, J; Michel, A L; Potts, A D; Jaumally, M R; Sauzier, J; Roger, M

2014-08-01

A population of approximately 70,000 rusa deer (Cervus timorensis russa) represents the most important mammal species reared for food on the island of Mauritius, being the main source of red meat for the local population. However, very limited information is available on the circulation of pathogens affecting the productivity and health of this species. To produce baseline data on the circulation of infectious pathogens in rusa deer under production, a serological survey and/or direct pathogen detection for six selected infectious diseases was undertaken in 2007 in a sample of 53% of the herds reared in semi-free-ranging conditions in hunting estates. Seropositive results were recorded for Johne's disease with an indirect ELISA test (1.7%, n = 351), heartwater with an immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) (95.5%, n = 178) and leptospirosis with a Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT) (25.9%, n = 363). Significant associations were found between seroprevalence to some of the leptospiral serogroups detected (Tarassovi, Pomona, Sejroe and Mini) and age of the animals, animal density or location of the estates (being more prevalent in hotter and more humid areas). In addition, Mycobacterium bovis and M. avium subspecies paratuberculosis were confirmed in two deer carcasses by culture and PCR, respectively. No antibodies against Brucella spp. nor Rift Valley Fever virus were detected with the use of respective indirect ELISA's. The results obtained suggest that the population of rusa deer from Mauritius is exposed to a wide range of pathogens which may affect their productivity. In addition, the results highlight the potential public health risks incurred by deer industry workers and consumers. This survey fills an important gap in knowledge regarding the health of tropical deer meat in Mauritius and justifies the need to implement more regular surveys of selected pathogens in the deer population. © 2013 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

[Entomological surveillance in Mauritius].

PubMed

Gopaul, R

1995-01-01

The entomological surveillance is an essential link in the fight against malaria in Mauritius. Because of the large number of malaria-infected travellers in Mauritius and the presence of the vector Anopheles arabiensis, the risk of local transmission is very real. The medical entomology division together with the malaria control unit and the health appointees exert a rigorous entomological surveillance of malaria. Field agents make entomological investigations of pilot villages and around the harbor and airport, where there have been cases of malaria, in addition to a few randomly chosen regions. All of the inhabited regions are accessible because of a good highway infrastructure, which enables a complete coverage for the entomological prospectives. Entomological controls are also conducted in the airplanes and the ships. All of the captured mosquitos and the harvested larva are transferred to a laboratory for identification, dissection or sensibility tests, etc. The larva of A. arabiensis have not yet developed resistance to Temephos and the adults are still sensitive to DDT. Thus, the larval habitats are treated with Temephos and DDT is sprayed in the residences where there have been native cases of malaria. The entomology division studies the ecology and the evolution of the larval habitats, as well as the impact of the anti-larval fight on the anophelene density. In addition to the chemical fight, a biological control is being tried with larva-eating fish such as Lebistes and Tilapia. In general, the anophelene density in Mauritius is low, but after the big summer rains, especially during a period of cyclones, there is a considerable increase of larval habitats and consequently a higher number of A. arabiensis. Therefore during this season, it is necessary to make an even more rigorous entomological surveillance. A. arabiensis has a strong exophile tendency even if it is endophage and exophage. This mosquito is zoophile, mostly towards cattle, and the zooprophylaxis must have a significant role in the regions with herds of cattle such as the western part of the island. However, the favorite larval habitat of A. arabiensis seems to be water on the flat roofs of solid houses. Therefore, the availability of such larval habitats across the country facilitates the vector-human contact. On the other islands forming part of the state of Mauritius, such as Rodriguez and Agaléga, there are no anopheles and therefore no risk of transmission of malaria. There still are entomological investigations on these islands periodically to assure that there is no accidental introduction of anopheles mosquitos.

Ethnopharmacological analysis of medicinal plants and animals used in the treatment and management of pain in Mauritius.

PubMed

Sreekeesoon, D Priyamka; Mahomoodally, M Fawzi

2014-11-18

Pain is a multi-faceted and multi-factorial condition which is challenging to manage and treat. Conventional therapies such as analgesics, Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and corticosteroids amongst others have been successful to some extent in its management and treatment. Nonetheless, such therapies tend to be accompanied by undesirable effects and have a limited therapeutic range. Consequently, there is a pressing need to probe for novel analgesic and anti-nociceptive drugs from traditional medicines (TM). This study was designed to record, document and analyze herbal and animal-based therapies used for the management and treatment of pain in the tropical of Mauritius. Data was collected via face-to-face interviews with TM users (n=332) and practitioners (n=20). Seven quantitative ethnopharmacological indexes, namely family use value (FUV), use value (UV), informant agreement ratio (IAR), relative frequency of citation (RFC), fidelity level (FL), relative importance (RI) and ethnobotanicity index (EI) were calculated. A total of 79 plant species distributed within 40 families and 20 polyherbal preparations was recorded. Interestingly, 6 indigenous/endemic plants have been reported for the first time to be in common use for pain management and treatment in Mauritius. The most significant biologically important plant family was Xanthorrhoeaceae with highest FUV. The species which ranked highest according to its UV was Morinda citrifolia L. Morinda citrifolia L. and Ricinus communis L. also scored the highest RFC. The IAR values for the disease categories were high (0.95-0.97). Based on EI, plants species which are known to be useful in TM accounted for 11.5% of the total flora in Mauritius. Coix lacryma-jobi L. (FL=100%) had highest FL for lower back ache. Morinda citrifolia L. scored highest on most of the quantitative indices calculated including RI, which is endorsed by extensive documentation on its versatility and particularly its anti-nociceptive properties. Seven animal species were recorded to be in common use. The present ethnopharmacological study revealed a panoply of TM to be in common use for pain management and treatment in Mauritius. This study has documented for the first time medicinal plants and animal species with potential analgesic and/or anti-nociceptive properties. This study has therefore provided important baseline primary data for the discovery of new lead molecules for drug development geared towards pain management and treatment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

15 CFR 2013.1 - Designations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Bahrain Barbados Belize Botswana Brazil Chile Colombia Costa Rica Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador El Salvador Fiji Gabon Grenada Guatemala Honduras Jamaica Malaysia Malta Mauritius Morocco Namibia Panama...

15 CFR 2013.1 - Designations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Bahrain Barbados Belize Botswana Brazil Chile Colombia Costa Rica Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador El Salvador Fiji Gabon Grenada Guatemala Honduras Jamaica Malaysia Malta Mauritius Morocco Namibia Panama...

Initiatives: Mauritius.

PubMed

Budory, B

1996-04-01

Field experience in Mauritius shows that reaching males in the community is more difficult than reaching other groups. Generally seeing sexual and reproductive health as women's issues, men visit the family planning association only in case of urgent need. Men also assume that they already know about sexuality. The Mauritius Family Planning Association (MFPA) has therefore developed a strategy for information, education, and communication designed to reach men by segmenting and intervening in male dominant sectors such as the fishing industry, the police force, the public transport sector, and the fire brigade. Since gaining access to men in those sectors through an aggressive campaign conducted in 1995 with sector heads, more than 2000 men aged 25-45 years have participated in seminars, workshops, and group discussions on sexual and reproductive health during their working hours. The program usually sparked lively discussions among the men and showed that there is a lack of information on sexual and reproductive health, inadequate knowledge resulting in an unwillingness to use condoms, insufficient information on hormonal contraceptives, little discussion between partners and spouses on family planning and reproductive health-related decisions, common premature ejaculation, and the belief that sexual and family planning issues are of low priority. The MFPA strategic plan for 1996-2000 includes provision for specialized counseling to men and will address relevant concerns relating to reaching out to men and increasing their level of involvement in family planning.

GI Locator Service

MedlinePlus

... North Dakota Nebraska New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico Nevada New York Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Puerto ... MARIANA ISLANDS MARSHALL ISLANDS Martinique MAURITANIA MAURITIUS MAYOTTE MEXICO MICRONESIA, FEDERATED STATES OF MOLDOVA, REPUBLIC OF MONACO ...

Find an Allergist/Immunologist

MedlinePlus

... Nevada New Brunswick New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York Newfoundland North Carolina North Dakota Northwest ... Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique ...

8 CFR 236.1 - Apprehension, custody, and detention.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... safety of other persons or of property. If an alien meets this burden, the alien must further demonstrate... Kiribati Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Malaysia Malta Mauritius Moldova Mongolia Nigeria Philippines Poland 4 4...

An analysis of the mechanism of a reactivated basaltic landslide site under varying rate of displacement in Mauritius, Offshore Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dabycharun, Bhoopendra; Kuwano, Takeshi; Ichikawa, Kensuke; Fukuoka, Hiroshi

2017-04-01

During the past 20 years, the continuous weathering of the soil on sloping areas has greatly contributed to landslide-prone geo-environment in Mauritius. Consequently, the landslide areas became a matter of interest for the government of Mauritius. This research has been focused on an existing landslide area namely Chitrakoot in Mauritius which is 1.8 km2 and was monitored by JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) and Ministry of Public Infrastructure and Land Transport of Government of Mauritius from 2012 to 2015. In 2005, 54 houses and infrastructures were affected with the activation of the landslide and which further reactivated in 2006 damaging another 14 houses. During the investigation conducted by JICA's Experts, a landslide block of 300 m by 150 m in a highly populated zone was found to be unstable. To monitor the behaviour of the landslide, two extensometers were installed together with piezometers. The extensometers revealed that the unstable block kept moving after the event with accelerating movement during and after a heavy rainfall and cyclonic conditions. Moreover, the piezometers concluded that the groundwater rises above the ground surface in the rainy season. To examine the mechanism of the reactivated landslide, disturbed samples were taken from the shear zone and were tested in the laboratories of Niigata University, Japan. The borehole core logging data obtained from 6 boreholes showed that possible sliding surface was observed in the colluvium layer consisting of gravels and stiff silty-clays, at depths from 6 to 10 m below the ground surface. Atterberg limits test for the soil showed that the soil had a liquid limit of 67.0%, plastic limit of 27.4 % and plasticity index of 39.26. The soil being of low plasticity possesses few inter-particle contact points and hence low shear stresses. Ring shear test was conducted under dry condition, fully saturated drained and undrained condition to examine the shear behaviour of the soil. Under the dry condition, the residual friction angle (φ) and the cohesion (c) were found to be 18.8o and 8.0 kPa respectively whereas, under the fully saturated condition, the residual friction angle (φ) and the cohesion (c) were found to be 12.0o and 5.0 kPa respectively. Ring shear test was conducted under increasing shear speed from 0.01mm/min to 0.3 mm/min to determine the mechanism of the accelerating movement of the soil. The rate effect test concluded that the soils showed positive rate effect as the stress ratio under faster shear rate was higher than the one under slower rate. Thus, under a high degree of saturation, the landslide will continue to accelerate with the generation of excess pore water pressure while shear resistance will be recovered at high speeds. Intermittent movement will be repeated with this type of mechanism.

Surveillance of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae in the Indian Ocean Region between January 2010 and December 2015.

PubMed

Holman, A M; Allyn, J; Miltgen, G; Lugagne, N; Traversier, N; Picot, S; Lignereux, A; Oudin, C; Belmonte, O; Allou, N

2017-09-01

The aim of this study was to trace the emergence of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) on Reunion Island, a French overseas territory well suited for the surveillance of CPE emergence in patients from the entire Indian Ocean Region. This retrospective multicenter study was conducted on Reunion Island between 2010 and 2015. A total of 43 CPEs were isolated during the course of the study, in 36 patients (50% in the last year alone). Among these patients, 21 had a link with a foreign country (58%), mainly Mauritius (47.6%). Over the same period, CPEs were isolated from 13 of 1735 (0.7%) repatriated patients to Reunion Island from another country of the Indian Ocean Region. The incidence of isolation of CPEs in the repatriated patients treated in Mauritius was higher (9.2%) than in patients treated in Madagascar or the Comoros Islands (<1%, P<0.001). The most commonly isolated microorganism was Klebsiella pneumoniae (39.5%). The most frequently identified carbapenemase was NDM-1 (81.4%); 100% and 56% of the NDM-1 strains were susceptible to tigecycline and colistin, respectively. In-hospital mortality rate was higher in patients presenting with CPE infection than in patients without CPE infection (75% vs. 25%, P=0.04). As elsewhere in the world, the number of CPE cases on Reunion Island is on the rise. Most cases involve patients from Mauritius, which justifies screening and isolating CPE in patients from that country. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Drift analysis of MH370 debris in the southern Indian Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Jia; Mu, Lin; Bao, Xianwen; Song, Jun; Ding, Yang

2018-05-01

Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 disappeared on 8 March 2014, while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. A flaperon from the flight was found on Reunion Island in July 2015. Two more confirmed pieces of debris were found in Mauritius and Tanzania, and 19 unconfirmed items were found off Mozambique, South Africa, and Madagascar. Drift buoys originating from the designated underwater search area arrived in Reunion Island, Mauritius, and Tanzania. Some of these buoys took a similarly long time as did real debris to reach these destinations, following a heading northeast and then west. For the present study, a maritime object drift prediction model was developed. "High resolution surface currents, Stokes drift, and winds" were processed, and a series of model experiments were constructed. The predicted trajectories of the modeled objects were similar to the observed trajectories of the drift buoys. Many modeled objects drifted northward then westward, ending up in Reunion Island, Mauritius, and Tanzania with probabilities of 5‰, 5‰, and 19‰, respectively. At the end of the simulation, most objects were located near 10°S in the western Indian Ocean. There were significant differences between experiments with different leeway factors, possibly because of the influence of southeast trade winds. The north part of the underwater search area is most likely to be the crash site, because the predicted trajectories of objects originating here are consistent with the many pieces of debris found along the east coast of Africa and the absence of such findings on the west coast of Australia.

An ethnopharmacological survey of natural remedies used by the Chinese community in Mauritius

PubMed Central

Mahomoodally, Mohamad Fawzi; Muthoorah, Luviksha Drushilla

2014-01-01

Objective To collect, preserve and document primary ethnopharmacological information on common natural remedies (NRs) used by the Chinese community to treat and/or manage common diseases in Mauritius, a tropical multicultural island in the Indian Ocean. Methods Face-to-face interviews were carried out with 52 key Chinese informants using a semi-structured questionnaire. Quantitative ethnobotanical indices, namely, the informant consensus factor (FIC), the use value, the fidelity level, the index of agreement on remedies and the relative importance were calculated. Results Plants (61) and animal species (17), belonging to 43 and 9 families respectively, constituted the exploited flora and fauna by the Chinese community. Based on the FIC the main categories of plants used were employed against injury and poisons due to external causes (FIC=0.97), diseases of the respiratory system (FIC=0.96), diseases of the eye and adnexa (FIC=0.95), undefined pains or illness (FIC=0.95), diseases during the postpartum period, diseases of the digestive system and diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue (FIC=0.94 each). For zootherapy, diseases of the circulatory system, diseases of the eye and adnexa, diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue and endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases had total consensus (FIC=1.00). Conclusions It was found that the Chinese community of Mauritius still relies, to a great extent, on NRs which need to be preserved and used sustainably. Nonetheless, further research is needed to probe the possible active constituents that could be the basis of an evidence-based investigation to discover new drugs. PMID:25183116

Activities of the ILO.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Labour Education, 1984

1984-01-01

Seven articles on International Labour Organization (ILO) activities cover study groups at ILO headquarters, a Philippine rural workers seminar, women's participation in Central American union activities, worksite courses in India, and seminars and symposia in Cape Verde, Mauritius, and Sierra Leone. (SK)

Tropical Cyclone Report, 1990.

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-01-01

organization as system underwent increased vertical wind shear and loss of latent and sensible heat. HI. TRACK AND MOTION After initially tracking...PASADENA CIUDAD UNIVERSITARIA. MEXICO LISD CAMP SPRINGS CENTER, MD CIVIL DEFENSE, BELAU LOS ANGELES PUBLIC LIBRARY CIVIL DEFENSE, MAJURO MAURITIUS

Guidelines to site selection for population surveillance and mosquito control trials: a case study from Mauritius.

PubMed

Iyaloo, Diana P; Elahee, Khouaildi B; Bheecarry, Ambicadutt; Lees, Rosemary Susan

2014-04-01

Many novel approaches to controlling mosquito vectors through the release of sterile and mass reared males are being developed in the face of increasing insecticide resistance and other limitations of current methods. Before full scale release programmes can be undertaken there is a need for surveillance of the target population, and investigation of parameters such as dispersal and longevity of released, as compared to wild males through mark-release-recapture (MRR) and other experiments, before small scale pilot trials can be conducted. The nature of the sites used for this field work is crucial to ensure that a trial can feasibly collect sufficient and relevant information, given the available resources and practical limitations, and having secured the correct regulatory, community and ethical approvals and support. Mauritius is considering the inclusion of the sterile insect technique (SIT), for population reduction of Aedes albopictus, as a component of the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life's 'Operational Plan for Prevention and Control of Chikungunya and Dengue'. As part of an investigation into the feasibility of integrating the SIT into the Integrated Vector Management (IVM) scheme in Mauritius a pilot trial is planned. Two potential sites have been selected for this purpose, Pointe des Lascars and Panchvati, villages in the North East of the country, and population surveillance has commenced. This case study will here be used to explore the considerations which go into determining the most appropriate sites for mosquito field research. Although each situation is unique, and an ideal site may not be available, this discussion aims to help researchers to consider and balance the important factors and select field sites that will meet their needs. Copyright © 2013 International Atomic Energy Agency 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A study of alternative refrigerants for the refrigeration and air conditioning sector in Mauritius

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dreepaul, R. K.

2017-11-01

The most frequently used refrigerants in the refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC) sector in Mauritius are currently hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFC) and hydrofluorocarbons (HFC). However, because of their strong influence on global warming and the impact of HCFCs on the ozone layer, refrigerants such as ammonia (NH3), carbon dioxide (CO2) and Hydrocarbons (HC), having minimal impact on the environment, are being considered. So far, HCs have only been safely used in domestic refrigeration. Ammonia has been used mainly for industrial refrigeration whereas CO2 is still under study. In this paper, a comparative study of the various feasible alternatives is presented in a survey that was undertaken with major stake holders in the field. The retrofitting possibility of existing equipment was assessed and safety issues associated with each refrigerant were analysed. The major setback of hydrocarbons as a widely accepted refrigerant is its flammability which was considered as a major safety hazard by the majority of respondents in the survey and the main advantages are the improved equipment coefficient of performance (COP) and better TEWI factor. This resulted in a 12 % drop in energy consumption. Despite the excellent thermodynamic properties of ammonia, its use has mainly been confined to industrial refrigeration due to its toxicity. In Mauritius, the performance of ammonia in air conditioning is being evaluated on a pilot basis. The major setback of carbon dioxide as a refrigerant is the high operating pressure which is considered a safety hazard. The high initial investment cost and the lack of qualified maintenance technician is also an issue. The use of CO2 is mainly being considered in the commercial refrigeration sector.

Multi-hazard risk assessment of the Republic of Mauritius

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mysiak, Jaroslav; Galli, Alberto; Amadio, Mattia; Teatini, Chiara

2013-04-01

The Republic of Mauritius (ROM) is a small island developing state (SIDS), part of the Mascarene Islands in West Indian Ocean, comprised by Mauritius, Rodrigues, Agalega and St. Brandon islands and several islets. ROM is exposed to many natural hazards notably cyclones, tsunamis, torrential precipitation, landslides, and droughts; and highly vulnerable sea level rise (SLR) driven by human induced climate change. The multihazard risk assessment presented in this paper is aimed at identifying the areas prone to flood, inundation and landslide hazard, and inform the development of strategy for disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation (CCA). Climate risk analysis - a central component of the analysis - is one of the first comprehensive climate modelling studies conducted for the country. Climate change may lift the temperature by 1-2 degree Celsius by 2060-2070, and increase sizably the intensity and frequency of extreme precipitation events. According to the IPCC Forth Assessment Report (AR4), the expected Sea Level Rise (SLR) ranges between 16 and 49 cm. Individually or in combination, the inland flood, coastal inundation and landslide hazards affect large proportion of the country. Sea level rise and the changes in precipitation regimes will amplified existing vulnerabilities and create new ones. The paper outlines an Action plan for Disaster Risk Reduction that takes into account the likely effects of climate change. The Action Plan calls on the government to establish a National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction as recommended by the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) 2005-2015. It consists of nine recommendations which, if put in practice, will significantly reduce the annual damage to natural hazard and produce additional (ancillary) benefits in economic, social and environmental terms.

Subannual spatiotemporal patterns of potential erosion hotspots on full island scale (Mauritius, Indian Ocean): Foci for agrodiversity and ecosystem buffer regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rijsdijk, K. F.; Seijmonsbergen, A. C.; Kamminga, T.; Koon, A.; Assenjee, A.; Goolaup, P.

2009-04-01

Economic and agricultural growth on Mauritius has resulted in severe environmental pressure during the last decades. Forest fragmentation (>98%), agricultural intervention, prolonged bare soil periods and changing soil properties in combination with a short rainy cyclone season has led to an increase in surface erosion processes and loss of soil fertility. The sensitivity to soil erosion depends on spatial differences in surface conditions. To reveal hot spots of erosion, the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) model was applied for the whole of Mauritius (scale 1:50 000) through ArcGIS algorithms. Although RUSLE is not designed to calculate monthly potential erosion we demonstrate it may indicate realistic spatiotemporal patterns. Subannual soil loss values in 2005 and averaged for a 30 yrs period between 1978-2008, were reclassified into six potential soil erosion categories, from very low to extremely high. In 2005 peaks in potential erosion values in February and March (>1.5t ha-1 month-1) coincide with the cyclone season and very low potential soil loss values from October through December (<0.05t ha-1 month-1) relate to the dry season, which confirms the influence of the R-factor. The calculated values and patterns of potential soil erosion hot spots compare realistically with available soil loss data for various land cover units. Hotspots that would otherwise masked by the annual mean of the annual based RUSLE equation. The outcome provide essential subannual spatiotemporal information to identify areas with increased vulnerability to soil erosion that should prioritized for taking effective measures against future soil loss. In a monocrop setting subannual RUSLE analyses can provide regional and temporal foci to base agrodiversity strategies upon. Further it helps to identify vulnerable spots in buffer zones of threatened ecosystems.

The heterogeneous impact of a successful tobacco control campaign: a case study of Mauritius.

PubMed

Ross, Hana; Moussa, Leelmanee; Harris, Tom; Ajodhea, Rajive

2018-01-01

Mauritius has one of the highest smoking prevalences in Africa, contributing to its high burden of non-communicable diseases. Mauritius implemented a series of tobacco control measures from 2009 to 2012, including tobacco tax increases. There is evidence that these policies reduced tobacco consumption, but it is not clear what impact they had across different socioeconomic groups. The impact of tobacco control measures on different income groups was analysed by contrasting household tobacco expenditures reported in 2006-2007 and 2012 household expenditure surveys. We employed the seemingly unrelated regression model to assess the impact of tobacco use on other household expenditures and calculated Gini coefficients to assess tobacco expenditure inequality. From 2006 to 2012, excise taxes and retail cigarette prices increased by 40.6% and 15.3% in real terms, respectively. These increases were accompanied by numerous non-price tobacco control measures. The share of tobacco-consuming households declined from 35.7% to 29.3%, with the largest relative drop among low-income households. The Gini coefficient of household tobacco expenditures increased by 10.4% due to decreased spending by low-income households. Low-income households demonstrated the largest fall in their tobacco budget shares, and the impact of tobacco consumption on poverty decreased by 26.2%. Households that continued purchasing tobacco reduced their expenditures on transportation, communication, health, and education. These results suggest that tobacco control policies, including sizeable tax increases, were progressive in their impact. We conclude that tobacco use increases poverty and inequality, but stronger tobacco control policies can mitigate the impact of tobacco use on impoverishment. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

7 CFR 319.37-7 - Postentry quarantine.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... nut articles listed by common name in paragraph (b) of this section All except Canada. Gladiolus spp... longitude. Nut and fruit articles (see fruit and nut articles) Passiflora spp. (passion fruit, granadilla..., France, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Mauritius, Portugal, Spain, and Uruguay. (b) Fruit and nut articles...

7 CFR 319.37-7 - Postentry quarantine.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... nut articles listed by common name in paragraph (b) of this section All except Canada. Gladiolus spp... longitude. Nut and fruit articles (see fruit and nut articles) Passiflora spp. (passion fruit, granadilla..., France, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Mauritius, Portugal, Spain, and Uruguay. (b) Fruit and nut articles...

Unemployed Youth: Alternative Approaches to an African Crisis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Livingstone, Ian

1989-01-01

This article draws on the findings of seven country studies of youth employment programs in Africa (Botswana, Somalia, Zambia, Malawi, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Mauritius). Considered are public service/public works programs, agricultural development, employable skills development and vocationalization of education, and national youth services. (SK)

Refuge-effect hypothesis and the demise of the Dodo.

PubMed

Roberts, David L

2013-12-01

The Dodo was last sighted on the inshore island of Ile d'Ambre in 1662, nearly 25 years after the previous sighting on the mainland of Mauritius. It has been suggested that its survival on the inshore island is representative of the refuge effect. Understanding what constitutes significant persistence is fundamental to conservation. I tested the refuge-effect hypothesis for the persistence of the Dodo (Raphus cucullatus) on an inshore island beyond that of the mainland population. For a location to be considered a refuge, most current definitions suggest that both spatial and temporal isolation from the cause of disturbance are required. These results suggest the island was not a refuge for the Dodo because the sighting in 1662 was not temporally isolated from that of the mainland sightings. Furthermore, with only approximately 350 m separating Ile d'Ambre from the mainland of Mauritius, it is unlikely this population of Dodos was spatially isolated. Hipótesis del Efecto Refugio y la Desaparición del Dodo. © 2013 Society for Conservation Biology.

The Helderberg air disaster--forensic odontological investigations.

PubMed

Ligthelm, A J

1994-06-01

A Boeing 747-224B Combi of the South African Airways, the "Helderberg", crashed into the sea near Mauritius on 28 November 1987. All 159 people on board died and dental tissues were present in only eight of the 15 lots of human remains recovered. Ante-mortem dental records were collected by a team in Johannesburg while the post-mortem examinations were conducted in Mauritius. The special circumstances surrounding an accident at sea resulted in the low number of bodies available for identification procedures. Of the eight remains which included dental tissues, five were identified by means of simple dental restorations, advanced dentistry, anatomical features of teeth and stages of development of teeth. One of the victims was identified by a process of exclusion and radiographic evidence played a decisive role in the identification process. (J Forensic Odontostomatol 1994; 12: 15-18) The variety of record-keeping styles and abbreviations used in different countries posed a major problem during the process and it is concluded that international standardization in record-keeping requires urgent attention.

The Future of Workforce Development--A Global Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Twigger, Anthony J.

Recent research has identified trends in the training systems of 13 countries in Africa (Egypt, Mauritius, South Africa); the Arab States (Bahrain, Jordan); Asia (Australia, Fiji, Malaysia); Eastern Europe (Albania, Slovenia); Western Europe (Ireland, Portugal); and the Mediterranean region (Malta). The trends identified are legislation;…

Area Handbook for the Indian Ocean Territories.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stoddard, Theodore L.; And Others

This volume, one of a series of handbooks on foreign culture, is intended as a reference tool for military and other personnel requiring an objective, comprehensive, and balanced description of the Indian Ocean Territories, namely, the two republics of Meldives and Mauritius, and the two European dependencies of Seychelles and Reunion. An…

Language Policy and Practice in the Multilingual Southern African Development Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mooko, Theophilus

2009-01-01

This study explores the language policy and practice of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), an African regional economic organisation made up of 14 member states (Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia…

Successful Family Planning Programs. Draper World Population Fund Report, No. 4, Summer 1977.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Piotrow, Phyllis T., Ed.

This publication describes successful family planning programs throughout the world. Discussed in detail are programs in Colombia, Mauritius, Maharashtra, the People's Republic of China, Sri Lanka, and the United States. Photographs illustrate the articles and, in some cases, family planning vital statistics are given. The Draper World Population…

78 FR 17430 - Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993-Open Mobile Alliance

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-21

..., WA; SeeRoo Information Co., Ltd., Songpa-gu, Seoul, REBUPLIC OF KOREA; Simartis Telecom SRL, Bucharest, ROMANIA; Smartontech Co., Ltd., Ebene, Mauritius, DENMARK; Songdo Telecom, Inc., Yeonsu-gu... names: Motorola Mobility Inc. to Motorola Mobility LLC, Schaumburg, IL; SK Telecom to SK Planet, Seoul...

Survey of Basic Education in Eastern Africa. UNESCO/UNICEF Co-Operation Programme.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Nairobi (Kenya). Regional Office of Science and Technology for Africa.

A survey of basic education in 13 Eastern African countries (Madagascar, Burundi, Comores, Ethiopia, Mauritius, Botswana, Kenya, Lesotho, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, and Somalia) covers basic education programs and UNICEF's supporting role. Basic education is seen as a concept evolved in the region, involving formal school systems and…

Education in the Commonwealth: Towards and beyond the Internationally Agreed Goals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Menefee, Trey; Bray, Mark

2012-01-01

This report was produced for the 2012 Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers meeting in Mauritius. Its main purpose is to track the historical progress and likelihood of attainment of Education For All and education-specific Millennium Development Goals while also critically reviewing the methods used to track this progress. The analyses…

Barriers to Employee Training in Small and Medium Sized Enterprises: Insights and Evidences from Mauritius

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Padachi, Kesseven; Bhiwajee, Soolakshna Lukea

2016-01-01

Purpose: Training is an important component of successful business concerns. However, although there is growing acceptance amongst scholars that small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are engines that drive economies across nations, through their contribution in terms of job creation and poverty reduction; extant research portray that these…

Variations in Reading Achievement across 14 Southern African School Systems: Which Factors Matter?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hungi, Njora; Thuku, Florence W.

2010-01-01

In this study the authors employed a multilevel analysis procedure in order to examine the pupil and school levels factors that contributed to variation in reading achievement among Grade 6 primary school pupils in 14 southern African school systems (Botswana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa,…

Reproductive bionomics and life history traits of three gammaridean amphipods, Cymadusa filosa Savigny, Ampithoe laxipodus Appadoo and Myers and Mallacoota schellenbergi Ledoyer from the tropical Indian Ocean (Mauritius)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Appadoo, Chandani; Myers, Alan A.

2004-12-01

The reproductive bionomics and life history traits of two corophiid amphipods ( Ampithoe laxipodus, Cymadusa filosa) and one melitid ( Mallacoota schellenbergi) were studied in Mauritius (Indian Ocean) for the period March 1999 to February 2000. Results on the population structure, monthly size class variations, sex ratio, female reproductive states and fecundity are presented. The study demonstrates multivoltinism and continuous reproduction in the three species. Increase in number of juveniles was observed in warmer months for C. filosa and A. laxipodus. Sexual maturity was attained at smaller sizes in warmer months in the three species. Linear relationship on body length and number of eggs in brood pouch are presented. Size-independent analysis of egg number revealed a decrease in number of eggs in cooler months. Sex ratio is male skewed in M. schellenbergi and female skewed in C. filosa and A. laxipodus. Some of the plausible explanations for the reproductive strategies adopted by these three species in a tropical system are discussed.

Report on the observed response of Javan lutungs (Trachypithecus auratus mauritius) upon encountering a reticulated python (Python reticulatus).

PubMed

Tsuji, Yamato; Prayitno, Bambang; Suryobroto, Bambang

2016-04-01

We observed an encounter between a reticulated python (Python reticulatus) and a group of wild Javan lutungs (Trachypithecus auratus mauritius) at the Pangandaran Nature Reserve, West Java, Indonesia. A python (about 2 m in length) moved toward a group of lutungs in the trees. Upon seeing the python, an adult male and several adult female lutungs began to emit alarm calls. As the python approached, two adult and one sub-adult female jumped onto a branch near the python and began mobbing the python by shaking the branch. During the mobbing, other individuals in the group (including an adult lutung male) remained nearby but did not participate. The python then rolled into a ball-like shape and stopped moving, at which point the lutungs moved away. The total duration of the encounter was about 40 min, during which time the lutungs stopped feeding and grooming. Group cohesiveness during and after the encounter was greater than that before the encounter, indicating that lutungs adjust their daily activity in response to potential predation risk.

What Parents Say about Children's Inequality of Opportunities: A Study in Mauritius

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morabito, C.; Carosin, E.; Vandenbroeck, M.

2017-01-01

Longitudinal studies showing the beneficial impact of early childhood education on later academic achievement have contributed to persuading policy-makers and academia that early childhood is the best time to address inequalities. However, the voice of parents is often absent from these debates. We investigated the perspectives of parents on…

Comparisons of Wartime and Peacetime Disease and Non-Battle Injury Rates Aboard Ships of the British Royal Navy

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-06-01

Kenya Cleopatra Maur itius Enterprise Sirius Kenya Sussex Mauritius Orion Penelope Si rius Sus sex Detors Aligt1ion Ledbury Anthony Liddesdale Beaufurt...Diseases of the Rectum and Anus Diseases of the Liver Other Digestive Diseases DISEASES OF NUTRITION OR METABOLISM Scurvy Beri-Beri Gout Diabetes

The Resilience of the "Corporate" in Post-Corporate Teacher Appraisal: A Case Study from Mauritius

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luchoomun, Dharmadeo

2007-01-01

This article seeks to replace the traditional and authoritative staff appraisal at a case-study school by a concept of performance management depicted as the performance enhancement and peer appraisal of teachers. It is achieved by elaborating an open system of performance management where teachers are empowered within the existing vertical…

Educating Handicapped Young People in Eastern and Southern Africa in 1981-83.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ross, D. H.

This publication compiles the findings and conclusions of the 3-year first phase (1980-83) of the Unesco Sub-regional Project for Special Education in Eastern and Southern Africa. It presents the state of the art of special education and prospects for future development in Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Seychelles, Somalia,…

Examining the Antecedents of ICT Adoption in Education Using an Extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teeroovengadum, Viraiyan; Heeraman, Nabeel; Jugurnath, Bhavish

2017-01-01

This study assesses the determinants of ICT adoption by educators in the teaching and learning process in the context of a developing country, Mauritius. A hierarchical regression analysis is used, to firstly determine the incremental effects of factors from the technology acceptance model (TAM) while controlling for demographic variables such as…

Interreligious Education: Conceptualising a Needs Assessment Framework for Curriculum Design in Plural Societies (with Special Reference to Mauritius)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maudarbux, Mohammad Belall

2016-01-01

The growing debate on intercultural and interreligious dialogue has one major drawback: how to translate academic and theoretical contributions into practical tools for educators and policy makers. This paper aims to fill this gap by presenting a transferable "needs assessment model" based on five criteria and twenty measurable…

Peer Learning Strategies: Acknowledging Lecturers' Concerns of the Student Learning Assistant Scheme on a New Higher Education Campus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kodabux, Adeelah; Hoolash, Bheshaj Kumar Ashley

2015-01-01

The Student Learning Assistant (SLA) scheme was introduced in 2010 at Middlesex University Mauritius Branch Campus (MUMBC). The scheme is similar to traditional peer learning strategies, such as Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) and Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS), which are widely operated in higher education environments to motivate student…

Training Funds and the Incidence of Training: The Case of Mauritius

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuku, Oluyemisi; Orazem, Peter F.; Rojid, Sawkut; Vodopivec, Milan

2016-01-01

Training funds are used to incentivize training in developing countries, but the funds are based on payroll taxes that lower the return to training. In the absence of training funds, larger, high-wage and more capital-intensive firms are the most likely to offer training unless they are liquidity constrained. If firms are not liquidity…

A Social Partnership Model to Promote Educators' Development in Mauritius through Formal and Informal Capacity-Building Initiatives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Santally, Mohammad Issack; Cooshna-Naik, Dorothy; Conruyt, Noel; Wing, Caroline Koa

2015-01-01

This paper describes a social partnership model based on the living lab concept to promote the professional development of educators through formal and informal capacity-building initiatives. The aim is to have a broader impact on society through community outreach educational initiatives. A Living Lab is an environment for user-centered…

De-Colonising International Collaboration: The University of Kwazulu-Natal-Mauritius Institute of Education Cohort PhD Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Samuel, Michael Anthony; Mariaye, Hyleen

2014-01-01

This paper explores the setting up of the partnership across the Mauritian and South African higher education contexts with respect to the development of a postgraduate PhD doctoral studies programme. The Mauritian Institute of Education (MIE) aims to develop staffing capacities through engagement with doctoral studies, especially in the context…

Using Examinations To Improve Education: A Study in Fourteen African Countries. World Bank Technical Paper Number 165. Africa Technical Department Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kellaghan, Thomas; Greaney, Vincent

A detailed description is presented of the types, functions, performance levels, governance, administration, and funding of public examinations in 14 Sub-Saharan African countries with different educational traditions, based on English, French, or other backgrounds. The countries are: (1) Kenya; (2) Lesotho; (3) Mauritius; (4) Swaziland; (5)…

OERs in Context--Case Study of Innovation and Sustainability of Educational Practices at the University of Mauritius

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Issack, Santally Mohammad

2011-01-01

Over the recent years, there has been a growing interest in Open Educational Resources (OER). A similar trend was observed about a decade ago in the concept of Learning Objects, which inevitably faded without really making an impact in real-world educational contexts. A number of repositories were created that contain thousands of learning…

A Quantitative Ethnopharmacological Documentation of Natural Pharmacological Agents Used by Pediatric Patients in Mauritius

PubMed Central

Mahomoodally, M. Fawzi; Sreekeesoon, D. Priyamka

2014-01-01

The pediatric population constitutes the most vulnerable patients due to a dearth of approved drugs. Consequently, there is a pressing need to probe novel natural pharmacological agents in an endeavour to develop new drugs to address pediatric illnesses. To date, no studies have explored the use of natural therapies for pediatric health care in Mauritius. Parents (n = 325) from different regions of the island were interviewed. Quantitative indexes such as fidelity level (FL), informant consensus factor (F IC), and use-value (UV) were calculated. Thirty-two plants were reported to be used by pediatric patients. Gastrointestinal disorders (F IC = 0.97) encompassing regurgitation, infantile colic, and stomach aches were the most common ailments managed with herbs. Matricaria chamomilla used for infantile colic and its pharmacological properties has previously been documented for pediatric patients. Product from A. mellifera (UV = 0.75) was the most utilized zootherapy for managing cough. Most plants and animal products reported in this study have bioactive constituents supported by existing scientific literature but their use for the pediatric population is scant. The present ethnopharmacological study has opened new perspectives for further research into their pharmacology, which can subsequently support and facilitate timely pediatric medicinal product development. PMID:24949418

Biomass by-product from crystal sugar production: A comparative study between Ngadirejo and Mauritius sugar mill

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gunawan; Bantacut, T.; Romli, M.; Noor, E.

2018-03-01

Sugarcane has been used as raw material in crystal sugar industry. Sugar cane that contains high sugar will be utilized into crystals sugar. In addition, the productivity of sugarcane is large enough in 2016 approximately 360 713 tons/year. Crystal sugar itself is a daily necessity for its use in the food and beverage industry. Problem that occurs in Indonesia is the energy consumption. The sugar mills supposed to be an independent energy source which means it can produce its own energy by utilization the material that is available in the sugar mills such as by-product (bagasse, molasses, filter cake, etc.), the by product in every production stage are quite a lot in sugar industry especially in Indonesia. In this paper, a comparison between two sugar mills was examined between Ngedirejo sugar mill and Mauritius sugar mill which has the same geological state as Indonesia. The results of comparison between the two sugar factories demonstrated the difference in terms of productivity of the sugar that has been produced and the effectiveness of the production process in a sugar mill seen from the amount of waste and the by product.

ACE/AACE Inspection and Analysis Handbook. Part 3. Profiling

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-06-30

Peso Liberia Dollar Australia Dollar Libya Dinar Austria Schilling Liechtenstein Franc Bahamas Dollar Luxembourg Franc Bahrain Dinar Madagascar Franc...Dollar Mauritania Ouguiya Bolivia Peso Mauritius Rupee Botswana Pula Mexico Peso Brazil Cruzeiro Monaco Franc Bulgaria Lev Mongolia Tugrik Burma Kyat...Zealand Dollar Chad CFA Franc Nicaragua Cordoba Chile Peso Niger CFA Franc China Yuan Nigeria Naira Colombia Peso Norway Krone Congo CFA Franc Chan Rial

The Empowering of Public Sector Officers in the Mauritian Public Sector in the Context of Reforms: How Far Has Management Education Helped?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bhiwajee, Soolakshna Lukea; Garavan, Thomas N.

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to provide insights about the usefulness of management education for the public sector in the Republic of Mauritius, which embarked on reforms initiatives around two decades ago. In this context, public officers were encouraged to follow specialised management courses. However, as at date, there is…

Market Effects of Naval Presence in a Globalized World

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-01-01

reductions in Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The second group of countries, largely the top layer of developing countries led by Mexico , South Africa and...Republic Turkmenistan Germany Malaysia Cote d’Ivorie Chad Uzbekistan Hong Kong Mauritius Ecuador Congo, DR Ireland Mexico Gambia Eritrea...study, Mexico and Norway would experience declines in income associated with forward deployed naval operations. On the other hand movements in

Practical Activities for Out-of-School Science and Technology Education. Science and Technology Education Document Series No. 17.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Venkatasamy, D.; And Others

A pilot project was undertaken in 1984 at the Mauritius Institute of Education for the purpose of developing and preparing teaching/learning materials for out-of-school Science and Technology Education programs. This volume is one in a series of UNESCO programs which encourage an international exchange of ideas and information on science and…

The role of endemic plants in Mauritian traditional medicine - Potential therapeutic benefits or placebo effect?

PubMed

Rummun, Nawraj; Neergheen-Bhujun, Vidushi S; Pynee, Kersley B; Baider, Cláudia; Bahorun, Theeshan

2018-03-01

The Mauritian endemic flora has been recorded to be used as medicines for nearly 300 years. Despite acceptance of these endemic plants among the local population, proper documentation of their therapeutic uses is scarce. This review aims at summarising documented traditional uses of Mauritian endemic species with existing scientific data of their alleged bioactivities, in a view to appeal for more stringent validations for their ethnomedicinal uses. A comprehensive bibliographic investigation was carried out by analysing published books on ethnopharmacology and international peer-reviewed papers via scientific databases namely ScienceDirect and PubMed. The keywords "Mauritius endemic plants" and "Mauritius endemic medicinal plants" were used and articles published from 1980 to 2016 were considered. 675 works of which 12 articles were filtered which documented the ethnomedicinal uses and 22 articles reported the biological activities of Mauritian endemic plants. Only materials published in English or French language were included in the review. Available data on the usage of Mauritian endemic plants in traditional medicine and scientific investigation were related. We documented 87 taxa of Mauritian endemic plants for their medicinal value. Endemic plants are either used as part of complex herbal formulations or singly, and are prescribed by herbalists to mitigate a myriad of diseases from metabolic disorders, dermatological pathologies, arthritis to sexually transmissible diseases. However, these species have undergone a limited consistent evaluation to validate their purported ethnomedicinal claims. As the World Health Organization Traditional Medicine Strategy 2014-2023 emphasises on moving traditional medicine into mainstream medicine on an equally trusted footage, the re-evaluation and modernization of Mauritius cultural heritage become necessary. With a consumer-driven 'return to nature', scientific validation and valorization of the herbal remedies, including efficacy and safety are, therefore, important. This review reports the scarcity of research on validating the efficacy and safety of medicinal endemic plants. This calls for the use of optimised methodologies to investigate the claims of therapeutic effects resulting from the use of these traditional medicines. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Climate, Land-, Energy-, Water-use simulations (CLEWs) in Mauritius - an integrated optimisation approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alfstad, Thomas; Howells, Mark; Rogner, Holger; Ramos, Eunice; Zepeda, Eduardo

2016-04-01

The Climate, Land, Energy and Water (CLEW) framework is a set of methodologies for integrated assessment of resource systems. It was developed to provide a means to simultaneously address matters pertaining to energy, water and food security. This is done while both considering the impact that the utilization of these resources have on our climate, as well as how our ability to continue using these resources could be impacted by climate change. CLEW is being applied in Mauritius to provide policy relevant analysis for sustainable development. The work aims to explore the interplay among the different elements of a national sustainable development strategy. A driving motivation is to address issues pertaining to policy cohesion, by exploring cross-sectoral impacts of individual policies and measures. The analysis explores how policies and actions intended to promote sustainability, have ramifications beyond the sector of the economy where it is applied. A primary concern is to ensure that efforts undertaken in pursuit of one policy goal do not inadvertently compromise progress towards attaining goals in other areas. Conversely there may be instances where an action has multiple benefits across various areas. Identifying such trade-offs and synergies can provide additional insights into development policy and support formulation of robust sustainable development strategies. The agreed sustainable development goals clearly illustrate the multi-faceted and multi-dimensional nature of the development challenge, with many overlapping and interlinked concerns. This work focuses on the link between food, energy, water and climate policy, which has shown to be particularly closely intertwined. In Mauritius, the highly interlinked and interdependent nature of the energy and sugar industries for example, highlights the need for coherent and integrated assessment of the role of these sectors in support of sustainable development in the country. Promoting energy self-sufficiency, cutting carbon emissions, adapting to climate change and supporting incomes in the agricultural sector for instance are not separate goals, but interlinked ones, and a holistic and inclusive view of policy formulation is likely to lead to more sustainable outcomes. This presentation will share the findings and lessons learned from this work. .

Prevalence of overweight, obesity and thinness in 9-10 year old children in Mauritius.

PubMed

Caleyachetty, Rishi; Rudnicka, Alicja R; Echouffo-Tcheugui, Justin B; Siegel, Karen R; Richards, Nigel; Whincup, Peter H

2012-07-23

To document the prevalence of overweight, obesity and thinness in 9-10 year old children in Mauritius. 412 boys and 429 girls aged 9-10 years from 23 primary schools were selected using stratified cluster random sampling. All data was cross-sectional and collected via anthropometry and self-administered questionnaire. Outcome measures were BMI (kg/m2), prevalence of overweight, obesity (International Obesity Task Force definitions) and thinness (low BMI for age). Linear and logistic regression analyses, accounting for clustering at the school level, were used to assess associations between gender, ethnicity, school location, and school's academic performance (average) to each outcome measure. The distribution of BMI was marginally skewed with a more pronounced positive tail in the girls. Median BMI was 15.6 kg/m2 in boys and 15.4 kg/m2 in girls, respectively. In boys, prevalence of overweight was 15.8% (95% CI: 12.6, 19.6), prevalence of obesity 4.9% (95% CI: 3.2, 7.4) and prevalence of thinness 12.4% (95% CI: 9.5, 15.9). Among girls, 18.9% (95% CI: 15.5, 22.9) were overweight, 5.1% (95% CI: 3.4, 7.7) were obese and 13.1% (95% CI: 10.2, 16.6) were thin. Urban children had a slightly higher mean BMI than rural children (0.5 kg/m2, 95% CI: 0.01, 1.00) and were nearly twice as likely to be obese (6.7% vs. 4.0%; adjusted odds ratio 1.6; 95% CI: 0.9, 3.5). Creole children were less likely to be classified as thin compared to Indian children (adjusted odds ratio 0.3, 95% CI: 0.2, 0.6). Mauritius is currently in the midst of nutritional transition with both a high prevalence of overweight and thinness in children aged 9-10 years. The coexistence of children representing opposite sides of the energy balance equation presents a unique challenge for policy and interventions. Further exploration is needed to understand the specific causes of the double burden of malnutrition and to make appropriate policy recommendations.

World Epidemiology Review, Number 76.

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-11-10

ECUADOR 27 JORDAN 28 KENYA 29 MAURITANIA 29 PERU 30 SOUTH KOREA 31 SRI LANKA 32 TURKEY 32 VENEZUELA 42 ZAIRE 45 II. ANIMAL...Continued) Page III. PLANT DISEASES AND INSECT PESTS BRAZIL 56 LAOS 59 MAURITIUS 60 NEW ZEALAND 60 PERU 61 USSR 62 VENEZUELA 63 VIETNAM...afflict man. The necessity for a rational battle was determined by spe- cialists who recently participated in Sao Paulo in a seminar on the rodent

Security and Stability in Africa: A Development Approach

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-01

bio -diversity is an important source for economically valuable medicinal, food, fiber, and industrial products. For example, 25 percent of cancer...because it is the island’s only viable commercial crop. Since then, Mauritius has expanded to processing molasses, and more recently to producing bio ...does little good to build a school if parents are afraid to send their children to that school because they may not come home. James Stephenson

ACE/AACE Inspection and Analysis Handbook. Part 2. Engineering

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-06-30

Albania Lek Lebanon Pound Algeria Diner Lsotho Lott Argentina New Peso Liberia Dollar Australia Dollar Libya Diner Austria Schilling Liechtenstein...Maldives Rupee Bllize Doll ar Mali Franc Benin CFA Franc Malta Pound eruda Dollar Mauritania OgutyaBolivia Peso Mauritius Rupee Botswana Pula Mx io Peso ...Canada Dollar Netherlands Guilder Central African Eap. CFA Franc New Zealand Dollar Chad CFA Franc Niceragua Cordoba Chile Peso Niger CFA Franc China Yuan

JPRS Report, Epidemiology.

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-08-25

Guinea as well as in some countries in Africa and Latin America . There are no longer as many cases as there used to be. However, efforts must be made...Monday through Friday in eight volumes: China, East Europe, Soviet Union, East Asia, Near East & South Asia, Sub- Saharan Africa, Latin America , and...Victoria SEYCHELLES NATION, 27 Jun 89/ 1 MAURITIUS New Data Links Miles to Allergies. Asthma [Port Louis THE SUN,.27 Jim 89] 1 MOZAMBIQUE

Comparative Perspectives on Futures in Education. Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the Australian Comparative and International Education Society (10th, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, November 24-26, 1982).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liesch, James R., Ed.

The titles and authors of the 12 conference papers presented in this document are: (1) "China's Immediate Future: Renewed Cultural Borrowing" (R.F. Price); (2) "The Feminization of the Teaching Profession in Singapore" (Christine Inglis); (3) "Towards Equity and Efficiency in the Education System of Mauritius" (Helen…

Systematics, morphology, and ecological history of the Mascarene starlings (Aves: Sturnidae) with the description of a new genus and species from Mauritius.

PubMed

Hume, Julian Pender

2014-08-12

Two endemic starlings, both extinct, have been described from the Mascarene Islands of Réunion and Rodrigues: the Hoopoe Starling, Huppe or Réunion Crested Starling Fregilupus varius, which is known from 19 skins and a single Holocene proximal end of a fossil femur, and the Rodrigues Starling Necropsar rodericanus, which is known as specimens only from fossils of most skeletal elements. Both were recorded alive in early accounts of Mascarene faunas. A third species of starling Cryptopsar ischyrhynchus gen. nov. sp. nov. is described herein from fossils from Mauritius, but was never reported in the early literature. This paper provides an analysis of the Sturnidae of the Mascarene Islands based on newly discovered fossil remains, and details historical reports and accounts. Their ecology and extinction are interpreted from historical evidence. Necropsar, Cryptopsar and Fregilupus clearly form part of the same clade, but morphological analysis shows that Necropsar and Cryptopsar are more closely related to each other than to Fregilupus and may have been part of a different colonisation event. All three genera appear to have their origins in SE Asia and have morphological similarities with the SE Asian sturnid genera, Sturnia and Gracupica, so they presumably colonised the islands via island-hopping during lower sea level stands. 

Traditional Therapies Used to Manage Diabetes and Related Complications in Mauritius: A Comparative Ethnoreligious Study.

PubMed

Mahomoodally, M Fawzi; Mootoosamy, A; Wambugu, S

2016-01-01

Religious communities from Mauritius still rely on traditional therapies (TT) for primary healthcare. Nonetheless, there is still a dearth of scientific information on TT used by the different religious groups to manage diabetes and related complications (DRC). This study aimed to gather ethnomedicinal knowledge on TT used by the different religious groups against DRC. Diabetic patients (n = 95) and traditional healers (n = 5) were interviewed. Fifty-two plant species belonging to 33 families and 26 polyherbal formulations were documented to manage DRC. The most reported DRC was hypertension (n = 36). Leaves (45.2%) and juice (36%) were the most cited mode of preparation of herbal recipes. Plants which scored high relative frequency of citation were Citrus aurantifolia (0.55) and Morinda citrifolia (0.54). The cultural importance index showed that Ocimum tenuiflorum, Cardiospermum halicacabum, Camellia sinensis, and Ophiopogon japonicas were the most culturally important plants among Hindu, Muslim, Christian, and Buddhist community, respectively. Hindu and Muslim community showed the highest similarity of medicinal plants usage (Jaccard index = 95.8). Seven animal species distributed over 4 classes were recorded for the management of DRC. Plants and animals recorded as TT should be submitted to scientific studies to confirm safety and efficacy in clinical practice and to identify pharmacologically active metabolites.

Traditional Therapies Used to Manage Diabetes and Related Complications in Mauritius: A Comparative Ethnoreligious Study

PubMed Central

Mahomoodally, M. Fawzi; Mootoosamy, A.; Wambugu, S.

2016-01-01

Religious communities from Mauritius still rely on traditional therapies (TT) for primary healthcare. Nonetheless, there is still a dearth of scientific information on TT used by the different religious groups to manage diabetes and related complications (DRC). This study aimed to gather ethnomedicinal knowledge on TT used by the different religious groups against DRC. Diabetic patients (n = 95) and traditional healers (n = 5) were interviewed. Fifty-two plant species belonging to 33 families and 26 polyherbal formulations were documented to manage DRC. The most reported DRC was hypertension (n = 36). Leaves (45.2%) and juice (36%) were the most cited mode of preparation of herbal recipes. Plants which scored high relative frequency of citation were Citrus aurantifolia (0.55) and Morinda citrifolia (0.54). The cultural importance index showed that Ocimum tenuiflorum, Cardiospermum halicacabum, Camellia sinensis, and Ophiopogon japonicas were the most culturally important plants among Hindu, Muslim, Christian, and Buddhist community, respectively. Hindu and Muslim community showed the highest similarity of medicinal plants usage (Jaccard index = 95.8). Seven animal species distributed over 4 classes were recorded for the management of DRC. Plants and animals recorded as TT should be submitted to scientific studies to confirm safety and efficacy in clinical practice and to identify pharmacologically active metabolites. PMID:27200100

Oil Price Movements and Globalisation: Is There a Connection?

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-09-01

Côte d’Ivorie Chad Uzbekistan Hong Kong Mauritius Ecuador Congo, DR Ireland Mexico Gambia Eritrea Israel Mongolia Ghana Ethiopia Italy Nicaragua Guinea... Mexico (Group 2) – – Norway (Group 1) – – + – Notes: + indicates a factor increasing the strength of oil price increases in affecting GDP...shocks still inflict considerable economic losses on these countries. As might be imagined, the two oil economies included in the study, Mexico and Norway

Prevalence of overweight, obesity and thinness in 9–10 year old children in Mauritius

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Objective To document the prevalence of overweight, obesity and thinness in 9–10 year old children in Mauritius. Methods 412 boys and 429 girls aged 9–10 years from 23 primary schools were selected using stratified cluster random sampling. All data was cross-sectional and collected via anthropometry and self-administered questionnaire. Outcome measures were BMI (kg/m2), prevalence of overweight, obesity (International Obesity Task Force definitions) and thinness (low BMI for age). Linear and logistic regression analyses, accounting for clustering at the school level, were used to assess associations between gender, ethnicity, school location, and school's academic performance (average) to each outcome measure. Results The distribution of BMI was marginally skewed with a more pronounced positive tail in the girls. Median BMI was 15.6 kg/m2 in boys and 15.4 kg/m2 in girls, respectively. In boys, prevalence of overweight was 15.8% (95% CI: 12.6, 19.6), prevalence of obesity 4.9% (95% CI: 3.2, 7.4) and prevalence of thinness 12.4% (95% CI: 9.5, 15.9). Among girls, 18.9% (95% CI: 15.5, 22.9) were overweight, 5.1% (95% CI: 3.4, 7.7) were obese and 13.1% (95% CI: 10.2, 16.6) were thin. Urban children had a slightly higher mean BMI than rural children (0.5 kg/m2, 95% CI: 0.01, 1.00) and were nearly twice as likely to be obese (6.7% vs. 4.0%; adjusted odds ratio 1.6; 95% CI: 0.9, 3.5). Creole children were less likely to be classified as thin compared to Indian children (adjusted odds ratio 0.3, 95% CI: 0.2, 0.6). Conclusion Mauritius is currently in the midst of nutritional transition with both a high prevalence of overweight and thinness in children aged 9–10 years. The coexistence of children representing opposite sides of the energy balance equation presents a unique challenge for policy and interventions. Further exploration is needed to understand the specific causes of the double burden of malnutrition and to make appropriate policy recommendations. PMID:22823949

Africa: A Strategic Factor in the Strategic Equation of the World.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-05-02

is no clear-cut ideology in any part of the continent except for South Africa. That country has settled for minority democracy based on racially rooted ...assume that arms race in Africa, though unfashionable, has taken root . Egypt’s nuclear program has been mentioned and the disquiet expressions coming...Phosphates COMOROS 1. Flowers Perfume 2. Vanilla 3. Copra, Cloves, Cinnamon 4. Rice, Cassava 5. Bananas MAURITIUS I. Maize 2. Potatoes 3. Cattle 4

Joint Force Quarterly. Issue 64, 1st Quarter 2012

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-01

Zad out, and the district gover - nor and army came in. Now kids there go to school. So now even Now Zad is one of the proof-of-concept areas. Does...compared to PRT operations since their aim is also to improve security, stability, and gover - nance through multiple agencies in coordina- tion with the...Mauritius focused on developing a manufac- turing hub and financial and tourism service centers, with a $750-million investment; and two in Nigeria

The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW): Congressional Issues

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-01-04

attention to the equality of rural women, and the freedom to choose a marriage partner, among other things. On October 6, 1999, the U.N. General Assembly...adoption of CEDAW in 1979, including the Convention on the Political Rights of Women (1952), and the Convention on the Consent to Marriage (1957).7...Algeria, Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Croatia, Cuba, Egypt, France, Germany, Ghana, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Malaysia , Mauritius, Netherlands

The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW): Congressional Issues

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-12-14

marriage partner. On October 6, 1999, the U.N. General Assembly adopted an Optional Protocol to strengthen the Convention.7 The Protocol entered into force...Consent to Marriage (1957).8 In 1967, after two years of negotiations, the U.N. General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Elimination of... Malaysia ; Mauritius; Netherlands; Portugal; Republic of Korea; Singapore; Slovenia; South Africa; and Thailand. 12 A full list of CEDAW Committee

A new species of Caryospora Léger, 1904 (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from the endangered Round Island boa Casarea dussumieri (Schlegel) (Serpentes: Bolyeridae) of Round Island, Mauritius: an endangered parasite?

PubMed

Daszak, Peter; Ball, Stanley J; Streicker, Daniel G; Jones, Carl G; Snow, Keith R

2011-02-01

A new species of Caryospora Léger, 1904 (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae), C. durelli n. sp., is described from the endangered Round Island boa Casarea dussumieri (Schlegel) (Serpentes: Bolyeridae) from Round Island, Mauritius. Six of 11 hosts were infected. Oöcysts are spherical to subspherical, 19.2 × 18.2 (17.5-21 × 16-21) μm, n = 20, and have a shape index (mean length/mean width) of 1.05 (1.02-1.09). The bi-layered wall is composed of an outer layer of c.0.6 μm thick and an inner layer of c.0.4 μm thick. A micropyle, oöcyst residuum and polar granule are absent. Sporocysts are ellipsoidal, 14.7 × 11.0 (13-16 × 9.5-11.5) μm, n = 20, and have a shape index of 1.33. Both Stieda and substieda bodies are present. The sporocyst residuum measures c.12 × 4.5 μm, is surrounded by sporozoites and composed of numerous granules. Refractile bodies are present but not clearly visible. This is the first coccidian parasite reported from the family Bolyeridae and the first species of Caryospora durrelli [corrected] reported from the Mascarenes. Conservation issues concerning parasites of endangered host species are discussed.

Screening of traditional antidiabetic medicinal plants of Mauritius for possible alpha-amylase inhibitory effects in vitro.

PubMed

Kotowaroo, M I; Mahomoodally, M F; Gurib-Fakim, A; Subratty, A H

2006-03-01

In this study, seven exotic/indigenous medicinal plants of Mauritius, namely Coix lacryma-jobi (Poaceae), Aegle marmelos (Rutaceae), Artocarpus heterophyllus (Moraceae), Vangueria madagascariensis (Rubiaceae), Azadirachta indica (Meliaceae), Eriobotrya japonica (Rosaceae) and Syzigium cumini (Myrtaceae) were studied for possible effects on starch breakdown by alpha-amylase in vitro. The results showed that only Artocarpus heterophyllus significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited alpha-amylase activity in vitro. To confirm the observed effects, a further biochemical assay was undertaken to investigate the effects of Artocarpus heterophyllus on alpha-amylase activity using rat plasma in vitro. It was found that the aqueous leaf extract significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited alpha-amylase activity in rat plasma. The highest inhibitory activity (27.20 +/- 5.00%) was observed at a concentration of 1000 microg/mL. However, in both cases dose dependency was not observed. Enzyme kinetic studies using the Michaelis-Menten and Lineweaver-Burk equations were performed to establish the type of inhibition involved. In the presence of the plant extract the maximal velocity (Vmax) remained constant (1/150 g / L/s) whereas the Michaelis-Menten constant (Km) increased by 5.79 g / L, indicating that the aqueous leaf extract of Artocarpus heterophyllus behaved as a competitive inhibitor. Results from the present study tend to indicate that Artocarpus heterophyllus could act as a 'starch blocker' thereby reducing post-prandial glucose peaks. Copyright 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Organizing the Counter Terrorism Unit of the Republic of Mauritius: Using the Main Counterterrorism Agencies of the United States of America as Models

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-12-01

organized and equipped along the same lines as the French gendarmerie mobile, while its counter terrorism component is a replica of the French Groupe...first responders involved in disaster relief and homeland defense operations by providing geospatial intelligence data, products, and analyses.125 4...the impact of manmade and natural disasters .126 5. Service Intelligence Units The service intelligence units of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and

The Indian Ocean Naval Arms Limitation Talks: From a Zone of Peace to the Arc of Crisis.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-03-01

242-255. "Work Continues on Diego Garcia." The New York Times, December 26, 1975, p. 8:1. Wren , Christopher S. "Somalia Barbaining with U.S. on Bases...little reflection in the present arms control approach. . . . Arms control must again address the dominant security concerns. -- Christoph Bertram (1980...Minister of Mauritius, Sir Seewoosagor Ramgoolam to raise the issue again. Alexi Kosygin, in a speech during this visit, 10. U.S., Department of

Flightless birds: when did the dodo become extinct?

PubMed

Roberts, David L; Solow, Andrew R

2003-11-20

The extinction of the dodo (Raphus cucullatus L.; Fig. 1) is commonly dated to the last confirmed sighting in 1662, reported by Volkert Evertsz on an islet off Mauritius. By this time, the dodo had become extremely rare - the previous sighting having been 24 years earlier - but the species probably persisted unseen beyond this date. Here we use a statistical method to establish the actual extinction time of the dodo as 1690, almost 30 years after its most recent sighting.

Flightless birds: When did the dodo become extinct?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roberts, David L.; Solow, Andrew R.

2003-11-01

The extinction of the dodo (Raphus cucullatus L.; Fig. 1) is commonly dated to the last confirmed sighting in 1662, reported by Volkert Evertsz on an islet off Mauritius. By this time, the dodo had become extremely rare - the previous sighting having been 24 years earlier - but the species probably persisted unseen beyond this date. Here we use a statistical method to establish the actual extinction time of the dodo as 1690, almost 30 years after its most recent sighting.

Reconstructing an island radiation using ancient and recent DNA: the extinct and living day geckos (Phelsuma) of the Mascarene islands.

PubMed

Austin, J J; Arnold, E N; Jones, C G

2004-04-01

Mitochondrial (12SrRNA and cyt b, 1086 bp) and nuclear (c-mos, 374 bp) DNA sequences were used to investigate relationships and biogeography of 24 living and extinct taxa of Phelsuma geckos. Monophyly of Phelsuma and sister relationship to the SW African Rhoptropella is corroborated. Phelsuma originated on Madagascar and made multiple long-distance invasions of oceanic islands including the Mascarenes, Aldabra, Comores, Seychelles, Andamans, and perhaps Pemba. The Mascarenes were probably colonised once, about 4.2-5.1Ma, and here Phelsuma rosagularis and Phelsuma inexpectata are newly recognised as species, as are three lineages of Phelsuma cepediana. Mascarene relationships are: Phelsuma edwardnewtoni, Phelsuma gigas (Phelsuma guentheri ((((P. cepediana A (P. cepediana B, C)) P. rosagularis) Phelsuma borbonica) ((Phelsuma ornata, P. inexpectata) Phelsuma guimbeaui))). The two recently extinct species, P. edwardnewtoni and the giant secondarily nocturnal Phelsuma gigas, differentiated on Rodrigues while on Mauritius the large nocturnal P. guentheri separated from a small diurnal form that radiated into six species, a likely result of volcanic activity. Two small-bodied lineages from Mauritius invaded the more recent island of Réunion producing two more species. Outside the Mascarenes, two mainly Madagascan assemblages are substantiated: Phelsuma serraticauda (Phelsuma lineata, Phelsuma laticauda, Phelsuma quadriocellata); (Phelsuma m. kochi (Phelsuma m. grandis, Phelsuma abboti)) (Phelsuma astriata, Phelsuma sundbergi). Their relationships to the Mascarene clade, and to Phelsuma mutabilis, Phelsuma standingi and Phelsuma andamanensis are unresolved.

Mitochondrial phylogeny, taxonomy and biogeography of the silvered langur species group (Trachypithecus cristatus).

PubMed

Roos, Christian; Nadler, Tilo; Walter, Lutz

2008-05-01

With a distribution ranging from mainland Southeast Asia to the Sunda region, the silvered langur species group is the most widely distributed species complex of the genus Trachypithecus. However, the systematic classification of its members and the phylogenetic relationships among them are less understood, leading to different classification schemes and proposed distribution zones. To address these issues, we sequenced a 573 bp long fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene from 115 silvered langurs (68 individuals from known origin). According to our data, five monophyletic clades were detected, which refer to the five taxa auratus, cristatus, germaini, margarita and mauritius. The phylogenetic relationships among them are not well resolved, indicating a radiation-like splitting event, which was estimated to have occurred about 0.95-1.25 mya. Within T. cristatus, two major clades were detected, with one comprising specimens from Sumatra, Borneo and the Natuna archipelago, and the other solely individuals from the Malaysian peninsula. According to our findings, we propose to rank all five taxa as distinct species. While T. auratus, T. germaini, T. margarita and T. mauritius seem to be monotypic, T. cristatus should be split into two subspecies, with the Malaysian form being described as new form here. From a phylogeographic perspective, the species group most likely originated on Java. During the early Pleistocene, its range was expanded to the Malaysian peninsula and to the Southeast Asian mainland. Later on, the Malaysian form colonised further regions of the Sunda region, including Sumatra, Borneo and the Natuna archipelago.

Paleomagnetism and paleosecular variation from the late Miocene to recent lavas of Mauritius

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doubrovine, Pavel V.; Torsvik, Trond H.; Domeier, Mathew

2017-04-01

We present new paleomagnetic data from the late Miocene to recent lavas of the island of Mauritius in the southwestern Indian Ocean (20.3˚ S, 57.6˚ E). The island is a shield volcano that has formed over the Reunion hotspot and is composed of three temporally-distinct series of basaltic lavas: the Older Series (4.7-8.9 Ma), the Intermediate Series (1.7-3.5 Ma) and the Younger Series (0-1 Ma). Oriented core specimens were collected from 36 sampling sites covering all three lava series. Rock magnetic analyses indicate that the remanence carriers in these basalts are pseudo-single-domain titanomagnetites with variable degrees of high-temperature oxidation. Nearly half of the sites showed pervasive magnetic overprints imparted by lightning strikes. Nonetheless, in almost all cases (35 sites), we were able to isolate the characteristic (primary) remanence directions through detailed thermal and alternating field demagnetization experiments, using the principal component analysis of demagnetization data and the analysis of remagnetization circles. Both normal and reverse polarity directions were observed, with the mean direction of the reversely-magnetized lavas (15 sites, D = 189.2˚ , I = 44˚ , α95 = 5.3˚ ) being steeper than and ca. 9˚ of antiparallel from the mean direction of the normal-polarity flows (20 sites, D = 1.1˚ , I = -37.3˚ , α95 = 6.9˚ ). The mean normal and reverse directions yield a negative reversal test that is just significant at the 5% probability level (P = 4.5%). However, when our new data set is combined with previously published paleomagnetic results from Mauritius, the difference between the normal mean direction and the antipode of the reverse mean is not significant at the 5% level, yielding a positive reversal test. The paleomagnetic pole corresponding to the combined polarity data set excluding transitional directions (86.7˚ N, 186.2˚ E, A95 = 3.5˚ , n = 32) is slightly far-sided, but the difference between its position and the geographic pole is not statistically significant. The estimates of paleosecular variation (PSV) and inclination anomaly (Sb = 11˚ , ΔI = -2˚ ) are in good agreement with the results of PSV studies of recent lavas erupted at low latitudes. The implications of our new results for the structure of time-averaged geomagnetic field and the latitude dependence of PSV will be discussed.

Nurses in Mauritius motivated by extrinsic rewards: a qualitative study of factors determining recruitment and career choices.

PubMed

Hollup, Oddvar

2012-10-01

International studies have shown that motivation and career considerations related to nursing reveal that the decision is determined by a multitude of factors, generally distinguishing between the extrinsic and intrinsic rewards and work values. Although changing values seem to be important with greater emphasis on personal development and a reduction in other-orientation and altruism, nursing still stress the caring component with a desire to help and care for others. To describe and analyze those factors and conditions influencing the decision to choose nursing as a career among men and women nurses in Mauritius. The objectives are to provide information on the nurses and their social background, their reasons for entering the nursing profession and to explore how nursing is perceived in a society with a different cultural and historical background. This will be compared with knowledge about recruitment to nursing in some developed as well as developing countries. A qualitative study based on in-debt, semi-structured interviews and convenience sampling. Nurses of all grades working in five government hospitals and community health centers in the central and southern part of Mauritius, a small island situated in the Indian Ocean. The data were collected over a 5-month period during 2005-2006. Individual interviews with 47 nurses, both men (27) and women nurses (20). The nurses came from different grades, age groups, religious and ethnic background. Findings revealed that nursing is attractive as a career due to extrinsic rewards such as job security, good income and government employment, with all the privileges and social status that it entails. These conditions, together with paid education and possibilities for international migration, were the most important factors explaining the recruitment of nurses from both sexes. Most of them did not want to do nursing but entered it because of financial difficulties in the family, unemployment, lacking other opportunities or as a default of poor grades from secondary education. The majority of the Mauritian nurses in the sample had a more pragmatic and materialistic approach to the nursing profession and hardly any emphasis on caring and a desire to help others. Nursing was considered a gender neutral occupation and a job like any other jobs. Entering the nursing profession is regarded as the achievement of considerable social mobility taken into account the predominantly working class background of most nurses. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Large-scale mitochondrial DNA analysis of native honey bee Apis mellifera populations reveals a new African subgroup private to the South West Indian Ocean islands.

PubMed

Techer, Maéva Angélique; Clémencet, Johanna; Simiand, Christophe; Preeaduth, Sookar; Azali, Hamza Abdou; Reynaud, Bernard; Hélène, Delatte

2017-06-02

The South West Indian Ocean (SWIO) archipelagos and Madagascar constitute a hotspot of biodiversity with a high rate of endemism. In this area, the endemic subspecies A. m. unicolor has been described in Madagascar. It belongs to the African lineage, one of the four described evolutionary lineages in honey bees. Despite a long beekeeping tradition and several recorded European introductions, few studies have been carried out on the diversity and proportion of honey bee subspecies. In order to identify and define which evolutionary lineages and potential sub-lineages are present in the SWIO, the COI-COII intergenic region and the ND2 gene of the mtDNA were sequenced in honey bee colonies from three archipelagos. An extensive sampling (n = 1184 colonies) was done in the Mascarene (La Réunion, Mauritius, Rodrigues), Seychelles (Mahé, Praslin, La Digue) and Comoros (Grande Comore, Mohéli, Anjouan, Mayotte) archipelagos. Islands genetic diversity was compared to newly sampled populations from Madagascar, continental African and European populations. African lineage haplotypes were found in all islands (except for Rodrigues). Madagascar, Comoros and Seychelles had 100% of A lineage, 95.5% in La Réunion and 56.1% in Mauritius. Among all African colonies detected in the SWIO, 98.1% (n = 633) of COI-COII haplotypes described the presence of the subspecies A. M. unicolor. Both genetic markers revealed i) a new private A I mitochondrial group shared by the SWIO archipelagos and Madagascar distant from continental populations; ii) the private African haplotypes for each island suggested diversity radiation in the archipelagos; iii) the detection of the Comoros archipelago as a possible contact area between insular and continental African populations. The exotic European C and M lineages were only detected in the Mascarene archipelago, but striking differences of proportion were observed among islands. Merely 4.6% of European colonies were found in La Réunion whereas Mauritius cumulated 44%. Here, among the 84 observed COI-COII haplotypes, 50 were newly described including 13 which were private to the SWIO archipelagos and Madagascar. Similarly, 24 of the 34 found ND2 haplotypes were novel which included six haplotypes particular to the SWIO populations. A new African subgroup was described in the SWIO region with mitochondrial genetic evidence that A. m. unicolor is the indigenous subspecies of the archipelagos surrounding Madagascar.

Development of Techniques for Multiple Data Stream Analysis and Short- Term Forecasting. Volume I. Multiple Data Stream Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

1975-11-15

ir in» l.iit.ii-nlrl-i . i ifr .-Viii ^„,„^>,,,,,.,,.,„.,,,.,™„„,^^^^ I ’Ulis Cable shows great similarity between the NYT and TOL as follows; o...from which the data have been derived. The authors challenge the contention by other data collectors that variation in interaction data derived from...LIC Luxemburg LUX Malagasy MAG Malawi MAW Malaysia MAL Maldive MAD Mali MLI Malta MLT Mauritius MAR Mauritania MAU Mexico MEX Monaco MOC

Life cycle assessment of municipal solid waste management scenarios on the small island of Mauritius.

PubMed

Rajcoomar, Avinash; Ramjeawon, Toolseeram

2017-03-01

The aim of this study was to use the life cycle assessment tool to assess, from an environmental point of view, the different possible municipal solid waste (MSW) management scenarios for the island of Mauritius. The scenarios include landfilling with energy recovery (S1), incineration with energy recovery (S2), composting, incineration and landfilling (S3) and finally composting, recycling, incineration and landfilling (S4). The MSW generated in 2010 was selected as the functional unit. Foreground data were collected through surveys and literature. Background data were obtained from ecoinvent data in SimaPro 8 libraries. The scenarios were compared both through the CML-IA baseline-midpoint method and the ReCiPe end-point method. From the midpoint method, the results obtained indicates that landfilling (S1) has the greatest impact in all the analyzed impact categories except ozone layer depletion and human toxicity, while incineration (S2) has the least impact on almost all the analyzed damage categories except in global warming potential and human toxicity. The collection and transportation of waste has a significant impact on the environment. From the end-point method, S4 reduces the damage impact categories on Human Health, Ecosystems and Resources due to the recycling process. S3 is not favorable due to the impact caused by the composting process. However, it is also very important to emphasize that for incineration, the best available technology with energy recovery shall be considered. It is recommended that S2 and S4 are considered for strategic planning.

Religious and national group identification in adolescence: a study among three religious groups in Mauritius.

PubMed

Ng Tseung-Wong, Caroline; Verkuyten, Maykel

2013-01-01

Religious group identification is an important but understudied social identity. The present study investigates religious group identification among adolescents of different faiths (Hindu, Muslim, Christian) living in multicultural Mauritius. It further explores how religious and national group identities come together among religious majority and minority adolescents. For three age groups (11 to 19 years, N = 2152) we examined the strength of adolescents' religious and national group identification, the associations between these two identities, and the relationships to global self-esteem. Across age and religious group, participants reported stronger identification with their religious group than with the nation. Identification with both categories declined with age, with the exception of Muslims, whose strong religious identification was found across adolescence. The association between religious and national identification was positive, albeit stronger for the majority group of Hindus and for early adolescents. We examined the manner in which religious and national identities come together using a direct self-identification measure and by combining the separate continuous measures of identification. Four distinct clusters of identification (predominant religious identifiers, dual identifiers, neutrals, and separate individuals) that were differently associated with global self-esteem were found. Dual identifiers reported the highest level of global self-esteem. The clusters of identification did not fully correspond to the findings for the direct self-identification measure. The results are discussed in terms of the meaning of dual identity and the positive manner in which adolescents can manage their multiple identities while taking into account the ideological framework in which those identities are played out.

Molecular phylogeny and morphological change in the Psittacula parakeets.

PubMed

Groombridge, Jim J; Jones, Carl G; Nichols, Richard A; Carlton, Mark; Bruford, Michael W

2004-04-01

We reconstruct a phylogeny of the African and Asian Psittacula parakeets using approximately 800bp of mitochondrial cytochrome b sequence to examine their evolutionary relationships in reference to their head plumage and major morphological tail innovations. Our phylogeny identifies three groups, whose distinctiveness is also apparent from their possession of three different head plumage characters: a neck ring, a distinctive colouration of the head, and a 'moustache'-shaped pattern that extends from the chin to the cheek. We examine the extent of sexual dimorphism in tail length across the phylogeny and reveal large differences between closely related forms. We apply a range of published avian cytochrome b substitution rates to our data, as an alternative to internal calibration of a molecular clock arising from incomplete paleontological information. An ancestral Psittacula form appears to have evolved during the late Miocene-early Pliocene (3.4-9.7MYA), a time when regional geological processes on the Asian continent may have promoted subsequent diversity at the species level, and many forms diverged relatively early on in the evolutionary history of Psittacula (between 2.5 and 7.7MYA). However, others, such as the derbyan and moustached parakeets, diverged as recently as 0.2MYA. Our phylogeny also suggests that the echo parakeet from Mauritius diverged from the Indian ringneck parakeet as opposed to the African ringneck, and may have done so relatively recently. The molecular results indicate support for a southwards radiation from India across the Indian Ocean to Mauritius, where the arrival-date of the echo parakeet appears consistent with the island's volcanic formation.

Ecological effects of the invasive giant madagascar day gecko on endemic mauritian geckos: applications of binomial-mixture and species distribution models.

PubMed

Buckland, Steeves; Cole, Nik C; Aguirre-Gutiérrez, Jesús; Gallagher, Laura E; Henshaw, Sion M; Besnard, Aurélien; Tucker, Rachel M; Bachraz, Vishnu; Ruhomaun, Kevin; Harris, Stephen

2014-01-01

The invasion of the giant Madagascar day gecko Phelsuma grandis has increased the threats to the four endemic Mauritian day geckos (Phelsuma spp.) that have survived on mainland Mauritius. We had two main aims: (i) to predict the spatial distribution and overlap of P. grandis and the endemic geckos at a landscape level; and (ii) to investigate the effects of P. grandis on the abundance and risks of extinction of the endemic geckos at a local scale. An ensemble forecasting approach was used to predict the spatial distribution and overlap of P. grandis and the endemic geckos. We used hierarchical binomial mixture models and repeated visual estimate surveys to calculate the abundance of the endemic geckos in sites with and without P. grandis. The predicted range of each species varied from 85 km2 to 376 km2. Sixty percent of the predicted range of P. grandis overlapped with the combined predicted ranges of the four endemic geckos; 15% of the combined predicted ranges of the four endemic geckos overlapped with P. grandis. Levin's niche breadth varied from 0.140 to 0.652 between P. grandis and the four endemic geckos. The abundance of endemic geckos was 89% lower in sites with P. grandis compared to sites without P. grandis, and the endemic geckos had been extirpated at four of ten sites we surveyed with P. grandis. Species Distribution Modelling, together with the breadth metrics, predicted that P. grandis can partly share the equivalent niche with endemic species and survive in a range of environmental conditions. We provide strong evidence that smaller endemic geckos are unlikely to survive in sympatry with P. grandis. This is a cause of concern in both Mauritius and other countries with endemic species of Phelsuma.

The Issue of Private Tuition: An Analysis of the Practice in Mauritius and Selected South-east Asian Countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foondun, A. Raffick

2002-11-01

Private tuition is an issue of growing concern and is practised in both developed and developing countries. Although it has certain positive effects, it imposes a considerable financial burden on parents and often gives rise to abuses. The present study, which focuses on the primary level, addresses a number of questions, such as the extent of the practice, its implications, the various forms that it takes, attitudes towards it, why children take private tuition, why teachers provide it, and policies to deal with the issue. The discussion ends with a plea for more research on private tuition in order to provide a basis for policies to address the problem.

An international collaborative study to determine the prevalence of contagious caprine pleuropneumonia by monoclonal antibody-based cELISA.

PubMed

Peyraud, Armelle; Poumarat, François; Tardy, Florence; Manso-Silván, Lucía; Hamroev, Karomatullo; Tilloev, Tillo; Amirbekov, Mullojon; Tounkara, Karim; Bodjo, Charles; Wesonga, Hezron; Nkando, Isabel Gacheri; Jenberie, Shiferaw; Yami, Martha; Cardinale, Eric; Meenowa, Deodass; Jaumally, Mahmad Reshad; Yaqub, Tahir; Shabbir, Muhammad Zubair; Mukhtar, Nadia; Halimi, Mohibullah; Ziay, Ghulam Mohammad; Schauwers, Willy; Noori, Hafizullah; Rajabi, Ali Madad; Ostrowski, Stéphane; Thiaucourt, François

2014-02-24

Few serological tests are available for detecting antibodies against Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capripneumoniae, the causal agent of contagious caprine pleuropneumonia (CCPP). The complement fixation test, the test prescribed for international trade purposes, uses a crude antigen that cross-reacts with all the other mycoplasma species of the "mycoides cluster" frequently infecting goat herds. The lack of a more specific test has been a real obstacle to the evaluation of the prevalence and economic impact of CCPP worldwide. A new competitive ELISA kit for CCPP, based on a previous blocking ELISA, was formatted at CIRAD and used to evaluate the prevalence of CCPP in some regions of Kenya, Ethiopia, Mauritius, Tajikistan and Pakistan in an international collaborative study. The strict specificity of the test was confirmed in CCPP-free goat herds exposed to other mycoplasma species of the "mycoides cluster". Prevalence studies were performed across the enzootic range of the disease in Africa and Asia. Seroprevalence was estimated at 14.6% in the Afar region of Ethiopia, whereas all the herds presented for CCPP vaccination in Kenya tested positive (individual seroprevalence varied from 6 to 90% within each herd). In Mauritius, where CCPP emerged in 2009, nine of 62 herds tested positive. In Central Asia, where the disease was confirmed only recently, no positive animals were detected in the Wakhan District of Afghanistan or across the border in neighboring areas of Tajikistan, whereas seroprevalence varied between 2.7% and 44.2% in the other districts investigated and in northern Pakistan. The test was also used to monitor seroconversion in vaccinated animals. This newly formatted CCPP cELISA kit has retained the high specificity of the original kit. It can therefore be used to evaluate the prevalence of CCPP in countries or regions without vaccination programs. It could also be used to monitor the efficacy of vaccination campaigns as high-quality vaccines induce high rates of seroconversion.

An international collaborative study to determine the prevalence of contagious caprine pleuropneumonia by monoclonal antibody-based cELISA

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Few serological tests are available for detecting antibodies against Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capripneumoniae, the causal agent of contagious caprine pleuropneumonia (CCPP). The complement fixation test, the test prescribed for international trade purposes, uses a crude antigen that cross-reacts with all the other mycoplasma species of the “mycoides cluster” frequently infecting goat herds. The lack of a more specific test has been a real obstacle to the evaluation of the prevalence and economic impact of CCPP worldwide. A new competitive ELISA kit for CCPP, based on a previous blocking ELISA, was formatted at CIRAD and used to evaluate the prevalence of CCPP in some regions of Kenya, Ethiopia, Mauritius, Tajikistan and Pakistan in an international collaborative study. Results The strict specificity of the test was confirmed in CCPP-free goat herds exposed to other mycoplasma species of the “mycoides cluster”. Prevalence studies were performed across the enzootic range of the disease in Africa and Asia. Seroprevalence was estimated at 14.6% in the Afar region of Ethiopia, whereas all the herds presented for CCPP vaccination in Kenya tested positive (individual seroprevalence varied from 6 to 90% within each herd). In Mauritius, where CCPP emerged in 2009, nine of 62 herds tested positive. In Central Asia, where the disease was confirmed only recently, no positive animals were detected in the Wakhan District of Afghanistan or across the border in neighboring areas of Tajikistan, whereas seroprevalence varied between 2.7% and 44.2% in the other districts investigated and in northern Pakistan. The test was also used to monitor seroconversion in vaccinated animals. Conclusions This newly formatted CCPP cELISA kit has retained the high specificity of the original kit. It can therefore be used to evaluate the prevalence of CCPP in countries or regions without vaccination programs. It could also be used to monitor the efficacy of vaccination campaigns as high-quality vaccines induce high rates of seroconversion. PMID:24565080

How does the proliferation of the coral-killing sponge Terpios hoshinota affect benthic community structure on coral reefs?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elliott, Jennifer; Patterson, Mark; Summers, Natalie; Miternique, Céline; Montocchio, Emma; Vitry, Eugene

2016-09-01

Terpios hoshinota is an encrusting sponge and a fierce space competitor. It kills stony corals by overgrowing them and can impact reefs on the square kilometer scale. We investigated an outbreak of T. hoshinota in 2014 at the island of Mauritius to determine its impacts on coral community structure. Surveys were conducted at the putative outbreak center, an adjacent area, and around the island to determine the extent of spread of the sponge and which organisms it impacted. In addition, quadrats were monitored for 5 months (July-December) to measure the spreading rates of T. hoshinota and Acropora austera in areas both with and without T. hoshinota. The photosynthetic capabilities of T. hoshinota and A. austera were also measured. Terpios hoshinota was well established, covering 13% of an estimated 416 m2 of available hard coral substrate at the putative outbreak center, and 10% of an estimated 588 m2 of available hard coral substrate at the adjacent area. The sponge was observed at only one other site around Mauritius. Terpios hoshinota and A. austera increased their planar areas by 26.9 and 13.9%, respectively, over five months. No new colonies of T. hoshinota were recorded in adjacent sponge-free control areas, suggesting that sponge recruitment is very low during austral winter and spring. The sponge was observed to overgrow five stony corals; however, it showed a preference for branching corals, especially A. austera. This is the first time that a statistically significant coral substrate preference by T. hoshinota has been reported. Terpios hoshinota also had a significantly higher photosynthetic capacity than A. austera at irradiance >500 μmol photons m-2 s-1, a possible explanation for its high spreading rate. We discuss the long-term implications of the proliferation of T. hoshinota on community structure and dynamics of our study site.

Genetic diversity and differentiation among insular honey bee populations in the southwest Indian Ocean likely reflect old geographical isolation and modern introductions.

PubMed

Techer, Maéva Angélique; Clémencet, Johanna; Simiand, Christophe; Turpin, Patrick; Garnery, Lionel; Reynaud, Bernard; Delatte, Hélène

2017-01-01

With globalization the Western honey bee has become a nearly cosmopolitan species, but it was originally restricted to the Old World. This renowned model of biodiversity has diverged into five evolutionary lineages and several geographic "subspecies." If Apis mellifera unicolor is indubitably an African subspecies endemic to Madagascar, its relationship with honey bees from three archipelagos in the southwest Indian Ocean (SWIO) hotspot of biodiversity is misunderstood. We compared recent mtDNA diversity data to an original characterization of the nuclear diversity from honey bees in the Mascarenes and Comoros archipelagos, using 14 microsatellites, but also additional mtDNA tRNALeu-cox2 analysis. Our sampling offers the most comprehensive dataset for the SWIO populations with a total of 3,270 colonies from 10 islands compared with 855 samples from Madagascar, 113 from Africa, and 138 from Europe. Comprehensive mitochondrial screening confirmed that honey bees from La Réunion, Mauritius, and Comoros archipelagos are mainly of African origin (88.1% out of 2,746 colonies) and that coexistence with European lineages occurs only in the Mascarenes. PCA, Bayesian, and genetic differentiation analysis showed that African colonies are not significantly distinct on each island, but have diversified among islands and archipelagos. FST levels progressively decreased in significance from European and African continental populations, to SWIO insular and continental populations, and finally among islands from the same archipelago. Among African populations, Madagascar shared a nuclear background with and was most closely related to SWIO island populations (except Rodrigues). Only Mauritius Island presented clear cytoplasmic disequilibrium and genetic structure characteristic of an admixed population undergoing hybridization, in this case, between A. m. unicolor and A. m. ligustica, A. m. carnica and A. m. mellifera-like individuals. Finally, global genetic clustering analysis helped to better depict the colonization and introduction pattern of honey bee populations in these archipelagos.

Seed dispersal and establishment of endangered plants on Oceanic Islands: the Janzen-Connell model, and the use of ecological analogues.

PubMed

Hansen, Dennis M; Kaiser, Christopher N; Müller, Christine B

2008-05-07

The Janzen-Connell model states that plant-specific natural enemies may have a disproportionately large negative effect on progeny close to maternal trees. The majority of experimental and theoretical studies addressing the Janzen-Connell model have explored how it can explain existing patterns of species diversity in tropical mainland areas. Very few studies have investigated how the model's predictions apply to isolated oceanic islands, or to the conservation management of endangered plants. Here, we provide the first experimental investigation of the predictions of the Janzen-Connell model on an oceanic island, in a conservation context. In addition, we experimentally evaluate the use of ecological analogue animals to resurrect the functional component of extinct frugivores that could have dispersed seeds away from maternal trees. In Mauritius, we investigated seed germination and seedling survival patterns of the critically endangered endemic plant Syzygium mamillatum (Myrtaceae) in relation to proximity to maternal trees. We found strong negative effects of proximity to maternal trees on growth and survival of seedlings. We successfully used giant Aldabran tortoises as ecological analogues for extinct Mauritian frugivores. Effects of gut-passage were negative at the seed germination stage, but seedlings from gut-passed seeds grew taller, had more leaves, and suffered less damage from natural enemies than any of the other seedlings. We provide the first experimental evidence of a distance-dependent Janzen-Connell effect on an oceanic island. Our results potentially have serious implications for the conservation management of rare plant species on oceanic islands, which harbour a disproportionately large fraction of the world's endemic and endangered plants. Furthermore, in contrast to recent controversy about the use of non-indigenous extant megafauna for re-wilding projects in North America and elsewhere, we argue that Mauritius and other oceanic islands are ideal study systems in which to empirically explore the use of ecological analogue species in restoration ecology.

A comparative review of governments' views on objectives and policy instruments in the field of population and development.

PubMed

1982-01-01

It is possible to assess population policies through statements and decisions taken by governments as they reflect the views and commitments of political authorities in the field of population and development. Cases in the following African countries are reviewed with focus on objectives and policy instruments: Algeria; Angola; Benin; Botswana; Cape Verde; Central African Republic; Congo; Djibouti; Egypt; Ethiopia; Guinea; Gabon; Gambia; Ghana; Equatorial Guinea; Guinea-Bissau; Ivory Coast; Kenya; Lesotho; Liberia; Libyan Arab Jamahiriya; Madagascar; Malawi; Mali; Mauritania; Mauritius; Morocco; Mozambique; Niger; Nigeria; Rwanda; Sao Tome and Principe; Senegal; Seychelles; Sierra Leone; Somalia; Sudan; Swaziland; Togo; Tunisia; Uganda; United Republic of Cameroon; Tanzania; Upper Volta; Zaire; Zambia; and Zimbabwe. The information presented was drawn from the following publications: UN Population Division, "Population Policy Briefs: Current Situation in Developing Countries and Selected Territories," and UNFPA, "Population Programs and Projects," Volume 2, 1980-1981. On the basis of this review the following conclusions are drawn, which could indicate areas in which technical assistance to the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) member States would be required: among the 50 country members of ECA, 34 countries (68%) have as a development objective the reduction of mortality, and in particular, maternal and child mortality; the 2nd important objective is stabilizing or improving spatial distribution of population, and 44% of the 50 countries have adopted this objective which involves the distribution of population from 1 place to another within a country; the 3rd important objective consists of restricting the migratory flow from rural areas to urban areas; the countries of Botswana, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Mauritius, Morocco, Rwanda, Seychelles, Swaziland, and Tunisia adopted the objective of reducing the rate of population growth; 34% of African countries have decided to integrate family planning programs with health services; and only 20% of African countries have announced socioeconomic development as an instrument to solve their population problems.

A quantitative ethnobotanical survey of phytocosmetics used in the tropical island of Mauritius.

PubMed

Mahomoodally, M Fawzi; Ramjuttun, Poorneeka

2016-12-04

With a net turnover worth of £181 billion, the cosmetic industry is a leading worldwide business with a very lucrative future. Nonetheless, due to recent concerns regarding toxicity of synthetic cosmetics, herbal products have come into the limelight of cosmetology. The tropical island of Mauritius has a well-anchored diversity of indigenous plant species which are exploited for various purposes but no study has been designed to (i) quantitatively document, (ii) assess the effectiveness, and (iii) study the incidence of adverse effects and perception associated with the use of herbal products for cosmetic applications. Data was collected from herbal users via face-to-face interviews using semi-structured questionnaire. Quantitative ethnobotanical indices (fidelity level (FL), variety of use (VU) and relative frequency of citation (RFC)) were calculated. Twenty five herbs belonging to 21 families were recorded in use for 29 different cosmetics applications. Many of the documented species represented well-known plants, although we also recorded a few plants being exploited for new cosmetic applications. Plants with the highest RFC were Curcuma longa L. (0.45), Lawsonia inermis L. (0.42) and Aloe vera (L.) Burm.f. (0.42). A total of 8 plants were reported to score 100% with respect to the FL. Interestingly, Lawsonia inermis L. being the highly cited plant species showed a clear dominance as a popular phytocosmetic and which has also been extensively documented for its pharmacological properties. Moreover, it was found that 25% of the respondents experienced adverse effects; with pruritus (11%) being the most reported condition. It was also observed that participants perceived herbs/herbal products to be free from adverse effects. Most of the plants reported have been described in previous studies for their bioactive components which tend to justify their use as phytocosmetics. Further research should be geared to explore the potential of these plant products for the cosmetic industry. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Genetic diversity and differentiation among insular honey bee populations in the southwest Indian Ocean likely reflect old geographical isolation and modern introductions

PubMed Central

Clémencet, Johanna; Simiand, Christophe; Turpin, Patrick; Garnery, Lionel; Reynaud, Bernard; Delatte, Hélène

2017-01-01

With globalization the Western honey bee has become a nearly cosmopolitan species, but it was originally restricted to the Old World. This renowned model of biodiversity has diverged into five evolutionary lineages and several geographic “subspecies.” If Apis mellifera unicolor is indubitably an African subspecies endemic to Madagascar, its relationship with honey bees from three archipelagos in the southwest Indian Ocean (SWIO) hotspot of biodiversity is misunderstood. We compared recent mtDNA diversity data to an original characterization of the nuclear diversity from honey bees in the Mascarenes and Comoros archipelagos, using 14 microsatellites, but also additional mtDNA tRNALeu-cox2 analysis. Our sampling offers the most comprehensive dataset for the SWIO populations with a total of 3,270 colonies from 10 islands compared with 855 samples from Madagascar, 113 from Africa, and 138 from Europe. Comprehensive mitochondrial screening confirmed that honey bees from La Réunion, Mauritius, and Comoros archipelagos are mainly of African origin (88.1% out of 2,746 colonies) and that coexistence with European lineages occurs only in the Mascarenes. PCA, Bayesian, and genetic differentiation analysis showed that African colonies are not significantly distinct on each island, but have diversified among islands and archipelagos. FST levels progressively decreased in significance from European and African continental populations, to SWIO insular and continental populations, and finally among islands from the same archipelago. Among African populations, Madagascar shared a nuclear background with and was most closely related to SWIO island populations (except Rodrigues). Only Mauritius Island presented clear cytoplasmic disequilibrium and genetic structure characteristic of an admixed population undergoing hybridization, in this case, between A. m. unicolor and A. m. ligustica, A. m. carnica and A. m. mellifera-like individuals. Finally, global genetic clustering analysis helped to better depict the colonization and introduction pattern of honey bee populations in these archipelagos. PMID:29281653

The portrayal of men and women in television advertisements: an updated review of 30 studies published since 2000.

PubMed

Furnham, Adrian; Paltzer, Stephanie

2010-06-01

In 1999, Furnham and Mak published a review of 14 content-analytic studies of sex roles stereotyping in television commercials. All these studies were based on the McArthur and Resko (1975) content categories. This paper updates that review considering 30 studies in over 20 countries published between 2000 and 2008. Studies were from Australasia, Austria, Bulgaria, Ghana, Hong Kong, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Malaysia, Mauritius, New Zealand, Poland, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States. They examined over 8,000 advertisements. National and cultural differences in gender stereotypes are also considered in the light of this data. The popularity of, and the problems associated with, the research paradigm are considered.

Body composition-derived BMI cut-offs for overweight and obesity in Indians and Creoles of Mauritius: comparison with Caucasians

PubMed Central

Hunma, S; Ramuth, H; Miles-Chan, J L; Schutz, Y; Montani, J-P; Joonas, N; Dulloo, A G

2016-01-01

Background and Aims: Global estimates of overweight and obesity prevalence are based on the World Health Organisation (WHO) body mass index (BMI) cut-off values of 25 and 30 kg m−2, respectively. To validate these BMI cut-offs for adiposity in the island population of Mauritius, we assessed the relationship between BMI and measured body fat mass in this population according to gender and ethnicity. Methods: In 175 young adult Mauritians (age 20-42 years) belonging to the two main ethnic groups—Indians (South Asian descent) and Creoles (African/Malagasy descent), body weight, height and waist circumference (WC) were measured, total body fat assessed by deuterium oxide (D2O) dilution and trunk (abdominal) fat by segmental bioimpedance analysis. Results: Compared to body fat% predicted from BMI using Caucasian-based equations, body fat% assessed by D2O dilution in Mauritians was higher by 3–5 units in Indian men and women as well as in Creole women, but not in Creole men. This gender-specific ethnic difference in body composition between Indians and Creoles is reflected in their BMI–Fat% relationships, as well as in their WC–Trunk Fat% relationships. Overall, WHO BMI cut-offs of 25 and 30 kg m−2 for overweight and obesity, respectively, seem valid only for Creole men (~24 and 29.5, respectively), but not for Creole women whose BMI cut-offs are 2–4 units lower (21–22 for overweight; 27–28 for obese) nor for Indian men and women whose BMI cut-offs are 3–4 units lower (21–22 for overweight; 26–27 for obese). Conclusions: The use of BMI cut-off points for classifying overweight and obesity need to take into account both ethnicity and gender to avoid gross adiposity status misclassification in this population known to be at high risk for type-2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. This is particularly of importance in obesity prevention strategies both in clinical medicine and public health. PMID:27698347

The invaders: phylogeography of dengue and chikungunya viruses Aedes vectors, on the South West islands of the Indian Ocean.

PubMed

Delatte, H; Bagny, L; Brengue, C; Bouetard, A; Paupy, C; Fontenille, D

2011-10-01

Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti are the two main worldwide arbovirus vectors that have experienced invasion phases. Aedes aegypti is a pantropical species that spread centuries ago whereas Ae. albopictus started the main wave of invasion in the 1980s. Both species have been at various times on the different islands in Southwestern Indian Ocean (SWIO). This area provides an opportunity to examine the extent to which mosquitoes colonization patterns are influenced by different introductory events likely linked with human settlement and migration between the islands. To explore this hypothesis, we propose a CO1-based phylogeny using a large sampling of fresh Ae. albopictus, Ae. aegypti, and Ae. mascarensis, and 50-year-old dry specimens originating from different Indian Ocean islands. Our data allow us to hypothesize the existence of at least two waves of invasion for Ae. albopictus in the islands of SWIO. The first one most likely occurred several centuries ago with establishments in Madagascar, Mauritius and Reunion Island. The other one that appears to currently still on-going, reached almost all the islands of SWIO during the 1990s or later. The low genetic diversity found between the ancient invasive strain and the contemporary one, indicates with great certainty that Ae. albopictus is not indigenous to the islands of SWIO. Recently, in Madagascar, an invasive lineage of Ae. albopictus has expanded all over the island while Ae. aegypti populations have declined in urban areas. Three clusters of Aedes aegypti have been observed, two fitting with the wild form Ae. aegypti formosus and the other one fitting with the more domestic form Ae. ae. aegypti. Sequence of Ae. mascarensis, endemic to Mauritius suggest that this species might belong to Ae. aegypti species and on this basis we propose to classify it as a sub species or form of Ae. aegypti species. Given the increase of human population flux on these islands, the occurrence of these vectors and their ability to spread quickly are of high importance of arbovirus transmission and the epidemicity of the associated diseases in these islands. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evolutionary divergency of giant tortoises in Gal?pagos

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fritts, T.H.

1984-01-01

The giant tortoises in the Galapagos Archipelago diverge considerably in size, and in shape and other carapace characteristics. The saddleback morphotype is known only from insular faunas lacking large terrestrial predators (i.e. Galapagos and Mauritius) and in Galapagos is associated with xeric habitats where vertical feeding range and vertical reach in agonistic encounters are adaptive. The large domed morphotype is associated with relatively cool, mesic habitats where intraspecific competition for food and other resources may be less intense than in xeric habitats. Other external characteristics that differ between tortoise populations are also correlated with ecological variation. Tortoises have radiated into a mosaic of ecological conditions in the Galapagos but critical data are lacking on the role of genetic and environmental controls on phenotypic variation. Morphological divergence in tortoises is potentially a better indicator of present ecological conditions than of evolutionary relationships.

Health promotion and cardiovascular disease prevention in sub-Saharan Africa.

PubMed

Sampson, Uchechukwu K A; Amuyunzu-Nyamongo, Mary; Mensah, George A

2013-01-01

Recent population studies demonstrate an increasing burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and related risk factors in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The mitigation or reversal of this trend calls for effective health promotion and preventive interventions. In this article, we review the core principles, challenges, and progress in promoting cardiovascular health with special emphasis on interventions to address physical inactivity, poor diet, tobacco use, and adverse cardiometabolic risk factor trends in SSA. We focus on the five essential strategies of the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion. Successes highlighted include community-based interventions in Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, and Mauritius and school-based programs in Kenya, Namibia, and Swaziland. We address the major challenge of developing integrated interventions, and showcase partnerships opportunities. We conclude by calling for intersectoral partnerships for effective and sustainable intervention strategies to advance cardiovascular health promotion and close the implementation gap in accordance with the 2009 Nairobi Call to Action on Health Promotion. © 2013.

Acetylcholinesterase-inhibitory activities of the extracts from sponges collected in mauritius waters.

PubMed

Beedessee, Girish; Ramanjooloo, Avin; Surnam-Boodhun, Rashmee; van Soest, Rob W M; Marie, Daniel E P

2013-03-01

Patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease (AD) show a characteristic neurochemical deficit of acetylcholine, especially in the basal forebrains. The use of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors to retard the hydrolysis of acetylcholine has been suggested as a promising strategy for AD treatment. In this study, we evaluated the acetylcholinesterase inhibitory (AChEI) activities of 134 extracts obtained from 45 species of marine sponges. Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and microplate assays reveal potent acetylcholinsterase inhibitory activities of two AcOEt extracts from the sponges Pericharax heteroraphis and Amphimedon navalis PULITZER-FINALI. We further investigated the inhibitory kinetics of the extracts and found them to display mixed competitive/noncompetitive inhibition and associated their inhibitory activity partly to terpenoids. Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors from marine organisms have been rarely studied, and this study demonstrated the potential of marine sponges as a source of pharmaceutical leads against neurodegenerative diseases. Copyright © 2013 Verlag Helvetica Chimica Acta AG, Zürich.

Bone histology sheds new light on the ecology of the dodo (Raphus cucullatus, Aves, Columbiformes).

PubMed

Angst, D; Chinsamy, A; Steel, L; Hume, J P

2017-08-24

The dodo, Raphus cucullatus, a flightless pigeon endemic to Mauritius, became extinct during the 17 th century due to anthropogenic activities. Although it was contemporaneous with humans for almost a century, little was recorded about its ecology. Here we present new aspects of the life history of the dodo based on our analysis of its bone histology. We propose that the dodo bred around August and that the rapid growth of the chicks enabled them to reach a robust size before the austral summer or cyclone season. Histological evidence of molting suggests that after summer had passed, molt began in the adults that had just bred; the timing of molt derived from bone histology is also corroborated by historical descriptions of the dodo by mariners. This research represents the only bone histology analysis of the dodo and provides an unprecedented insight into the life history of this iconic bird.

Opisthobranchs from the western Indian Ocean, with descriptions of two new species and ten new records (Mollusca, Gastropoda)

PubMed Central

Yonow, Nathalie

2012-01-01

Abstract Seventy species of opisthobranchs are described in this work based on collections from the Persian Gulf, Socotra, Kenya, Zanzibar, Madagascar, La Réunion, Mauritius, the Seychelles, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka. Ten species are newly recorded from the western Indian Ocean and four species are recorded in the scientific literature for the first time since their original descriptions. Two species are described as new: Cyerce bourbonica sp. n. from La Réunion and Doriopsilla nigrocerasp. n. from the Persian Gulf coast of Saudi Arabia. Chromodoris cavae is removed from its synonymy with Chromodoris tennentana and redescribed from specimens from La Réunion, while several new synonyms are proposed for some commonly occurring species. Risbecia bullockii is recorded for the second time from the Indian Ocean and assigned to its correct genus. PMID:22711992

West Nile virus infection in horses, Indian ocean.

PubMed

Cardinale, E; Bernard, C; Lecollinet, S; Rakotoharinome, V M; Ravaomanana, J; Roger, M; Olive, M M; Meenowa, D; Jaumally, M R; Melanie, J; Héraud, J M; Zientara, S; Cêtre-Sossah, C

2017-08-01

The circulation of West Nile virus (WNV) in horses was investigated in the Southwest Indian ocean. In 2010, blood samples were collected from a total of 303 horses originating from Madagascar, Mauritius, Reunion and the Seychelles and tested for WNV-specific antibodies. An overall seroprevalence of 27.39% was detected in the Indian Ocean with the highest WNV antibody prevalence of 46.22% (95% CI: [37.4-55.2%]) in Madagascar. The age and origin of the horses were found to be associated with the WNV infection risk. This paper presents the first seroprevalence study investigating WN fever in horses in the Southwest Indian Ocean area and indicates a potential risk of infection for humans and animals. In order to gain a better understanding of WN transmission cycles, WNV surveillance needs to be implemented in each of the countries. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The genetic composition of populations of cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis) used in biomedical research.

PubMed

Kanthaswamy, S; Ng, J; Satkoski Trask, J; George, D A; Kou, A J; Hoffman, L N; Doherty, T B; Houghton, P; Smith, D G

2013-06-01

The genetic composition of cynomolgus macaques used in biomedical research is not as well-characterized as that of rhesus macaques. Populations of cynomolgus macaques from Sumatra, Corregidor, Mauritius, Singapore, Cambodia, and Zamboanga were analyzed using 24 STRs. The Sumatran and Cambodian populations exhibited the highest allelic diversity, while the Mauritian population exhibited the lowest. Sumatran cynomolgus macaques were the most genetically similar to all others, consistent with an Indonesian origin of the species. The high diversity among Cambodian animals may result from interbreeding with rhesus macaques. The Philippine and Mauritian samples were the most divergent from other populations, the former due to separation from the Sunda Shelf by deepwater and the latter due to anthropogenic translocation and extreme founder effects. Investigators should verify their research subjects' origin, ancestry, and pedigree to minimize risks to biomedical experimentation from genetic variance stemming from close kinship and mixed ancestry as these can obscure treatment effects. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Research, assessment and management on the Mascarene Plateau: a large marine ecosystem perspective.

PubMed

Payet, Rolph

2005-01-15

Management of marine resources over the large ocean areas provides a great challenge, albeit one with hope for sustainable governance. Despite extensive studies in many of these large ocean areas, the interaction of physical and biological processes in large shallow mid-oceanic areas, such as the Mascarene Plateau in the Western Indian Ocean, is not yet well enough understood to influence management practices. The Mascarene Plateau arches across the Western Indian Ocean from the Seychelles down to Mauritius, with water depths up to 100 m. Such a large shallow mid-oceanic area supports a wide diversity of ecosystems with potential for exploitable resources. A recent marine research programme by the Royal Geographical Society of London led to the establishment of a research framework for long-term research and assessment of the Mascarene Plateau. This paper presents an extension to this approach, with a particular focus on the management, governance and socio-economics of this area.

Effects of seagrass bed removal for tourism purposes in a Mauritian bay.

PubMed

Daby, D

2003-01-01

Stresses and shocks are increasing on the main natural assets in Mauritius (Western Indian Ocean) by tourism (marine-based) development activities. Seagrasses are removed by hotels in the belief that they are unsightly or harbour organisms causing injury to bathers. Environmental changes (e.g. sediment characteristics and infauna distribution, water quality, seagrass biomass) resulting from clearing of a seagrass bed to create an aesthetically pleasant swimming zone for clients of a hotel were monitored during June 2000-July 2001, and compared to conditions prevailing in an adjacent undisturbed area. Key observations in the disturbed area were: highly turbid water overlying a destabilized lagoon seabed, complete loss of sediment infauna, and dramatic dry weight biomass declines (e.g. 72 and 65% in S. isoetifolium and H. uninervis, respectively). Such disruptions draw-down resilience rendering the marine habitats less robust and more vulnerable to environmental change and extreme events, with higher risks of chaos and ecological collapse, and constitute a major threat to the industry itself.

Service quality framework for clinical laboratories.

PubMed

Ramessur, Vinaysing; Hurreeram, Dinesh Kumar; Maistry, Kaylasson

2015-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate a service quality framework that enhances service delivery in clinical laboratories by gauging medical practitioner satisfaction and by providing avenues for continuous improvement. The case study method has been used for conducting the exploratory study, with focus on the Mauritian public clinical laboratory. A structured questionnaire based on the SERVQUAL service quality model was used for data collection, analysis and for the development of the service quality framework. The study confirms the pertinence of the following service quality dimensions within the context of clinical laboratories: tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, turnaround time, technology, test reports, communication and laboratory staff attitude and behaviour. The service quality framework developed, termed LabSERV, is vital for clinical laboratories in the search for improving service delivery to medical practitioners. This is a pioneering work carried out in the clinical laboratory sector in Mauritius. Medical practitioner expectations and perceptions have been simultaneously considered to generate a novel service quality framework for clinical laboratories.

Law Panel in action.

PubMed

Odulana, J

In September 1976 the Africa Regional Council (ARC) of IPPF created a Law Panel to 1) advise the ARC on the emphasis of laws and parenthood programs in the region, 2) investigate legal obstacles to family planning and ways of removing them, 3) institute a monitoring service on laws and court decisions affecting planned parenthood, and 4) prepare a list of lawyers and legal reformers by country. The panel has 1) recommended adoption of an IPPF Central Medical Committee and Central Law Panel statement on sterilization, adolescent fertility control, and the use of medical and auxiliary personnel in family planning services with guidelines for Africa; 2) appointed National Legal Correspondents to carry on the monitoring service mentioned above in 18 countries; and 3) discussed solutions to problems in delivering family planning services with family planning associations in Tanzania, Zambia, Mauritius, Madagascar, and Kenya. Laws governing family planning education and services, marriage, divorce, and maternity benefits in these countries are summarized. In 1978 the panel will hold 2 workshops on law and the status of women.

Genetic basis of male sterility in hybrids between two closely related species of Drosophila.

PubMed Central

Coyne, J A

1984-01-01

Drosophila simulans and Drosophila mauritiana are closely related sibling species, the former cosmopolitan and the latter restricted to the small oceanic island of Mauritius. Genetic analysis of male sterility in hybrids between these species shows that at least five loci (one on each chromosome arm) are responsible for this reproductive isolation. This is the most loci that could have been detected with the techniques used and implies that the true genetic divergence for sterility is even greater. The effects of chromosome segments on the character are roughly additive, with the X-linked segment making the largest contribution to sterility. The large effect of X chromosomes on male-limited reproductive isolation and the frequent limitation of hybrid sterility to males may be attributable to fertility interactions between X and Y chromosomes. These results parallel what has been found in other Drosophila species and relate to recent theories of how reproductive isolation evolves in small founder populations. PMID:6589604

Neither slim nor fat: estimating the mass of the dodo (Raphus cucullatus, Aves, Columbiformes) based on the largest sample of dodo bones to date

PubMed Central

van Dierendonk, Roland C.H.; van Egmond, Maria A.N.E.; ten Hagen, Sjang L.; Kreuning, Jippe

2017-01-01

The dodo (Raphus cucullatus) might be the most enigmatic bird of all times. It is, therefore, highly remarkable that no consensus has yet been reached on its body mass; previous scientific estimates of its mass vary by more than 100%. Until now, the vast amount of bones stored at the Natural History Museum in Mauritius has not yet been studied morphometrically nor in relation to body mass. Here, a new estimate of the dodo’s mass is presented based on the largest sample of dodo femora ever measured (n = 174). In order to do this, we have used the regression method and chosen our variables based on biological, mathematical and physical arguments. The results indicate that the mean mass of the dodo was circa 12 kg, which is approximately five times as heavy as the largest living Columbidae (pigeons and doves), the clade to which the dodo belongs. PMID:29230358

Correlates of healthy fruit and vegetable diet in students in low, middle and high income countries.

PubMed

Peltzer, Karl; Pengpid, Supa

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of fruits and vegetable consumption and associated factors among university students from 26 low, middle and high income countries. Using anonymous questionnaires, data were collected in a cross-sectional survey from 17,789 undergraduate university students (mean age 20.8, SD = 2.8) from 27 universities in 26 countries across Asia, Africa and the Americas. Overall, 82.8% of the university students consumed less than the recommended five servings of fruits and/or vegetables. The mean fruit and vegetable consumption varied by country, ranging from ≤ 2.5 mean daily servings in Jamaica, Philippines and Barbados to ≥ 3.9 mean daily servings in Mauritius, Tunisia and Ivory Coast. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, sociodemographic factors, psychosocial factors, and behavioural factors (inadequate dietary behaviours, binge drinking and physical inactivity) were associated with low prevalence of fruit and vegetable intake. Findings stress the need for intervention programmes aiming at increased consumption of fruit and vegetables considering the identified sociodemographic, psychosocial and behavioural risk factors.

Assessment of antioxidant activity of cane brown sugars by ABTS and DPPH radical scavenging assays: determination of their polyphenolic and volatile constituents.

PubMed

Payet, Bertrand; Shum Cheong Sing, Alain; Smadja, Jacqueline

2005-12-28

Seven cane brown sugars (four from La Réunion, two from Mauritius, and one from France) were investigated for their polyphenol content and volatile composition in relation to their free radical scavenging capacity determined by ABTS and DPPH assays. The thin layer coated on the sugar crystal was extracted by Soxhlet extractor with dichloromethane. The volatile compounds of brown sugars were studied by GC-MS, and 43 compounds were identified. The total phenolic content of brown sugars was determined according to the Folin-Ciocalteu method. Phenolic compounds were quantified in the brown sugar extracts by LC-UV-ESI-MS. Brown sugar aqueous solutions exhibited weak free radical scavenging activity in the DPPH assay and higher antioxidant activity in the ABTS assay at relatively high concentration. The brown sugar extracts showed interesting free radical scavenging properties despite the low concentration of phenolic and volatile compounds. Sugar is a common foodstuff traditionally used for its sweetening properties, which might be accompanied by antioxidant properties arising from molecules (polyphenols, Maillard products) other than sucrose of the cane brown sugars.

Serological Evidence of Lyssaviruses among Bats on Southwestern Indian Ocean Islands.

PubMed

Mélade, Julien; McCulloch, Stewart; Ramasindrazana, Beza; Lagadec, Erwan; Turpin, Magali; Pascalis, Hervé; Goodman, Steven M; Markotter, Wanda; Dellagi, Koussay

2016-01-01

We provide serological evidence of lyssavirus circulation among bats on southwestern Indian Ocean (SWIO) islands. A total of 572 bats belonging to 22 species were collected on Anjouan, Mayotte, La Réunion, Mauritius, Mahé and Madagascar and screened by the Rapid Fluorescent Focus Inhibition Test for the presence of neutralising antibodies against the two main rabies related lyssaviruses circulating on the African continent: Duvenhage lyssavirus (DUVV) and Lagos bat lyssavirus (LBV), representing phylogroups I and II, respectively. A total of 97 and 42 sera were able to neutralise DUVV and LBV, respectively. No serum neutralised both DUVV and LBV but most DUVV-seropositive bats (n = 32/220) also neutralised European bat lyssavirus 1 (EBLV-1) but not Rabies lyssavirus (RABV), the prototypic lyssavirus of phylogroup I. These results highlight that lyssaviruses belonging to phylogroups I and II circulate in regional bat populations and that the putative phylogroup I lyssavirus is antigenically closer to DUVV and EBLV-1 than to RABV. Variation between bat species, roost sites and bioclimatic regions were observed. All brain samples tested by RT-PCR specific for lyssavirus RNA were negative.

[History of human epidemic and endemic diseases in the southwest Indian Ocean].

PubMed

Gaüzère, B-A; Aubry, P

2013-05-01

Smallpox has been known in the Mascarene Islands since 1729, and in 1898, the vaccinogenic and anti-rabies Institute of Tananarive, the future Pasteur Institute of Madagascar, was created to combat it. Cholera first arrived in the Mascarenes in 1819, but did not affect the Comoros Islands and Madagascar until the current pandemic. Bubonic plague has beset the ports of Madagascar and the Mascarenes since 1898. Girard and Robic developed the anti-plague vaccine in 1931 at the Pasteur Institute of Madagascar. The Mascarenes lost their reputation as Eden when malaria arrived in 1841, and this disease remains prominent in Madagascar and Comoros. Leprosy has been known in La Réunion since 1726 and is still very present in Mayotte, Anjouan, and Madagascar. Leptospirosis is a public health problem, except in Madagascar and the Comoros. Dengue, chikungunya, and Rift Valley fever are also present. HIV/AIDS is not a major concern, except in Mauritius, where it was spread by injection drug use, in the Seychelles and in Madagascar's largest cities. Madagascar is the principal site worldwide of chromoblastomycosis, first described there in 1914.

Pb sbnd Sr sbnd Nd isotopic data of Indian Ocean ridges: new evidence of large-scale mapping of mantle heterogeneities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamelin, Bruno; Dupré, Bernard; Allègre, Claude J.

1986-01-01

A Pb sbnd Sr sbnd Nd isotope study of South West and East Indian Ridges confirms that the Indian Ocean belongs to a specific regional isotopic domain, as previously suggested by the results from islands of this ocean. The isotopic domain defined by the Indian MORB is indeed different from that of the North Atlantic and East Pacific Oceans. This demonstrates that the convective circulation of the upper mantle does not allow a rapid homogenization from one region to the other. The isotopic data of the Indian ridges can be interpreted by a contamination model, in which the depleted upper mantle (identical to that under the North Atlantic) is contaminated by two different types of contaminant, one corresponding to the source of the "central Indian Ocean" islands (Amsterdam, St. Paul, Marion, Prince Edward, Réunion, Rodriguez, Mauritius), and the other to a source similar to that of Walvis or Ninety East aseismic ridges. These two contaminants would have contributed to the ridge volcanism in different proportions over time.

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium in Mauritius linked to consumption of marlin mousse.

PubMed

Issack, Mohammad I; Hendriksen, Rene S; Lun, Phimy Lan Keng; Lutchun, Ram K S; Aarestrup, Frank M

2009-01-01

We report the first outbreak of salmonellosis caused by consumption of contaminated marlin mousse. Between 29 October and 5 November 2008, at least 53 persons developed diarrheal illness, all with a history of eating marlin mousse. Salmonella spp. that did not produce gas from glucose was isolated from stools of 26 affected patients and blood culture from one patient. Salmonella sp. isolates with the same phenotype were isolated in three samples of marlin mousse manufactured on 27 October 2008. The constituents of the mousse were smoked marlin, raw eggs, bovine gelatin, oil, and cream. A laboratory investigation of one sample of marlin mousse manufactured 3 days later, and the individual ingredients sampled a week after production of the contaminated batch were all negative for Salmonella. Serotyping and minimum inhibitory concentration determination were performed on 12 patient isolates related to the outbreak and two mousse isolates. All isolates belonged to Salmonella serovar Typhimurium and were pansusceptible to all antimicrobials tested. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis revealed that all the isolates were indistinguishable, thus implicating the mousse as the vehicle of the outbreak.

Final report on AFRIMETS comparison of liquid in glass thermometer calibrations from -35 °C to 250 °C

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liedberg, Hans; Kebede Ejigu, Efrem; Madiba, Tshifhiwa; du Clou, Sven; Chibaya, Blessing; Mwazi, Victor; Kajane, Tebogo; Mundembe, Victor; Kwong, Christian Ng Ha; Madeleine, Gilbert

2017-01-01

A Regional Metrology Organization (RMO) supplementary comparison of liquid in glass thermometer (AFRIMETS.T-S5) was carried out by the National Metrology Institute of South Africa (NMISA), Zimbabwe Scientific & Industrial Research & Development Centre—National Metrology Institute (SIRDC-NMI), Zambia Bureau of Standards (ZABS), Botswana Bureau of Standards (BOBS), Namibian Standards Institute (NSI), Mauritius Standards Bureau (MSB) and Seychelles Bureau of Standards (SBS) between January and September 2016. The temperature range of the inter comparison is -35 °C to 250 °C. The results of this comparison are reported here, along with descriptions of the Artefacts used. This report also presents the uncertainty budget of each participant. The results are analysed and normalized error (En) values are reported. Main text To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/. The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCT, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).

United Nations Basic Space Science Initiative: 2010 Status Report on the International Space Weather Initiative

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gadimova, S.; Haubold, H. J.; Danov, D.; Georgieva, K.; Maeda, G.; Yumoto, K.; Davila, J. M.; Gopalswamy, N.

2011-11-01

The UNBSSI is a long-term effort for the development of astronomy and space science through regional and international cooperation in this field on a worldwide basis. A series of workshops on BSS was held from 1991 to 2004 (India 1991, Costa Rica and Colombia 1992, Nigeria 1993, Egypt 1994, Sri Lanka 1995, Germany 1996, Honduras 1997, Jordan 1999, France 2000, Mauritius 2001, Argentina 2002, and China 2004) Pursuant to resolutions of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNCOPUOS) and its Scientific and Technical Subcommittee, since 2005, these workshops focused on the International Heliophysical Year 2007 (UAE 2005, India 2006, Japan 2007, Bulgaria 2008, Ro Korea 2009) Starting in 2010, the workshops focus on the International Space Weather Initiative (ISWI) as recommended in a three-year-work plan as part of the deliberations of UNCOPUOS (www.iswi-secretariat.org/). Workshops on the ISWI have been scheduled to be hosted by Egypt in 2010 for Western Asia, Nigeria in 2011 for Africa, and Ecuador in 2012 for Latin America and the Caribbean. Currently, fourteen IHY/ISWI instrument arrays with more than five hundred instruments are operational in ninety countries.

Development of a Multi-frequency Interferometer Telescope for Radio Astronomy (MITRA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ingala, Dominique Guelord Kumamputu

2015-03-01

This dissertation describes the development and construction of the Multi-frequency Interferometer Telescope for Radio Astronomy (MITRA) at the Durban University of Technology. The MITRA station consists of 2 antenna arrays separated by a baseline distance of 8 m. Each array consists of 8 Log-Periodic Dipole Antennas (LPDAs) operating from 200 MHz to 800 MHz. The design and construction of the LPDA antenna and receiver system is described. The receiver topology provides an equivalent noise temperature of 113.1 K and 55.1 dB of gain. The Intermediate Frequency (IF) stage was designed to produce a fixed IF frequency of 800 MHz. The digital Back-End and correlator were implemented using a low cost Software Defined Radio (SDR) platform and Gnu-Radio software. Gnu-Octave was used for data analysis to generate the relevant received signal parameters including total power, real, and imaginary, magnitude and phase components. Measured results show that interference fringes were successfully detected within the bandwidth of the receiver using a Radio Frequency (RF) generator as a simulated source. This research was presented at the IEEE Africon 2013 / URSI Session Mauritius, and published in the proceedings.

Assembling the dodo in early modern natural history.

PubMed

Lawrence, Natalie

2015-09-01

This paper explores the assimilation of the flightless dodo into early modern natural history. The dodo was first described by Dutch sailors landing on Mauritius in 1598, and became extinct in the 1680s or 1690s. Despite this brief period of encounter, the bird was a popular subject in natural-history works and a range of other genres. The dodo will be used here as a counterexample to the historical narratives of taxonomic crisis and abrupt shifts in natural history caused by exotic creatures coming to Europe. Though this bird had a bizarre form, early modern naturalists integrated the dodo and other flightless birds through several levels of conceptual categorization, including the geographical, morphological and symbolic. Naturalists such as Charles L'Ecluse produced a set of typical descriptive tropes that helped make up the European dodo. These long-lived images were used for a variety of symbolic purposes, demonstrated by the depiction of the Dutch East India enterprise in Willem Piso's 1658 publication. The case of the dodo shows that, far from there being a dramatic shift away from emblematics in the seventeenth century, the implicit symbolic roles attributed to exotic beasts by naturalists constructing them from scant information and specimens remained integral to natural history.

Heavy metal contamination in the Western Indian Ocean (a review)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mamboya, F. A.; Pratap, H. B.; Björk, M.

2003-05-01

Western Indian Ocean Coast has many potential marine ecosystems such as mangrove, seagrass meadows, macroalgae, and coral reefs. It is largely unspoiled environment however, tourism and population growth in coastal urban centres, industrialization, are presenting a risk of pollutants input to the marine environment of the Western Indian Ocean. Mining, shipping and agricultural activities also input contaminants into the marine environment via runoff, vessel operations and accidental spillage. Heavy metals are among the pollutants that are expected to increase in the marine environment of the Western Indian Ocean. The increase in heavy metal pollution can pose a serious health problem to marine organism and human through food chain. This paper reviews studies on heavy metal contamination in the Western Indian Ocean. It covers heavy metal studies in the sediments, biota, particulates and seawater collected in different sites. In comparison to other regions, only few studies have been conducted in the Western Indian Ocean and are localized in some certain areas. Most of these studies were conducted in Kenyan and Tanzanian coasts while few of them were conducted in Mauritius, Somalia and Reunion. No standard or common method has been reported for the analysis or monitoring of heavy metals in the Western Indian Ocean.

Checklist of Recent thecideoid brachiopods from the Indian Ocean and Red Sea, with a description of a new species of Thecidellina from Europa Island and a re-description of T. blochmanni Dall from Christmas Island.

PubMed

Logan, Alan; Hoffmann, Jana; Lüter, Carsten

2015-09-08

Compilation of a checklist of Recent thecideoid brachiopods from the Indian Ocean and Red Sea indicates that members of this superfamily are represented by a small number of species. The subfamily Lacazellinae is represented by Ospreyella maldiviana from the Maldive Islands but the presence of Lacazella cannot yet be confirmed in the Indian Ocean as the holotype of Lacazella mauritiana from Mauritius is lost. The subfamily Thecidellininae is represented by Thecidellina blochmanni from Christmas Island in the eastern Indian Ocean and the Red Sea while a new species T. europa is here described from Europa Island in the Mozambique Channel. The subfamily Minutellinae is represented by Minutella minuta from Samper Bank and Walters Bank in the south-western Indian Ocean and in the Red Sea. Since the holotype of Thecidellina blochmanni from Flying Fish Cove, Christmas Island is also lost, this species is re-described and illustrated mainly from topotypes in the Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin, from which a suggested neotype has been selected.

An in vitro study reveals nutraceutical properties of Ananas comosus (L.) Merr. var. Mauritius fruit residue beneficial to diabetes.

PubMed

Riya, Mariam Philip; Antu, Kalathookunnel Antony; Vinu, Thankamony; Chandrakanth, Karuvakandy Chandrasekharan; Anilkumar, Karunakaran Sasikala; Raghu, Kozhiparambil Gopalan

2014-03-30

Rapid urbanisation and nutritional transition is fuelling the increased global incidence of type 2 diabetes. Pineapple fruit residue was explored for its nutraceutical properties as an alternative or adjunct to currently available treatment regime. Ethyl acetate and methanolic extracts of pineapple fruit residue were evaluated for anti-diabetic activity in cell free and cell based systems. Specifically, we assessed: (1) antioxidant potential, (2) anti-glycation potential, (3) carbohydrate digestive enzyme inhibition, and (4) lipid accumulation and glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity in differentiating 3T3-L1 cells. The active components in the ethyl acetate and methanolic extracts were identified as sinapic acid, daucosterol, 2-methylpropanoate, 2,5-dimethyl-4-hydroxy-3(2H)-furanone, methyl 2-methylbutanoate and triterpenoid ergosterol using DART/HRMS and ESI/HRMS. Micronutrient analysis revealed the presence of magnesium, potassium and calcium. Adipogenic potential, anti-glycation property of the ethyl acetate extract, and DNA damage protection capacity of the methanolic extract are promising. Results from this study clearly indicate that pineapple fruit residue could be utilised as a nutraceutical against diabetes and related complications. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

Trichomonad infection in endemic and introduced columbids in the Seychelles.

PubMed

Bunbury, N

2011-07-01

Island endemic avifaunas face many threats, including the now well-documented impacts of pathogens. The impacts of pathogens on the endemic Seychelles avifauna, however, have been little studied. The protozoan parasite Trichomonas gallinae has been shown to reduce survival and reproductive success of the endemic Pink Pigeon Columba mayeri on the nearby island of Mauritius. I investigated trichomonad infection prevalence and pathogenicity in endemic Seychelles Blue Pigeons, Alectroenas pulcherrima, and two introduced species of columbid, the Madagascar Turtle-dove, Streptopelia picturata, and the Barred Ground Dove, Geopelia striata, on the Seychelles island of Mahé during September-October 2007. I asked whether: 1) trichomonad infections occur in these species; 2) prevalence varies among species; and 3) birds show any signs of pathogenicity consistent with tricho-monosis. I use the results to assess the potential threat of this pathogen to A. pulcherrima. All three species were infected with trichomonads, and the overall prevalence was 27.5%. Alectroenas pulcherrima had higher prevalence (47.1%) than the two introduced species combined (24.3%). No infected individuals showed any signs of disease. These findings suggest that trichomonad parasites should be considered as a potential disease threat to the A. pulcherrima population.

Consumer knowledge and attitudes toward nutritional labels.

PubMed

Cannoosamy, Komeela; Pugo-Gunsam, Prity; Jeewon, Rajesh

2014-01-01

To determine Mauritian consumers' attitudes toward nutritional labels based on the Kano model and to identify determinants of the use and understanding of nutrition labels. The researchers also used a Kano model questionnaire to determine consumers' attitudes toward nutrition labeling. Four hundred consumers residing in Mauritius. Information was elicited via a questionnaire that assessed nutritional knowledge and information about the use and understanding of nutritional labels and demographic factors. Nutritional label use and understanding, nutrition knowledge, and association of demographic factors with label use. Statistical tests performed included 1-way ANOVA and independent samples t tests. Statistically significant relationships (P < .05) were found for nutritional knowledge and nutritional label usage with demographic factors. All demographic factors with the exception of gender were significantly associated (P < .05) with nutritional label understanding. Based on the outcome of the Kano survey, calorie content, trans fat content, protein content, and cholesterol content were found to be must-be attributes: that is, attributes that, when not present, result in consumer dissatisfaction. Age, education, income, household size, and nutrition knowledge had an impact on nutritional label use. Health promoters should aim to increase the use of nutritional labels. Copyright © 2014 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

RHUM-RUM investigates La Réunion mantle plume from crust to core

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sigloch, Karin; Barruol, Guilhem

2013-04-01

RHUM-RUM (Réunion Hotspot and Upper Mantle - Réunions Unterer Mantel) is a French-German passive seismic experiment designed to image an oceanic mantle plume - or lack of plume - from crust to core beneath La Réunion Island, and to understand these results in terms of material, heat flow and plume dynamics. La Réunion hotspot is one of the most active volcanoes in the world, and its hotspot track leads unambiguously to the Deccan Traps of India, one of the largest flood basalt provinces on Earth, which erupted 65 Ma ago. The genesis and the origin at depth of the mantle upwelling and of the hotspot are still very controversial. In the RHUM-RUM project, 57 German and French ocean-bottom seismometers (OBS) are deployed over an area of 2000 km x 2000 km2 centered on La Réunion Island, using the "Marion Dufresne" and "Meteor" vessels. The one-year OBS deployment (Oct. 2012 - Oct. 2013) will be augmented by terrestrial deployments in the Iles Eparses in the Mozambique Channel, in Madagascar, Seychelles, Mauritius, Rodrigues and La Réunion islands. A significant number of OBS will be also distributed along the Central and South West Indian Ridges to image the lower-mantle beneath the hotspot, but also to provide independent opportunity for the study of these slow to ultra-slow ridges and of possible plume-ridge interactions. RHUM-RUM aims to characterize the vertically ascending flow in the plume conduit, as well as any lateral flow spreading into the asthenosphere beneath the western Indian Ocean. We want to establish the origin of the heat source that has been fueling this powerful hotspot, by answering the following questions: Is there a direct, isolated conduit into the deepest mantle, which sources its heat and material from the core-mantle boundary? Is there a plume connection to the African superswell at mid-mantle depths? Might the volcanism reflect merely an upper mantle instability? RHUM-RUM also aims at studying the hotspot's interaction with the neighboring ridges of the Indian Ocean. There is in particular a long-standing hypothesis, not yet examined seismically, that channelized plume flow beneath the aseismic Rodrigues Ridge could feed the Central Indian Ridge at 1000 km distance. The RHUM-RUM group (www.rhum-rum.net): * IPG Paris & Géosciences Réunion: G. Barruol, J.P. Montagner, E. Stutzmann, F.R. Fontaine, C. Deplus, M. Cannat, G. Roult, J. Dyment, S. Singh, W. Crawford, C. Farnetani, N. Villeneuve, L. Michon. V. Ferrazzini, Y. Capdeville. * Univ. Munich (LMU): K. Sigloch, H. Igel. AWI Bremerhaven: V. Schlindwein. Univ. Frankfurt: G. Rümpker. Univ. Münster: C. Thomas. Univ. Bonn: S. Miller. * Géosciences Montpellier: C. Tiberi, A. Tommasi, D. Arcay, C. Thoraval. * Mauritius Oceanography Institute: D. Bissessur. Univ. Antananarivo: G. Rambolamanana. SEYPEC Seychelles Petroleum: P. Samson, P. Joseph. * Other institutes: A. Davaille, M. Jegen, M. Maia, G. Nolet, D. Sauter, B. Steinberger.

RHUM-RUM investigates La Réunion mantle plume from crust to core

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sigloch, K.; Barruol, G.

2012-12-01

RHUM-RUM (Réunion Hotspot and Upper Mantle - Réunions Unterer Mantel) is a French-German passive seismic experiment designed to image an oceanic mantle plume - or lack of plume - from crust to core beneath La Réunion Island, and to understand these results in terms of material, heat flow and plume dynamics. La Réunion hotspot is one of the most active volcanoes in the world, and its hotspot track leads unambiguously to the Deccan Traps of India, one of the largest flood basalt provinces on Earth, which erupted 65 Ma ago. The genesis and the origin at depth of the mantle upwelling and of the hotspot are still very controversial. In the RHUM-RUM project, 57 German and French ocean-bottom seismometers (OBS) are deployed over an area of 2000 km x 2000 km2 centered on La Réunion Island, using the "Marion Dufresne" and "Meteor" vessels. The one-year OBS deployment (Oct. 2012 - Oct. 2013) will be augmented by terrestrial deployments in the Iles Eparses in the Mozambique Channel, in Madagascar, Seychelles, Mauritius, Rodrigues and La Réunion islands. A significant number of OBS will be also distributed along the Central and South West Indian Ridges to image the lower-mantle beneath the hotspot, but also to provide independent opportunity for the study of these slow to ultra-slow ridges and of possible plume-ridge interactions. RHUM-RUM aims to characterize the vertically ascending flow in the plume conduit, as well as any lateral flow spreading into the asthenosphere beneath the western Indian Ocean. We want to establish the origin of the heat source that has been fueling this powerful hotspot, by answering the following questions: Is there a direct, isolated conduit into the deepest mantle, which sources its heat and material from the core-mantle boundary? Is there a plume connection to the African superswell at mid-mantle depths? Might the volcanism reflect merely an upper mantle instability? RHUM-RUM also aims at studying the hotspot's interaction with the neighboring ridges of the Indian Ocean. There is in particular a long-standing hypothesis, not yet examined seismically, that channelized plume flow beneath the aseismic Rodrigues Ridge could feed the Central Indian Ridge at 1000 km distance. The RHUM-RUM group (www.rhum-rum.net): * IPG Paris & Géosciences Réunion: G. Barruol, J.P. Montagner, E. Stutzmann, F.R. Fontaine, C. Deplus, M. Cannat, G. Roult, J. Dyment, S. Singh, W. Crawford, C. Farnetani, N. Villeneuve, L. Michon. V. Ferrazzini, Y. Capdeville. * Univ. Munich (LMU): K. Sigloch, H. Igel. AWI Bremerhaven: V. Schlindwein. Univ. Frankfurt: G. Rümpker. Univ. Münster: C. Thomas. Univ. Bonn: S. Miller. * Géosciences Montpellier: C. Tiberi, A. Tommasi, D. Arcay, C. Thoraval. * Mauritius Oceanography Institute: D. Bissessur. Univ. Antananarivo: G. Rambolamanana. SEYPEC Seychelles Petroleum: P. Samson, P. Joseph. * Other institutes: A. Davaille, M. Jegen, M. Maia, G. Nolet, D. Sauter, B. Steinberger.

Body Weight Perception and Weight Control Practices among Teenagers

PubMed Central

Jeewon, Rajesh

2013-01-01

Background. Weight-loss behaviours are highly prevalent among adolescents, and body weight perception motivates weight control practices. However, little is known about the association of body weight perception, and weight control practices among teenagers in Mauritius. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationships between actual body weight, body weight perception, and weight control practices among teenagers. Methods. A questionnaire-based survey was used to collect data on anthropometric measurements, weight perception and weight control practices from a sample of 180 male and female students (90 boys and 90 girls) aged between 13 and 18 years old. Results. Based on BMI, 11.7% of students were overweight. Overall, 43.3% of respondents reported trying to lose weight (61.1% girls and 25.6% boys). Weight-loss behaviours were more prevalent among girls. Among the weight-loss teens, 88.5% students perceived themselves as overweight even though only 19.2% were overweight. Reducing fat intake (84.6%), exercising (80.8%), and increasing intake of fruits and vegetables (73.1%) and decreasing intake of sugar (66.7%) were the most commonly reported methods to lose weight. Conclusion. Body weight perception was poorly associated with actual weight status. Gender difference was observed in body weight perception. PMID:24967256

The Association of Birth Complications and Externalizing Behavior in Early Adolescents: Direct and Mediating Effects

PubMed Central

Liu, Jianghong; Raine, Adrian; Wuerker, Anne; Venables, Peter H.; Mednick, Sarnoff

2012-01-01

Prior studies have shown that birth complications interact with psychosocial risk factors in predisposing to increased externalizing behavior in childhood and criminal behavior in adulthood. However, little is known about the direct relationship between birth complications and externalizing behavior. Furthermore, the mechanism by which the birth complications predispose to externalizing behavior is not well explored. This study aims to assess whether birth complications predispose to early adolescent externalizing behavior and to test whether Intelligence Quotient (IQ) mediates relationships between predictor and outcome variables. We used data from a prospective, longitudinal birth cohort of 1,795 3-year-old boys and girls from Mauritius to test hypotheses. Birth complications were assessed from hospital record data, malnutrition from a pediatric exam at age 3 years, psychosocial adversity from parental interviews at age 3 years, and externalizing behavior problems from parental ratings at age 11 years. We found that babies with birth complications are more likely to develop externalizing behavior problems at age 11. Low IQ was associated with birth complications and was found to mediate the link between early predictors and later externalizing behavior. These prospective, longitudinal findings have potential clinical implications for the identification of early adolescent externalizing behavior and for public health attempts to prevent the occurrence of child externalizing behavior problems. PMID:22485069

Distribution and prevalence of major risk factors of noncommunicable diseases in selected countries: the WHO Inter-Health Programme.

PubMed Central

Berrios, X.; Koponen, T.; Huiguang, T.; Khaltaev, N.; Puska, P.; Nissinen, A.

1997-01-01

The Inter-Health Programme was launched in 1986 by WHO, with the collaboration of a coordination centre (National Public Health Institute, Finland) to control and prevent chronic noncommunicable diseases (CNCDs) among adults. Programmes for action were organized based on the concept that most major CNCDs share common risk factors and that those that are lifestyle related are modifiable through efficient interventions using multifactorial strategies involving community participation and behaviour changes carried out at the primary health care level. Twelve countries from all WHO Regions have joined the programme. A baseline survey was undertaken in all countries with a common protocol, following the criteria and methods employed in the MONICA Project. Altogether 36815 men and women aged 35-64 years were included in the present analysis from the following Inter-Health countries: Chile, China, Cyprus, Finland, Lithuanian SSR, Malta, Mauritius, Russian SFSR, United Republic of Tanzania, and USA. In addition to individual country analysis, centralized analysis was carried out at the Finnish National Public Health Institute and the Department of Community Health, Kuopio University, Finland. Reported here are the mean values of blood pressure, body mass index, and serum total cholesterol as well as specific prevalences of smoking, hypertension, obesity, and hypercholesterolaemia. PMID:9185361

Music As a Sacred Cue? Effects of Religious Music on Moral Behavior

PubMed Central

Lang, Martin; Mitkidis, Panagiotis; Kundt, Radek; Nichols, Aaron; Krajčíková, Lenka; Xygalatas, Dimitris

2016-01-01

Religion can have an important influence in moral decision-making, and religious reminders may deter people from unethical behavior. Previous research indicated that religious contexts may increase prosocial behavior and reduce cheating. However, the perceptual-behavioral link between religious contexts and decision-making lacks thorough scientific understanding. This study adds to the current literature by testing the effects of purely audial religious symbols (instrumental music) on moral behavior across three different sites: Mauritius, the Czech Republic, and the USA. Participants were exposed to one of three kinds of auditory stimuli (religious, secular, or white noise), and subsequently were given a chance to dishonestly report on solved mathematical equations in order to increase their monetary reward. The results showed cross-cultural differences in the effects of religious music on moral behavior, as well as a significant interaction between condition and religiosity across all sites, suggesting that religious participants were more influenced by the auditory religious stimuli than non-religious participants. We propose that religious music can function as a subtle cue associated with moral standards via cultural socialization and ritual participation. Such associative learning can charge music with specific meanings and create sacred cues that influence normative behavior. Our findings provide preliminary support for this view, which we hope further research will investigate more closely. PMID:27375515

Music As a Sacred Cue? Effects of Religious Music on Moral Behavior.

PubMed

Lang, Martin; Mitkidis, Panagiotis; Kundt, Radek; Nichols, Aaron; Krajčíková, Lenka; Xygalatas, Dimitris

2016-01-01

Religion can have an important influence in moral decision-making, and religious reminders may deter people from unethical behavior. Previous research indicated that religious contexts may increase prosocial behavior and reduce cheating. However, the perceptual-behavioral link between religious contexts and decision-making lacks thorough scientific understanding. This study adds to the current literature by testing the effects of purely audial religious symbols (instrumental music) on moral behavior across three different sites: Mauritius, the Czech Republic, and the USA. Participants were exposed to one of three kinds of auditory stimuli (religious, secular, or white noise), and subsequently were given a chance to dishonestly report on solved mathematical equations in order to increase their monetary reward. The results showed cross-cultural differences in the effects of religious music on moral behavior, as well as a significant interaction between condition and religiosity across all sites, suggesting that religious participants were more influenced by the auditory religious stimuli than non-religious participants. We propose that religious music can function as a subtle cue associated with moral standards via cultural socialization and ritual participation. Such associative learning can charge music with specific meanings and create sacred cues that influence normative behavior. Our findings provide preliminary support for this view, which we hope further research will investigate more closely.

Report on AFRIMETS supplementary comparison: platinum resistance thermometer and digital thermometer calibrations against ITS-90 over the range -50 °C to 450 °C (AFRIMETS.T-S1)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liedberg, Hans; Abdelaziz, Yasser; Tesfaye, Fitsum; Egadwa, Wilson; Norranim, Uthai; Rwashana, Simon; Kagoma, Alphonce; Ziagi, Adam; Kwong, Christian Ng Ha; Madeleine, Gilbert

2017-01-01

A Regional Metrology Organization (RMO) supplementary comparison of platinum resistance thermometer and digital thermometer (AFRIMETS.T-S1) was carried out by the National Metrology Institute of South Africa (NMISA), National Institute for Standards Egypt (NIS), National Metrology Institute of Ethiopia (NMIE), Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), National Institute of Metrology Thailand (NIMT), Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS), Mauritius Standards Bureau (MSB) and Seychelles Bureau of Standards (SBS) between March 2008 and October 2010. The temperature range of the inter comparison is -50 °C to 450 °C. The results of this comparison are reported here, along with descriptions of the Artefacts and devices used during measurement. This report also presents the uncertainty budget. The results are analysed and normalized error (En) values are reported. Main text To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/. The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCT, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).

Planning and implementing a nationwide football-based health-education programme.

PubMed

Dvorak, Jiri; Fuller, Colin W; Junge, Astrid

2012-01-01

Communicable and non-communicable diseases place enormous social and economic burdens on developed and developing countries. Health education leading to changes in people's attitudes and behaviours remains the best approach for reducing the problem of communicable diseases while there is evidence that programmes providing regular physical exercise and advocating a controlled diet can reduce the prevalence of many non-communicable diseases. Hence, the delivery of health education and physical activity within a single coherent programme offers great potential for simultaneously addressing both health issues. Since 2006, FIFA has developed and tested a novel football-based health-education programme for children entitled '11 for Health', which is aimed at increasing children's levels of physical activity while also delivering 11 simple health messages. When new interventions of this type are published in the scientific literature, it is often not possible to describe important background information about the project that could assist other researchers in developing and implementing similar programmes. This paper attempts to bridge this gap by describing the aims and objectives, organisation, planning, implementation and monitoring requirements needed to deliver FIFA's '11 for Health' programme, first as a pilot project and subsequently as a nationwide project, through a tripartite arrangement between FIFA, the national Football Association and the Government Ministries in Mauritius.

The economic benefits of malaria elimination: do they include increases in tourism?

PubMed

Modrek, Sepideh; Liu, Jenny; Gosling, Roland; Feachem, Richard G A

2012-07-28

Policy makers have speculated that one of the economic benefits of malaria elimination includes increases in foreign direct investment, particularly tourism. This study examines the empirical relationship between the demand for travel and malaria cases in two countries with large tourism industries around the time in which they carried out malaria-elimination campaigns. In Mauritius, this analysis examines historical, yearly tourist arrivals and malaria cases from 1978-1999, accounting for the background secular trend of increasing international travel. In Dominican Republic, a country embarking upon malaria elimination, it employs a time-series analysis of the monthly, international tourist arrivals from 1998-2010 to determine whether the timing of significant deviations in tourist arrivals coincides with malaria outbreaks. While naïve relationships exist in both cases, the results show that the relationships between tourist arrivals and malaria cases are relatively weak and statistically insignificant once secular confounders are accounted for. This suggests that any economic benefits from tourism that may be derived from actively pursuing elimination in countries that have high tourism potential are likely to be small when measured at a national level. Rather, tourism benefits are likely to be experienced with greater impact in more concentrated tourist areas within countries, and future studies should seek to assess these relationships at a regional or local level.

Planning and implementing a nationwide football-based health-education programme

PubMed Central

Dvorak, Jiri; Fuller, Colin W; Junge, Astrid

2012-01-01

Communicable and non-communicable diseases place enormous social and economic burdens on developed and developing countries. Health education leading to changes in people's attitudes and behaviours remains the best approach for reducing the problem of communicable diseases while there is evidence that programmes providing regular physical exercise and advocating a controlled diet can reduce the prevalence of many non-communicable diseases. Hence, the delivery of health education and physical activity within a single coherent programme offers great potential for simultaneously addressing both health issues. Since 2006, FIFA has developed and tested a novel football-based health-education programme for children entitled ‘11 for Health’, which is aimed at increasing children's levels of physical activity while also delivering 11 simple health messages. When new interventions of this type are published in the scientific literature, it is often not possible to describe important background information about the project that could assist other researchers in developing and implementing similar programmes. This paper attempts to bridge this gap by describing the aims and objectives, organisation, planning, implementation and monitoring requirements needed to deliver FIFA's ‘11 for Health’ programme, first as a pilot project and subsequently as a nationwide project, through a tripartite arrangement between FIFA, the national Football Association and the Government Ministries in Mauritius. PMID:22144002

New universal ITS2 primers for high-resolution herbivory analyses using DNA metabarcoding in both tropical and temperate zones.

PubMed

Moorhouse-Gann, Rosemary J; Dunn, Jenny C; de Vere, Natasha; Goder, Martine; Cole, Nik; Hipperson, Helen; Symondson, William O C

2018-06-04

DNA metabarcoding is a rapidly growing technique for obtaining detailed dietary information. Current metabarcoding methods for herbivory, using a single locus, can lack taxonomic resolution for some applications. We present novel primers for the second internal transcribed spacer of nuclear ribosomal DNA (ITS2) designed for dietary studies in Mauritius and the UK, which have the potential to give unrivalled taxonomic coverage and resolution from a short-amplicon barcode. In silico testing used three databases of plant ITS2 sequences from UK and Mauritian floras (native and introduced) totalling 6561 sequences from 1790 species across 174 families. Our primers were well-matched in silico to 88% of species, providing taxonomic resolution of 86.1%, 99.4% and 99.9% at the species, genus and family levels, respectively. In vitro, the primers amplified 99% of Mauritian (n = 169) and 100% of UK (n = 33) species, and co-amplified multiple plant species from degraded faecal DNA from reptiles and birds in two case studies. For the ITS2 region, we advocate taxonomic assignment based on best sequence match instead of a clustering approach. With short amplicons of 187-387 bp, these primers are suitable for metabarcoding plant DNA from faecal samples, across a broad geographic range, whilst delivering unparalleled taxonomic resolution.

RHUM-RUM, a Large-Scale Effort to Seismologically Image a Mantle Plume Under the Reunion Hotspot: Experiment Presentation and Initial Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sigloch, K.; Barruol, G.

2014-12-01

RHUM-RUM is a German-French geophysical experiment based on the seafloor and on islands surrounding the hotspot of La Réunion, western Indian Ocean. Its primary objective is to clarify the presence or absence of a mantle plume beneath the Reunion hotspot, which is thought to have first pierced the surface 65 million years ago with the eruption of the Deccan Traps on India. RHUM-RUM's central component is a one-year deployment (Oct 2012 - Nov 2013) of 57 broadband ocean-bottom seismometers (OBS) and hydrophones on an area of 2000x2000 km2 surrounding the hotspot. All OBS have been successfully recovered. We also have been operating 37 land seismometers on the islands of La Réunion, Mauritius, Rodrigues, southern Seychelles, îles Eparses, and on Madagascar between 2011 and 2014. As the data collection stage is drawing to a close, we discuss data yield and quality with respect to RHUM-RUM's primary purpose (passive seismological imaging through all depth levels of the mantle) and secondary applications ("environmental seismology" in a sparsely instrumented area, e.g., tracking of tropical cyclones). We give an overview of the research questions investigated by the RHUM-RUM group, and present preliminary results.

The Banyan tree: overseas migrants from South Asia.

PubMed

Tinker, H

1979-10-01

The number of Indian emigrants throughout the years has made little or no population difference to the country. With the population of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh totalling about 700 million in the mid 1970s, emigration is almost irrelevant. In 3 small nations, Mauritius, Fiji, and Guyana, Indians form the majority of the population. Present demographic trends point to the same majority in Trinidad. Indians also are an important group in Malaya, Singapore, and Ceylon, where they are more than 10% of the overall population. In other countries Indians form a small, minority population without political power. Almost all the overseas communities preserved the essential of the Hindu, Muslim, or Sikh religions which they took with them. In the Caribbean the Indian, or East Indian, has discarded his mother tongue after 3 or more generations in isolation. In South Africa only very old emigrants still speak their native tongue. Indian communities abroad often separate into Hindu and Muslim communities. British society uses the term "multi-racial" to describe the pluralistic cultures in its colonies, but British culture is not multiracial. The term has meaning only when applied to an urban area such as Singapore. In Singapore a multilingual policy is applied in order to make the multiracial ideal a reality.

Nain-e Havandi Andrographis paniculata present yesterday, absent today: a plenary review on underutilized herb of Iran's pharmaceutical plants.

PubMed

Valdiani, Alireza; Kadir, Mihdzar Abdul; Tan, Soon Guan; Talei, Daryush; Abdullah, Mohd Puad; Nikzad, Sonia

2012-05-01

Nain-e Havandi (Andrographis paniculata Nees.) (AP) is an annual herbaceous plant belonging to the family Acanthacea. Only a few species of Andrographis genus out of 28 are medicinally concerned of which AP is the most important. Knowledge about the arrival of AP to Iran is extremely lacking but most probably it has been imported from India. However, evidence implies the familiarity of Iran's folkloric medicine with this plant, but it has been disappeared from contemporary medicine for unknown reasons. Presence of active ingredients from diterpenoids group such as andrographolide, neoandrographolide and 14-deoxy-11,12-didehydroandrographolide has given incredible unique medicinal properties to the plant. Traditionally, Nain-e Havandi has been used in the role of a non-farm plant as a remedy for skin problems, flu, respiratory disease, and snakebite in East and Southeast Asia for centuries. Recently, it has been utilized as a treatment for HIV, hepatitis, diabetes, cancer and kidney disorders. Intensive cultivation of the herb started only in the past decade in countries such as China, India, Thailand, Indonesia, West Indies, Mauritius and to some extent, in Malaysia. Availability of different ecological zones in Iran complies with reestablishment of AP in tropical and temperate regions of the country. This is killing two birds with one stone, supporting the conservational and economic aspects.

Effectiveness of a Theory-Driven Nutritional Education Program in Improving Calcium Intake among Older Mauritian Adults

PubMed Central

Jeewon, Rajesh

2013-01-01

Background. Low calcium intake, a risk factor of osteoporosis and subsequent fractures, has been previously reported among post-menopausal women in Mauritius. Objective. To assess the effectiveness of a theory-based educational intervention in improving the calcium intake, self-efficacy, and knowledge of older Mauritians. Methodology. The study was conducted as a pre- and post-test design which was evaluated through a baseline, immediate postintervention, and 2-month follow-up assessments. Participants were adults (n = 189) aged ≥40 years old from 2 urban community-based centres. The intervention group (IG) (n = 98) participated in 6 weekly interactive lessons based on the health belief model (HBM). The main outcome measures were calcium intake, HB scale scores, knowledge scores, and physical activity level (PAL). Anthropometric measurements were also assessed. Results. The IG significantly increased its baseline calcium intake, knowledge and self-efficacy (P < 0.001) at post-assessments. A significant decrease in waist circumference in the IG was noted (P < 0.05) after intervention. PAL significantly increased by 12.3% at post-test and by 29.6% at follow-up among intervention adults when compared to the CG (P < 0.001). Conclusion. A theory-driven educational intervention is effective in improving the dietary calcium intake, knowledge, self-efficacy, and PAL of older community-based Mauritian adults. PMID:24453901

Is a Nutrition Education Intervention Associated with a Higher Intake of Fruit and Vegetables and Improved Nutritional Knowledge among Housewives in Mauritius?

PubMed

Cannoosamy, Komeela; Pem, Dhandevi; Bhagwant, Suress; Jeewon, Rajesh

2016-11-29

The purpose of the study was to assess the determinants of nutrition behaviors and body mass index and determine the impact of a nutrition education intervention (NEI) among Mauritian housewives. A pretest-posttest design was used assessing Nutrition Knowledge (NK), Nutrition Attitudes, Fruit and Vegetable Intake (FVI), body mass index (BMI). Two hundred Mauritian housewives were recruited. The NEI was in the form of a lecture and lasted for twenty minutes. Statistical tests performed revealed that the mean NK score at baseline was 65.8 ± 6.92 and a significant increase of +17.1 at post-test and +16.1 at follow-up was observed. Determinants of NK were age, presence of elderly people, and BMI. Mean nutrition attitude score at baseline was 2.37 ± 0.22 with significant increase of +0.2 (post-test) and +0.17 at follow-up. Age, level of education, presence of elders, and NK were linked to a positive attitude. FVI was predicted by age, income, presence of elders, NK, and nutrition attitudes. Baseline FVI was 4.77 ± 1.11 which increased significantly ( p < 0.001) to 4.98 ± 1.13 at post-test and 5.03 ± 1.20 at follow up. NEI had a positive impact suggesting the benefits of such intervention in the promotion of healthy nutrition behaviors.

Managing change in the nursing handover from traditional to bedside handover – a case study from Mauritius

PubMed Central

Kassean, Hemant K; Jagoo, Zaheda B

2005-01-01

Background The shift handover forms an important part of the communication process that takes place twice within the nurses' working day in the gynaecological ward. This paper addresses the topic of implementing a new system of bedside handover, which puts patients central to the whole process of managing care and also addresses some of the shortcomings of the traditional handover system. Methods A force field analysis in terms of the driving forces had shown that there was dissatisfaction with the traditional method of handover which had led to an increase in the number of critical incidents and complaints from patients, relatives and doctors. The restraining forces identified were a fear of accountability, lack of confidence and that this change would lead to more work. A 3 – step planned change model consisting of unfreezing, moving and refreezing was used to guide us through the change process. Resistance to change was managed by creating a climate of open communication where stakeholders were allowed to voice opinions, share concerns, insights, and ideas thereby actively participating in decision making. Results An evaluation had shown that this process was successfully implemented to the satisfaction of patients, and staff in general. Conclusion This successful change should encourage other nurses to become more proactive in identifying areas for change management in order to improve our health care system. PMID:15676078

Evaluation of haplotype diversity of Achatina fulica (Lissachatina) [Bowdich] from Indian sub-continent by means of 16S rDNA sequence and its phylogenetic relationships with other global populations.

PubMed

Ayyagari, Vijaya Sai; Sreerama, Krupanidhi

2017-08-01

Achatina fulica (Lissachatina fulica) is one of the most invasive species found across the globe causing a significant damage to crops, vegetables, and horticultural plants. This terrestrial snail is native to east Africa and spread to different parts of the world by introductions. India, a hot spot for biodiversity of several endemic gastropods, has witnessed an outburst of this snail population in several parts of the country posing a serious threat to crop loss and also to human health. With an objective to evaluate the genetic diversity of this snail, we have sampled this snail from different parts of India and analyzed its haplotype diversity by means of 16S rDNA sequence information. Apart from this, we have studied the phylogenetic relationships of the isolates sequenced in the present study in relation with other global populations by Bayesian and Maximum-likelihood approaches. Of the isolates sequenced, haplotype 'C' is the predominant one. A new haplotype 'S' from the state of Odisha was observed. The isolates sequenced in the present study clustered with its conspecifics from the Indian sub-continent. Haplotype network analyses were also carried out for studying the evolution of different haplotypes. It was observed that haplotype 'S' was associated with a Mauritius haplotype 'H', indicating the possibility of multiple introductions of A. fulica to India.

A New Paradigm for New Oceans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foulger, G. R.; Doré, A. G.; Franke, D.; Geoffroy, L.; Gernigon, L.; Hole, M.; Hoskuldsson, A.; Julian, B. R.; Kusznir, N.; Martinez, F.; Natland, J. H.; Peace, A.; Petersen, K. D.; Schiffer, C.; Stephenson, R.; Stoker, M. S.

2017-12-01

The original simple theory of plate tectonics had to be refined to accommodate second-order geological features such as back-arc basins and continental deformation zones. We propose an additional refinement that is required by complexities that form and persist in new oceans when inhomogeneous continental lithosphere/tectosphere disintegrates. Such complexities include continual plate-boundary reorganizations and migrations, distributed continental material in the ocean, propagating and dying ridges, and sagging, flexing and tilting in the oceans and at continent-ocean boundary zones. Reorganizations of stress and motion persist, resulting in variable orientations over short distances, tectonic reactivations, complex plate boundary configurations including multiple triple junctions, and the formation and abandonment of oceanic microplates. Resulting local compressions and extensions are manifest as bathymetric anomalies, vertical motions, and distributed volcanism at various times and places as the new ocean grows. Examples of regions that exhibit some or all of these features include the North Atlantic, the Rio Grande Rise/Walvis Ridge region of the South Atlantic, and the Seychelles-Mauritius region in the Indian Ocean. We suggest that these complexities arise as a result of the formation of new spreading plate boundaries by rifts propagating through continental lithosphere/tectosphere that is anisotropic as a result of inherited structure/composition and/or a sub-lithospheric mantle destabilized by lithospheric-controlled processes. Such scenarios result in complicated disintegration of continents and local persistent dynamic instability in the new ocean.

Characterization of 47 MHC class I sequences in Filipino cynomolgus macaques

PubMed Central

Campbell, Kevin J.; Detmer, Ann M.; Karl, Julie A.; Wiseman, Roger W.; Blasky, Alex J.; Hughes, Austin L.; Bimber, Benjamin N.; O’Connor, Shelby L.; O’Connor, David H.

2009-01-01

Cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis) provide increasingly common models for infectious disease research. Several geographically distinct populations of these macaques from Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius are available for pathogenesis studies. Though host genetics may profoundly impact results of such studies, similarities and differences between populations are often overlooked. In this study we identified 47 full-length MHC class I nucleotide sequences in 16 cynomolgus macaques of Filipino origin. The majority of MHC class I sequences characterized (39 of 47) were unique to this regional population. However, we discovered eight sequences with perfect identity and six sequences with close similarity to previously defined MHC class I sequences from other macaque populations. We identified two ancestral MHC haplotypes that appear to be shared between Filipino and Mauritian cynomolgus macaques, notably a Mafa-B haplotype that has previously been shown to protect Mauritian cynomolgus macaques against challenge with a simian/human immunodeficiency virus, SHIV89.6P. We also identified a Filipino cynomolgus macaque MHC class I sequence for which the predicted protein sequence differs from Mamu-B*17 by a single amino acid. This is important because Mamu-B*17 is strongly associated with protection against simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) challenge in Indian rhesus macaques. These findings have implications for the evolutionary history of Filipino cynomolgus macaques as well as for the use of this model in SIV/SHIV research protocols. PMID:19107381

Diverting the tourists: a spatial decision-support system for tourism planning on a developing island

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beedasy, Jaishree; Whyatt, Duncan

Mauritius is a small island (1865 km 2) in the Indian Ocean. Tourism is the third largest economic sector of the country, after manufacturing and agriculture. A limitation of space and the island's vulnerable ecosystem warrants a rational approach to tourism development. The main problems so far have been to manipulate and integrate all the factors affecting tourism planning and to match spatial data with their relevant attributes. A Spatial Decision Support System (SDSS) for sustainable tourism planning is therefore proposed. The proposed SDSS design would include a GIS as its core component. A first GIS model has already been constructed with available data. Supporting decision-making in a spatial context is implicit in the use of GIS. However the analytical capability of the GIS has to be enhanced to solve semi-structured problems, where subjective judgements come into play. The second part of the paper deals with the choice, implementation and customisation of a relevant model to develop a specialised SDSS. Different types of models and techniques are discussed, in particular a comparison of compensatory and non-compensatory approaches to multicriteria evaluation (MCE). It is concluded that compensatory multicriteria evaluation techniques increase the scope of the present GIS model as a decision-support tool. This approach gives the user or decision-maker the flexibility to change the importance of each criterion depending on relevant objectives.

The economic benefits of malaria elimination: do they include increases in tourism?

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Policy makers have speculated that one of the economic benefits of malaria elimination includes increases in foreign direct investment, particularly tourism. Methods This study examines the empirical relationship between the demand for travel and malaria cases in two countries with large tourism industries around the time in which they carried out malaria-elimination campaigns. In Mauritius, this analysis examines historical, yearly tourist arrivals and malaria cases from 1978–1999, accounting for the background secular trend of increasing international travel. In Dominican Republic, a country embarking upon malaria elimination, it employs a time-series analysis of the monthly, international tourist arrivals from 1998–2010 to determine whether the timing of significant deviations in tourist arrivals coincides with malaria outbreaks. Results While naïve relationships exist in both cases, the results show that the relationships between tourist arrivals and malaria cases are relatively weak and statistically insignificant once secular confounders are accounted for. Conclusions This suggests that any economic benefits from tourism that may be derived from actively pursuing elimination in countries that have high tourism potential are likely to be small when measured at a national level. Rather, tourism benefits are likely to be experienced with greater impact in more concentrated tourist areas within countries, and future studies should seek to assess these relationships at a regional or local level. PMID:22839351

The relationship of female physical attractiveness to body fatness.

PubMed

Wang, Guanlin; Djafarian, Kurosh; Egedigwe, Chima A; El Hamdouchi, Asmaa; Ojiambo, Robert; Ramuth, Harris; Wallner-Liebmann, Sandra Johanna; Lackner, Sonja; Diouf, Adama; Sauciuvenaite, Justina; Hambly, Catherine; Vaanholt, Lobke M; Faries, Mark D; Speakman, John R

2015-01-01

Aspects of the female body may be attractive because they signal evolutionary fitness. Greater body fatness might reflect greater potential to survive famines, but individuals carrying larger fat stores may have poor health and lower fertility in non-famine conditions. A mathematical statistical model using epidemiological data linking fatness to fitness traits, predicted a peaked relationship between fatness and attractiveness (maximum at body mass index (BMI) = 22.8 to 24.8 depending on ethnicity and assumptions). Participants from three Caucasian populations (Austria, Lithuania and the UK), three Asian populations (China, Iran and Mauritius) and four African populations (Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria and Senegal) rated attractiveness of a series of female images varying in fatness (BMI) and waist to hip ratio (WHR). There was an inverse linear relationship between physical attractiveness and body fatness or BMI in all populations. Lower body fat was more attractive, down to at least BMI = 19. There was no peak in the relationship over the range we studied in any population. WHR was a significant independent but less important factor, which was more important (greater r (2)) in African populations. Predictions based on the fitness model were not supported. Raters appeared to use body fat percentage (BF%) and BMI as markers of age. The covariance of BF% and BMI with age indicates that the role of body fatness alone, as a marker of attractiveness, has been overestimated.

The relationship of female physical attractiveness to body fatness

PubMed Central

Wang, Guanlin; Djafarian, Kurosh; Egedigwe, Chima A.; El Hamdouchi, Asmaa; Ojiambo, Robert; Ramuth, Harris; Wallner-Liebmann, Sandra Johanna; Lackner, Sonja; Diouf, Adama; Sauciuvenaite, Justina; Hambly, Catherine; Vaanholt, Lobke M.; Faries, Mark D.

2015-01-01

Aspects of the female body may be attractive because they signal evolutionary fitness. Greater body fatness might reflect greater potential to survive famines, but individuals carrying larger fat stores may have poor health and lower fertility in non-famine conditions. A mathematical statistical model using epidemiological data linking fatness to fitness traits, predicted a peaked relationship between fatness and attractiveness (maximum at body mass index (BMI) = 22.8 to 24.8 depending on ethnicity and assumptions). Participants from three Caucasian populations (Austria, Lithuania and the UK), three Asian populations (China, Iran and Mauritius) and four African populations (Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria and Senegal) rated attractiveness of a series of female images varying in fatness (BMI) and waist to hip ratio (WHR). There was an inverse linear relationship between physical attractiveness and body fatness or BMI in all populations. Lower body fat was more attractive, down to at least BMI = 19. There was no peak in the relationship over the range we studied in any population. WHR was a significant independent but less important factor, which was more important (greater r2) in African populations. Predictions based on the fitness model were not supported. Raters appeared to use body fat percentage (BF%) and BMI as markers of age. The covariance of BF% and BMI with age indicates that the role of body fatness alone, as a marker of attractiveness, has been overestimated. PMID:26336638

A new telemetry-based system for assessing cardiovascular function in group-housed large animals. Taking the 3Rs to a new level with the evaluation of remote measurement via cloud data transmission.

PubMed

Markert, Michael; Trautmann, Thomas; Krause, Florian; Cioaga, Marius; Mouriot, Sebastien; Wetzel, Miriam; Guth, Brian D

2018-03-26

A newly developed total implant telemetry system for cardiovascular (CV), electrophysiological and body temperature measurement was evaluated. A cloud-based transmission of the physiological signals allowed an assessment of the quality of the physiological signals despite the physical separation between the instrumented animals and the evaluating home laboratory. The new system is intended to be used for safety pharmacological evaluations of drug candidates in various species. Two female minipigs, 6 Labrador-mixed breed dogs and 4 female Cynomolgus monkeys were instrumented with a newly developed total implant system (TSE SYSTEMS). The implants feature a microprocessor, internal memory (1 GB), 2 solid state pressure-tipped catheters, amplifiers and a radio transmitter. Sampling rates for each measurement can be selected within a range between 0.1 and 1 kHz. Biological signals are selected in a programmable fashion on a session-by-session basis according to a user-defined protocol. The pressure sensors are at the tip of an electrical lead having a length customized to each species. Core temperature measurement and activity monitoring (3D accelerometer) are included in the system. Digital transmission range using a single antenna is 5 m with up to 16 animals held together and monitored simultaneously. The range can be expanded with more antennas in an array coupled to a single receiver. The antenna/receiver station consists of a single USB powered mobile unit connected to a PC or laptop. The battery life provides 110 days of continuous recording. The dogs and minipigs were instrumented and monitored in Germany. A novel cloud-based data transmission system was developed to monitor the physiological signals in real-time from the Cynomolgus monkeys, still kept in Mauritius, from the data evaluation laboratory in Germany. After recovery from the surgical implantation, aortic pressure (AP), left ventricular pressure (LVP), ECG and body temperature were recorded for 24 hr monitoring sessions in all animals. Additionally, moxifloxacin (10, 30 and 100 mg/kg) was tested in the dog model using a modified Latin square cross-over study design. The implant was well tolerated and the animals recovered rapidly from the implantation procedure. Excellent signal quality was obtained and stable hemodynamic and electrophysiological parameters could be measured, with little signal artefact or drop-out, over 24 h in each species. After oral dosing of moxifloxacin to the dogs, a substantial, dose-dependent increase in the QT-interval duration could be shown, as anticipated for this agent. Cloud-based data acquisition from the animals in Mauritius and the data evaluation lab in Germany worked well. This new CV telemetry system provides a novel alternative to fluid-filled catheter telemetry systems and the coupling to a cloud-based data transmission allows for flexibility in the location of the instrumented animals and data acquisition and the location of the site for data analysis. For the first time it is technically feasible to conduct a CV safety pharmacology study in Cynomolgus monkeys without having to ship them long distances to the home laboratory. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A new species of Monocheres Stock (Copepoda, Siphonostomatoida, Asterocheridae) from shallow waters off Florida, USA: an unexpected discovery.

PubMed

Suárez-Morales, Eduardo

2016-01-01

The rare asterocherid copepod genus Monocheres, ectosymbionts of corals and sponges, contains only two species, one from Mauritius (Indian Ocean) and the other one from Brazil (western Atlantic). From the analysis of the digestive caecum contents of the benthic hesionid polychaete Hesione picta Müller, 1858, an adult female of an undescribed species of Monocheres was unexpectedly recovered; it is the third species of this rare asterocherid genus. The new species, Monocheres sergioi sp. n., has the distinctive reduction of the fifth leg as a process with a single seta. It differs from its two other congeners by several characters including the presence of an inner basipodal spine, the armature details of the third exopodal segment of leg 1, the shape of the cephalosome and pedigerous somites 3 and 4, and the ornamentation of the postero-lateral corners of the genital double-somite. The main synapomorphies include the presence of spinules along the posterior margin of the first leg coxal sclerite and the reduced, spiniform coxal seta on leg 4. The biology and feeding habits of the polychaete containing this specimen suggests that the copepod was ingested as an ectosymbiont from sponges or coral but it is also possible that it was consumed from an ophiurid echinoderm. This finding allows an expansion of the genus geographical distribution in the northwestern Atlantic. A key to the species of Monocheres is also provided.

A new species of Monocheres Stock (Copepoda, Siphonostomatoida, Asterocheridae) from shallow waters off Florida, USA: an unexpected discovery

PubMed Central

Suárez-Morales, Eduardo

2016-01-01

Abstract The rare asterocherid copepod genus Monocheres, ectosymbionts of corals and sponges, contains only two species, one from Mauritius (Indian Ocean) and the other one from Brazil (western Atlantic). From the analysis of the digestive caecum contents of the benthic hesionid polychaete Hesione picta Müller, 1858, an adult female of an undescribed species of Monocheres was unexpectedly recovered; it is the third species of this rare asterocherid genus. The new species, Monocheres sergioi sp. n., has the distinctive reduction of the fifth leg as a process with a single seta. It differs from its two other congeners by several characters including the presence of an inner basipodal spine, the armature details of the third exopodal segment of leg 1, the shape of the cephalosome and pedigerous somites 3 and 4, and the ornamentation of the postero-lateral corners of the genital double-somite. The main synapomorphies include the presence of spinules along the posterior margin of the first leg coxal sclerite and the reduced, spiniform coxal seta on leg 4. The biology and feeding habits of the polychaete containing this specimen suggests that the copepod was ingested as an ectosymbiont from sponges or coral but it is also possible that it was consumed from an ophiurid echinoderm. This finding allows an expansion of the genus geographical distribution in the northwestern Atlantic. A key to the species of Monocheres is also provided. PMID:27551233

Malnutrition at age 3 years and lower cognitive ability at age 11 years: independence from psychosocial adversity.

PubMed

Liu, Jianghong; Raine, Adrian; Venables, Peter H; Dalais, Cyril; Mednick, Sarnoff A

2003-06-01

Early malnutrition is linked to poor cognition, but long-term effects have not been extensively examined and psychosocial confounds have not always been controlled. To test the hypothesis that malnutrition at age 3 years will be associated with poorer cognitive ability at age 11 years independent of psychosocial confounds. A prospective, longitudinal study of a birth cohort of 1559 children originally assessed at age 3 years for malnutrition (low hemoglobin level, angular stomatitis, kwashiorkor, and sparse, thin hair) and followed up to age 11 years. A community sample of 1559 children (51.4% boys and 48.6% girls) born between September 1, 1969, and August 31, 1970, in 2 towns in the island of Mauritius, with 68.7% Indians and 25.7% Creoles (African origin). Verbal and spatial ability measured at ages 3 and 11 years and reading, scholastic ability, and neuropsychologic performance measured at age 11 years. Malnourished children had poorer cognition at both ages. Deficits were stable across time, applied to all sex and ethnic groups, and remained after controlling for multiple measures of psychosocial adversity. Children with 3 indicators of malnutrition had a 15.3-point deficit in IQ at age 11 years. Malnutrition at age 3 years is associated with poor cognition at age 11 years independent of psychosocial adversity. Promoting early childhood nutrition could enhance long-term cognitive development and school performance, especially in children with multiple nutritional deficits.

Malnutrition at Age 3 Years and Lower Cognitive Ability at Age 11 Years

PubMed Central

Liu, Jianghong; Raine, Adrian; Venables, Peter H.; Dalais, Cyril; Mednick, Sarnoff A.

2014-01-01

Background Early malnutrition is linked to poor cognition, but long-term effects have not been extensively examined and psychosocial confounds have not always been controlled. Objective To test the hypothesis that malnutrition at age 3 years will be associated with poorer cognitive ability at age 11 years independent of psychosocial confounds. Design A prospective, longitudinal study of a birth cohort of 1559 children originally assessed at age 3 years for malnutrition (low hemoglobin level, angular stomatitis, kwashiorkor, and sparse, thin hair) and followed up to age 11 years. Setting and Participants A community sample of 1559 children (51.4% boys and 48.6% girls) born between September 1, 1969, and August 31, 1970, in 2 towns in the island of Mauritius, with 68.7% Indians and 25.7% Creoles (African origin). Main Outcome Measures Verbal and spatial ability measured at ages 3 and 11 years and reading, scholastic ability, and neuropsychologic performance measured at age 11 years. Results Malnourished children had poorer cognition at both ages. Deficits were stable across time, applied to all sex and ethnic groups, and remained after controlling for multiple measures of psychosocial adversity. Children with 3 indicators of malnutrition had a 15.3-point deficit in IQ at age 11 years. Conclusions Malnutrition at age 3 years is associated with poor cognition at age 11 years independent of psychosocial adversity. Promoting early childhood nutrition could enhance long-term cognitive development and school performance, especially in children with multiple nutritional deficits. PMID:12796242

History of health in the Indian Ocean: care, prevention, teaching, and research from the 17(th) to the mid-20th century.

PubMed

Aubry, P; Gaüzère, B-A

2016-05-01

In 1498, the Portuguese crossed the Cape of Good Hope. It was not until the period of 1633 and 1666, dates of the founding, respectively, of the Compagnie de l'Orient and the Compagnie des Indes orientales, that the way was definitively opened for trade between France and India. Because so many sailors developed scurvy after voyages that lasted 4 to 5 months, the French settled on Bourbon Island (Réunion) and Ile de France (Mauritius), to provide them with medical care. Created in 1689 by Louis XIV, the Navy Health Service was responsible for health in the colonies until it was replaced in 1890 by the Colonial Health Service. European medicine began its slow diffusion around the Indian Ocean in Pondicherry (India). The naval doctors reported their experiences in the Archives de médecine navale (1864-1889), and the colonial doctors afterwards in the Archives de médecine navale et coloniale (1890-1896). The health system in Madagascar developed strongly during 19(th) and 20(th) centuries, and the subsequent development of health care in the other Indian Ocean islands became closely linked to that of Madagascar. On Bourbon, the two navy hospitals in Saint-Paul and Saint-Denis treated only naval and military personnel. The colony had no hospital providing care for civilians and poor people until three civilian doctors opened a maison de santé (health house) in 1846.

Indirect interactions between invasive and native plants via pollinators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaiser-Bunbury, Christopher N.; Müller, Christine B.

2009-03-01

In generalised pollination systems, the presence of alien plant species may change the foraging behaviour of pollinators on native plant species, which could result in reduced reproductive success of native plant species. We tested this idea of indirect interactions on a small spatial and temporal scale in a field study in Mauritius, where the invasive strawberry guava, Psidium cattleianum, provides additional floral resources for insect pollinators. We predicted that the presence of flowering guava would indirectly and negatively affect the reproductive success of the endemic plant Bertiera zaluzania, which has similar flowers, by diverting shared pollinators. We removed P. cattleianum flowers within a 5-m radius from around half the B. zaluzania target plants (treatment) and left P. cattleianum flowers intact around the other half (control). By far, the most abundant and shared pollinator was the introduced honey bee, Apis mellifera, but its visitation rates to treatment and control plants were similar. Likewise, fruit and seed set and fruit size and weight of B. zaluzania were not influenced by the presence of P. cattleianum flowers. Although other studies have shown small-scale effects of alien plant species on neighbouring natives, we found no evidence for such negative indirect interactions in our system. The dominance of introduced, established A. mellifera indicates their replacement of native insect flower visitors and their function as pollinators of native plant species. However, the pollination effectiveness of A. mellifera in comparison to native pollinators is unknown.

Ancestral origins and invasion pathways in a globally invasive bird correlate with climate and influences from bird trade

PubMed Central

Jackson, Hazel; Strubbe, Diederik; Tollington, Simon; Prys-Jones, Robert; Matthysen, Erik; Groombridge, Jim J

2015-01-01

Invasive species present a major threat to global biodiversity. Understanding genetic patterns and evolutionary processes that reinforce successful establishment is paramount for elucidating mechanisms underlying biological invasions. Among birds, the ring-necked parakeet (Psittacula krameri) is one of the most successful invasive species, established in over 35 countries. However, little is known about the evolutionary genetic origins of this species and what population genetic signatures tell us about patterns of invasion. We reveal the ancestral origins of populations across the invasive range and explore the potential influence of climate and propagule pressure from the pet trade on observed genetic patterns. Ring-necked parakeet samples representing the ancestral native range (n = 96) were collected from museum specimens, and modern samples from the invasive range (n = 855) were gathered from across Europe, Mauritius and Seychelles, and sequenced for two mitochondrial DNA markers comprising 868 bp of cytochrome b and control region, and genotyped at 10 microsatellite loci. Invasive populations comprise birds that originate predominantly from Pakistan and northern areas of India. Haplotypes associated with more northerly distribution limits in the ancestral native range were more prevalent in invasive populations in Europe, and the predominance of Asian haplotypes in Europe is consistent with the higher number of Asian birds transported by the pet trade outside the native range. Successful establishment of invasive species is likely to be underpinned by a combination of environmental and anthropogenic influences. PMID:26172573

Bioactivity of Nonedible Parts of Punica granatum L.: A Potential Source of Functional Ingredients

PubMed Central

Somanah, Jhoti; Ramsaha, Srishti; Bahorun, Theeshan; Neergheen-Bhujun, Vidushi S.

2013-01-01

Punica granatum L. has a long standing culinary and medicinal traditional use in Mauritius. This prompted a comparative study to determine the bioefficacy of the flower, peel, leaf, stem, and seed extracts of the Mauritian P. granatum. The flower and peel extracts resulting from organic solvent extraction exhibited strong antioxidant activities which correlated with the high levels of total phenolics, flavonoids, and proanthocyanidins. The peel extract had the most potent scavenging capacity reflected by high Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity value (5206.01 ± 578.48 μmol/g air dry weight), very low IC50 values for hypochlorous acid (0.004 ± 0.001 mg air dry weight/mL), and hydroxyl radicals scavenging (0.111 ± 0.001 mg air dry weight/mL). Peel extracts also significantly inhibited S. mutans (P < 0.001), S. mitis (P < 0.001), and L. acidophilus (P < 0.05) growth compared to ciprofloxacin. The flower extract exhibited high ferric reducing, nitric oxide scavenging, and iron (II) ions chelation and significantly inhibited microsomal lipid peroxidation. Furthermore, it showed a dose-dependent inhibition of xanthine oxidase with an IC50 value of 0.058 ± 0.011 mg air dry weight/mL. This study showed that nonedible parts of cultivated pomegranates, that are generally discarded, are bioactive in multiassay systems thereby suggesting their potential use as natural prophylactics and in food applications. PMID:26904607

Autosomal and Mitochondrial Adaptation Following Admixture: A Case Study on the Honeybees of Reunion Island

PubMed Central

Wragg, David; Techer, Maéva Angélique; Canale-Tabet, Kamila; Basso, Benjamin; Bidanel, Jean-Pierre; Labarthe, Emmanuelle; Bouchez, Olivier; Le Conte, Yves; Clémencet, Johanna; Delatte, Hélène

2018-01-01

Abstract The honeybee population of the tropical Reunion Island is a genetic admixture of the Apis mellifera unicolor subspecies, originally described in Madagascar, and of European subspecies, mainly A. m. carnica and A. m. ligustica, regularly imported to the island since the late 19th century. We took advantage of this population to study genetic admixing of the tropical-adapted indigenous and temperate-adapted European genetic backgrounds. Whole genome sequencing of 30 workers and 6 males from Reunion, compared with samples from Europe, Madagascar, Mauritius, Rodrigues, and the Seychelles, revealed the Reunion honeybee population to be composed on an average of 53.2 ± 5.9% A. m. unicolor nuclear genomic background, the rest being mainly composed of A. m. carnica and to a lesser extent A. m. ligustica. In striking contrast to this, only 1 out of the 36 honeybees from Reunion had a mitochondrial genome of European origin, suggesting selection has favored the A. m. unicolor mitotype, which is possibly better adapted to the island’s bioclimate. Local ancestry was determined along the chromosomes for all Reunion samples, and a test for preferential selection for the A. m. unicolor or European background revealed 15 regions significantly associated with the A. m. unicolor lineage and 9 regions with the European lineage. Our results provide insights into the long-term consequences of introducing exotic specimen on the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes of locally adapted populations. PMID:29202174

Maeridae from the Indo-Pacific: Elasmopus, Leeuwinella gen. nov., Maeropsis, Pseudelasmopus and Quadrimaera (Amphipoda: Crustacea).

PubMed

Hughes, Lauren E

2015-12-22

Twenty-two species of Maeridae including the new genus, Leeuwinella, and eight new species are described from Indo-Pacific waters. Leeuwinella mistakensis gen. et sp. nov. from southern Western Australia has dorsal carinae and serrate epimeral margins on pleonites 1-3 and mandibular palp article 3 concave; this significant combination of characters justifies erection of a new genus. Elasmopus coxacallus sp. nov., with a castelloserrate posterior margin of pereopod 7 presents a novel character for the genus, which contains over 100 described species. Elasmopus incomptus sp. nov. and E. norfolkensis sp. nov. are also described from Norfolk Island, South Pacific, while new distribution records are provided for E. gracilis Schellenberg, 1938, E. integer Myers, 1989, and E. molokai J.L. Barnard, 1970 from northwestern Australia, and E. souillacensis Appadoo & Myers, 2003, from the Kermadec Islands. New distribution records for Maeropsis griffini (Berents, 1983) from Bedout Island in Western Australia are the first of the species outside the Queensland type locality and new records of M. thetis (Lowry & Springthorpe, 2005) from mainland Australia to Tasmania and across the Tasman Sea extending its range. Pseudelasmopus walkerae sp. nov. is described from Norfolk Island, and is the second species recorded in the genus, previously known only from Mauritius. Lastly, three new Quadrimaera species, Q. gregoryi, Q. brownorum and Q. vallaris, along with eight known Quadrimaera species, are reported from various locations extending their distributions in the Indo-Pacific.

Leptospirosis in the western Indian Ocean islands: what is known so far?

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

In the past decade, leptospirosis has emerged as a major zoonosis with a worldwide distribution. The disease is caused by bacteria of the genus Leptospira. The western Indian Ocean includes more than one hundred tropical or subequatorial islands where leptospirosis constitutes a major public health problem. The clinical signs of the human disease are generally similar to an influenza-like syndrome, but acute forms of the disease are reported and mortality remains significant in this region. In animals, clinical forms are mainly asymptomatic but leptospirosis reduces the fertility of livestock, resulting in economic losses. The data available about human and animal leptospirosis in the western Indian Ocean islands are diverse: human leptospirosis has been extensively studied in Reunion Island, Mayotte, and the Seychelles, whereas the human clinical disease has never been described in Madagascar, Comoros, Mauritius, or Rodrigues, mainly because of the deficiency in appropriate medical and diagnostic structures. The rat is recognized as the major reservoir host for the bacteria on all islands, but recent data from Reunion Island indicates that almost all mammals can be a source of contamination. The incidence of leptospirosis in humans is highly seasonal, and linked to the rainy season, which is favorable for the environmental maintenance and transmission of the bacteria. The epidemiology of leptospirosis is fully island-dependent, related to the number of mammalian species, the origins of the introduced mammalian species, the relationships between humans and fauna, and environmental as well as cultural and socio-economic factors. PMID:24016311

Chemical composition, traditional and professional use in medicine, application in environmental protection, position in food and cosmetics industries, and biotechnological studies of Nasturtium officinale (watercress) - a review.

PubMed

Klimek-Szczykutowicz, Marta; Szopa, Agnieszka; Ekiert, Halina

2018-05-28

The herb of Nasturtium officinale is a raw material that has long been used in the traditional medicine of Iran, Azerbaijan, Morocco and Mauritius. Nowadays, this raw material is the object of numerous professional pharmacological studies that have demonstrated its antioxidant, anticancer, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective properties. These therapeutic effects are caused by glucosinolates present in the plant, isothiocyanates, polyphenols (flavonoids, phenolic acids, proanthocyanidins), terpenes (including carotenoids), vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B6, E, C) and bioelements. The article presents the current state of phytochemical research on the generative and vegetative organs of aboveground parts. A special spotlight is put on the main N. officinale secondary metabolites - glucosinolates. Attention is drawn to the important position of N. officinale in the production of healthy foods and in the production of cosmetics. A large part of the article is devoted to the importance of this species in phytoremediation processes used in the protection of soil environments and water reservoirs. The biotechnological research on this species has also been reviewed. Those studies are of particular importance not only due to the attractiveness of this species in phytotherapy and cosmetology, but also due to the deteriorating natural state of this species and the threat of extinction. The aim of this review is to promote N. officinale as a very valuable species, not yet fully discovered by global medicine. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Religious factors associated with alcohol involvement: results from the Mauritian Joint Child Health Project.

PubMed

Luczak, Susan E; Prescott, Carol A; Dalais, Cyril; Raine, Adrian; Venables, Peter H; Mednick, Sarnoff A

2014-02-01

The purpose of this study was to examine religious factors associated with alcohol involvement in Mauritius. The three main religions on the island, Hinduism, Catholicism, and Islam, promote different views of the appropriate use of alcohol. Based on reference group theory, we hypothesized that both the content of a religion's alcohol norms and an individual's religious commitment would relate to alcohol use behavior. Participants were from the Joint Child Health Project, a longitudinal study that has followed a birth cohort of 1.795 individuals since 1972 when they were 3 years old. All available participants (67%; 55% male) were assessed in mid-adulthood on religious variables, lifetime drinking, and lifetime alcohol use disorders. Across religions, individuals who viewed their religion as promoting abstinence were less likely to be drinkers. Religious commitment was associated with reduced probability of drinking only in those who viewed their religion as promoting abstinence. Among drinkers, abstention norms and religious commitment were not associated with lower likelihood of alcohol use disorders. In Catholics who viewed their religion as promoting abstinence and still were drinkers, high religious commitment was associated with increased risk for alcohol use disorders. Predictions based on reference group theory were largely supported, with religious norms and commitment differentially related to alcohol use and problems both across religions and among individuals within religions. Findings highlight the importance of examining multiple aspects of religion to better understand the relationship of religion with alcohol behaviors. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Religious Factors Associated with Alcohol Involvement: Results from the Mauritian Joint Child Health Project

PubMed Central

Luczak, Susan E.; Prescott, Carol A.; Dalais, Cyril; Raine, Adrian; Venables, Peter H.; Mednick, Sarnoff A.

2014-01-01

Background The purpose of this study was to examine religious factors associated with alcohol involvement in Mauritius. The three main religions on the island, Hinduism, Catholicism, and Islam, promote different views of the appropriate use of alcohol. Based on reference group theory, we hypothesized that both the content of a religion’s alcohol norms and an individual’s religious commitment would relate to alcohol use behavior. Methods Participants were from the Joint Child Health Project, a longitudinal study that has followed a birth cohort of 1,795 individuals since 1972 when they were 3 years old. All available participants (67%; 55% male) were assessed in mid-adulthood on religious variables, lifetime drinking, and lifetime alcohol use disorders. Results Across religions, individuals who viewed their religion as promoting abstinence were less likely to be drinkers. Religious commitment was associated with reduced probability of drinking only in those who viewed their religion as promoting abstinence. Among drinkers, abstention norms and religious commitment were not associated with lower likelihood of alcohol use disorders. In Catholics who viewed their religion as promoting abstinence and still were drinkers, high religious commitment was associated with increased risk for alcohol use disorders. Conclusions Predictions based on reference group theory were largely supported, with religious norms and commitment differentially related to alcohol use and problems both across religions and among individuals within religions. Findings highlight the importance of examining multiple aspects of religion to better understand the relationship of religion with alcohol behaviors. PMID:24332801

Ancestral origins and invasion pathways in a globally invasive bird correlate with climate and influences from bird trade.

PubMed

Jackson, Hazel; Strubbe, Diederik; Tollington, Simon; Prys-Jones, Robert; Matthysen, Erik; Groombridge, Jim J

2015-08-01

Invasive species present a major threat to global biodiversity. Understanding genetic patterns and evolutionary processes that reinforce successful establishment is paramount for elucidating mechanisms underlying biological invasions. Among birds, the ring-necked parakeet (Psittacula krameri) is one of the most successful invasive species, established in over 35 countries. However, little is known about the evolutionary genetic origins of this species and what population genetic signatures tell us about patterns of invasion. We reveal the ancestral origins of populations across the invasive range and explore the potential influence of climate and propagule pressure from the pet trade on observed genetic patterns. Ring-necked parakeet samples representing the ancestral native range (n = 96) were collected from museum specimens, and modern samples from the invasive range (n = 855) were gathered from across Europe, Mauritius and Seychelles, and sequenced for two mitochondrial DNA markers comprising 868 bp of cytochrome b and control region, and genotyped at 10 microsatellite loci. Invasive populations comprise birds that originate predominantly from Pakistan and northern areas of India. Haplotypes associated with more northerly distribution limits in the ancestral native range were more prevalent in invasive populations in Europe, and the predominance of Asian haplotypes in Europe is consistent with the higher number of Asian birds transported by the pet trade outside the native range. Successful establishment of invasive species is likely to be underpinned by a combination of environmental and anthropogenic influences. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Tracking Viral Evolution during a Disease Outbreak: the Rapid and Complete Selective Sweep of a Circovirus in the Endangered Echo Parakeet

PubMed Central

Faulkes, Christopher G.; Greenwood, Andrew G.; Jones, Carl G.; Kaiser, Pete; Lyne, Owen D.; Black, Simon A.; Chowrimootoo, Aurelie; Groombridge, Jim J.

2012-01-01

Circoviruses are among the smallest and simplest of all viruses, but they are relatively poorly characterized. Here, we intensively sampled two sympatric parrot populations from Mauritius over a period of 11 years and screened for the circovirus Beak and feather disease virus (BFDV). During the sampling period, a severe outbreak of psittacine beak and feather disease, which is caused by BFDV, occurred in Echo parakeets. Consequently, this data set presents an ideal system for studying the evolution of a pathogen in a natural population and to understand the adaptive changes that cause outbreaks. Unexpectedly, we discovered that the outbreak was most likely caused by changes in functionally important regions of the normally conserved replication-associated protein gene and not the immunogenic capsid. Moreover, these mutations were completely fixed in the Echo parakeet host population very shortly after the outbreak. Several capsid alleles were linked to the replication-associated protein outbreak allele, suggesting that whereas the key changes occurred in the latter, the scope of the outbreak and the selective sweep may have been influenced by positive selection in the capsid. We found evidence for viral transmission between the two host populations though evidence for the invasive species as the source of the outbreak was equivocal. Finally, the high evolutionary rate that we estimated shows how rapidly new variation can arise in BFDV and is consistent with recent results from other small single-stranded DNA viruses. PMID:22345474

Spatially Explicit Trends in the Global Conservation Status of Vertebrates

PubMed Central

Rodrigues, Ana S. L.; Brooks, Thomas M.; Butchart, Stuart H. M.; Chanson, Janice; Cox, Neil; Hoffmann, Michael; Stuart, Simon N.

2014-01-01

The world's governments have committed to preventing the extinction of threatened species and improving their conservation status by 2020. However, biodiversity is not evenly distributed across space, and neither are the drivers of its decline, and so different regions face very different challenges. Here, we quantify the contribution of regions and countries towards recent global trends in vertebrate conservation status (as measured by the Red List Index), to guide action towards the 2020 target. We found that>50% of the global deterioration in the conservation status of birds, mammals and amphibians is concentrated in <1% of the surface area, 39/1098 ecoregions (4%) and eight/195 countries (4%) – Australia, China, Colombia, Ecuador, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, and the United States. These countries hold a third of global diversity in these vertebrate groups, partially explaining why they concentrate most of the losses. Yet, other megadiverse countries – most notably Brazil (responsible for 10% of species but just 1% of deterioration), plus India and Madagascar – performed better in conserving their share of global vertebrate diversity. Very few countries, mostly island nations (e.g. Cook Islands, Fiji, Mauritius, Seychelles, and Tonga), have achieved net improvements. Per capita wealth does not explain these patterns, with two of the richest countries – United States and Australia – fairing conspicuously poorly. Different countries were affected by different combinations of threats. Reducing global rates of biodiversity loss will require investment in the regions and countries with the highest responsibility for the world's biodiversity, focusing on conserving those species and areas most in peril and on reducing the drivers with the highest impacts. PMID:25426636

The impact of malnutrition on intelligence at 3 and 11 years of age: The mediating role of temperament.

PubMed

Venables, Peter H; Raine, Adrian

2016-02-01

Previous work has shown that malnutrition has deleterious effects on both IQ and aspects of temperament. It is hypothesized that while malnutrition bears a direct relation to IQ, aspects of temperament are also involved in a mediating role so that they produce indirect associations between malnutrition and IQ. The study examines the association of 3 indices of malnutrition-stunting, anemia and wasting-to Verbal IQ (VIQ) and Performance IQ (PIQ) and temperament in 1,376 3-year-old and 11-year-old children in Mauritius. Two dimensions of temperament were extracted from ratings of behavior and were labeled as Uninhibited (UI) and Task Orientation (TO). At age 3 stunting had direct relations to Verbal IQ and Performance IQ and also indirect relations via the mediating effect of temperament (UI but not TO). In the case of anemia there were no direct relations to VIQ or PIQ but both temperament meditators were involved in indirect relations. For wasting, indirect but not direct relations were observed. When age 11 cognitive performance was examined, there were direct relations to stunting and anemia and indirect relations via UI, but not TO. The relations between malnutrition and IQ were graded and linear showing that it is not only when malnutrition is defined by its severest levels that it has an effect on cognitive performance. It is suggested that malnutrition affects those brain structures and functions that are involved in both cognitive behavior and temperament. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved.

Observations on the biology of Afrotropical Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera). Part 9. Hesperiinae incertae sedis: Zingiberales feeders, genera of unknown biology and an overview of the Hesperiinae incertae sedis.

PubMed

Cock, Matthew J W; Congdon, T Colin E; Collins, Steve C

2016-01-15

The Afrotropical genera that have been recorded to feed on Zingiberales are documented. Partial life histories are presented for Erionota torus Evans (a South-East Asian species established in Mauritius), Semalea arela (Mabille), S. pulvina (Plötz), Xanthodisca vibius (Hewitson), X. rega (Mabille), Hypoleucis ophiusa (Hewitson), Caenides dacena (Hewitson), Osmodes adon (Mabille), Gretna cylinda (Hewitson) and Moltena fiara (Butler). Additional notes from the literature are provided on the genera Leona and Rhabdomantis. Notes on natural enemies of E. torus and M. fiara are included. We find that the Zingiberaceae and Costaceae feeding genera, Semalea, Xanthodiscus, Hypoleucis and Caenides (part) are united by a C-shaped raised rim to the prothoracic spiracle of the pupa. The pupa of Osmodes adon indicates this genus may have no close affinities to other Afrotropical genera for which the life history is known. The pupa of G. cylinda is unlike any other that we have documented and may reflect that this is the only species which we have found to be formed on the open leaf under surface rather than in a shelter. The early stages of M. fiara indicate affinities with Zophopetes and related genera. The paper concludes with a brief comparative discussion of the early stages of the Afrotropical Hesperiinae incertae sedis as a whole. There appear to be useful characters to group species by the ova and pupae but less so by the caterpillars. Based on pupae alone, the Hesperiinae incertae sedis might be divided into nine groups.

African swine fever: how can global spread be prevented?

PubMed Central

Costard, Solenne; Wieland, Barbara; de Glanville, William; Jori, Ferran; Rowlands, Rebecca; Vosloo, Wilna; Roger, Francois; Pfeiffer, Dirk U.; Dixon, Linda K.

2009-01-01

African swine fever (ASF) is a devastating haemorrhagic fever of pigs with mortality rates approaching 100 per cent. It causes major economic losses, threatens food security and limits pig production in affected countries. ASF is caused by a large DNA virus, African swine fever virus (ASFV). There is no vaccine against ASFV and this limits the options for disease control. ASF has been confined mainly to sub-Saharan Africa, where it is maintained in a sylvatic cycle and/or among domestic pigs. Wildlife hosts include wild suids and arthropod vectors. The relatively small numbers of incursions to other continents have proven to be very difficult to eradicate. Thus, ASF remained endemic in the Iberian peninsula until the mid-1990s following its introductions in 1957 and 1960 and the disease has remained endemic in Sardinia since its introduction in 1982. ASF has continued to spread within Africa to previously uninfected countries, including recently the Indian Ocean islands of Madagascar and Mauritius. Given the continued occurrence of ASF in sub-Saharan Africa and increasing global movements of people and products, it is not surprising that further transcontinental transmission has occurred. The introduction of ASF to Georgia in the Caucasus in 2007 and dissemination to neighbouring countries emphasizes the global threat posed by ASF and further increases the risks to other countries. We review the mechanisms by which ASFV is maintained within wildlife and domestic pig populations and how it can be transmitted. We then consider the risks for global spread of ASFV and discuss possibilities of how disease can be prevented. PMID:19687038

Four years into the Indian ocean field epidemiology training programme.

PubMed

Halm, Ariane; Seyler, Thomas; Mohamed, Sainda; Ali Mbaé, Saindou Ben; Randrianarivo-Solofoniaina, Armand Eugène; Ratsitorahina, Maherisoa; Nundlall, Ram; Aboobakar, Shahina; Bibi, Jastin; Filleul, Laurent; Piola, Patrice; Razafimandimby, Harimahefa; Rasamoelina, Harena; Valenciano, Marta; Moren, Alain; Cardinale, Eric; Lepec, Richard; Flachet, Loïc

2017-01-01

Following the 2005-6 chikungunya outbreak, a project to strengthen regional Public Health preparedness in the Indian Ocean was implemented. It includes the Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Reunion (France) and Seychelles. A Field Epidemiology Training Programme (FETP-OI) was started in 2011 to develop a pool of well-trained intervention epidemiologists. The FETP-OI consists of two years of supervised, learning-by-doing, on-the-job training at national sites involved in disease surveillance and response. It includes work placements at the Madagascar Pasteur Institute and the French regional epidemiology unit in Reunion and up to three training courses per year. Training objectives include epidemiological surveillance, outbreak investigations, research studies, scientific communication and transfer of competencies. In four years, two cohorts of in total 15 fellows originating from four countries followed the FETP-OI. They led 42 surveillance projects (71% routine management, 14% evaluations, 12% setup, 3% other) and investigated 36 outbreak alerts, 58% of them in Madagascar; most investigations (72%) concerned foodborne pathogens, plague or malaria. Fellows performed 18 studies (44% descriptive analyses, 22% disease risk factors, and 34% on other subjects), and presented results during regional and international conferences through 26 oral and 15 poster presentations. Four articles were published in regional Public Health bulletins and several scientific manuscripts are in process. The FETP-OI has created a regional force of intervention consisting of field epidemiologists and trained supervisors using the same technical language and epidemiological methods. The third cohort is now ongoing. Technically and financially sustainable FETP-OI projects help addressing public health priorities of the Indian Ocean.

Four years into the Indian ocean field epidemiology training programme

PubMed Central

Halm, Ariane; Seyler, Thomas; Mohamed, Sainda; Ali Mbaé, Saindou Ben; Randrianarivo-Solofoniaina, Armand Eugène; Ratsitorahina, Maherisoa; Nundlall, Ram; Aboobakar, Shahina; Bibi, Jastin; Filleul, Laurent; Piola, Patrice; Razafimandimby, Harimahefa; Rasamoelina, Harena; Valenciano, Marta; Moren, Alain; Cardinale, Eric; Lepec, Richard; Flachet, Loïc

2017-01-01

Introduction Following the 2005-6 chikungunya outbreak, a project to strengthen regional Public Health preparedness in the Indian Ocean was implemented. It includes the Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Reunion (France) and Seychelles. A Field Epidemiology Training Programme (FETP-OI) was started in 2011 to develop a pool of well-trained intervention epidemiologists. Methods The FETP-OI consists of two years of supervised, learning-by-doing, on-the-job training at national sites involved in disease surveillance and response. It includes work placements at the Madagascar Pasteur Institute and the French regional epidemiology unit in Reunion and up to three training courses per year. Training objectives include epidemiological surveillance, outbreak investigations, research studies, scientific communication and transfer of competencies. Results In four years, two cohorts of in total 15 fellows originating from four countries followed the FETP-OI. They led 42 surveillance projects (71% routine management, 14% evaluations, 12% setup, 3% other) and investigated 36 outbreak alerts, 58% of them in Madagascar; most investigations (72%) concerned foodborne pathogens, plague or malaria. Fellows performed 18 studies (44% descriptive analyses, 22% disease risk factors, and 34% on other subjects), and presented results during regional and international conferences through 26 oral and 15 poster presentations. Four articles were published in regional Public Health bulletins and several scientific manuscripts are in process. Conclusion The FETP-OI has created a regional force of intervention consisting of field epidemiologists and trained supervisors using the same technical language and epidemiological methods. The third cohort is now ongoing. Technically and financially sustainable FETP-OI projects help addressing public health priorities of the Indian Ocean. PMID:28674588

Spatially explicit trends in the global conservation status of vertebrates.

PubMed

Rodrigues, Ana S L; Brooks, Thomas M; Butchart, Stuart H M; Chanson, Janice; Cox, Neil; Hoffmann, Michael; Stuart, Simon N

2014-01-01

The world's governments have committed to preventing the extinction of threatened species and improving their conservation status by 2020. However, biodiversity is not evenly distributed across space, and neither are the drivers of its decline, and so different regions face very different challenges. Here, we quantify the contribution of regions and countries towards recent global trends in vertebrate conservation status (as measured by the Red List Index), to guide action towards the 2020 target. We found that>50% of the global deterioration in the conservation status of birds, mammals and amphibians is concentrated in <1% of the surface area, 39/1098 ecoregions (4%) and eight/195 countries (4%) - Australia, China, Colombia, Ecuador, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, and the United States. These countries hold a third of global diversity in these vertebrate groups, partially explaining why they concentrate most of the losses. Yet, other megadiverse countries - most notably Brazil (responsible for 10% of species but just 1% of deterioration), plus India and Madagascar - performed better in conserving their share of global vertebrate diversity. Very few countries, mostly island nations (e.g. Cook Islands, Fiji, Mauritius, Seychelles, and Tonga), have achieved net improvements. Per capita wealth does not explain these patterns, with two of the richest countries - United States and Australia - fairing conspicuously poorly. Different countries were affected by different combinations of threats. Reducing global rates of biodiversity loss will require investment in the regions and countries with the highest responsibility for the world's biodiversity, focusing on conserving those species and areas most in peril and on reducing the drivers with the highest impacts.

Variability in tropical cyclone heat potential over the Southwest Indian Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malan, N.; Reason, C. J. C.; Loveday, B. R.

2013-12-01

Tropical cyclone heat potential (TCHP) has been proposed as being important for hurricane and typhoon intensity. Here, a climatology of TCHP is developed for the Southwest Indian Ocean, a basin that experiences on average 11-12 tropical cyclones per year, many of which impact on Mauritius, Reunion and Madagascar, and Mozambique. SODA data and a regional ocean model forced with the GFDL-CORE v.2b reanalysis winds and heat fluxes are used to derive TCHP values during the 1948-2007 period. The results indicate that TCHP increases through the austral summer, peaking in March. Values of TCHP above 40 kJ cm-2, suggested as the minimum needed for tropical cyclone intensification, are still present in the northern Mozambique Channel in May. A time series of TCHP spatially averaged over the Seychelles-Chagos thermocline ridge (SCTR), an important area for tropical cyclones, is presented. The model time series, which agrees well with XBT-based observations (r = 0.82, p = 0.01), shows considerable interannual variability overlaying an upward tendency that matches with an observed increase in severe tropical cyclone days in the Southwest Indian Ocean. Although an increase in severe storms is seen during 1997-2007, the increasing TCHP tendency time series after 1997 coincides with a decrease in total cyclone numbers, a mismatch that is ascribed to increased atmospheric anticyclonicity over the basin. Seasons of increased (decreased) TCHP over the SCTR appear to be associated with dry (wet) conditions over certain areas of southern and East Africa and are linked with changes in zonal wind and vertical motion in the midtroposphere.

Antiplasmodial, anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic activities of various plant extracts from the Mascarene Archipelago.

PubMed

Jonville, M C; Kodja, H; Strasberg, D; Pichette, A; Ollivier, E; Frédérich, M; Angenot, L; Legault, J

2011-07-14

Antiplasmodial activity, inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) overproduction, and anti-proliferative activity were investigated in vitro to evaluate the bioactive potential of the traditional pharmacopoeia of the Mascarene Archipelago, which is known for its biodiversity and for the richness of its endemic flora. A total of 45 methanol (MeOH) and dichloromethane (DCM) extracts were prepared from 19 plant species collected on Réunion and Mauritius Islands. Ninety-six-well microplate assays were performed on chloroquine sensitive Plasmodium falciparum 3D7 strain, on LPS-stimulated Raw 264.7 murine macrophages and on A-549, DLD-1 and WS1 human cells. Activity was evaluated through spectrophotometric methods. Activity was attributed to plant extracts expressing IC(50)<50μg/ml for antiplasmodial response, IC(50)<100μg/ml for cytotoxicity, and IC(50)<130μg/ml for anti-inflammatory reaction. The majority of the extracts tested (69%) exhibited potency in at least one of these three types of activity. This is the first report describing promising antiplasmodial activity (IC(50)<15μg/ml) for Psiadia dentata DCM extract and Terminalia bentzoe MeOH bark extract. NO inhibition assay revealed seven interesting plants, described for the first time as anti-inflammatory: Aphloia theiformis, Buddleja salviifolia, Eupatorium riparium, Hiptage benghalensis, Psiadia arguta, Psiadia dentata, and Scutia commersonii. Finally, anti-proliferative activity was observed for two endemic species, Geniostoma borbonicum and Nuxia verticillata. Using the criterion of endemism as part of the criteria for traditional medicinal use raises the chances of finding original active principles. In our case, 86% of the endemic plants tested displayed pharmacological interest. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Plasma levels of soluble interleukin 1 receptor accessory protein are reduced in obesity.

PubMed

Bozaoglu, Kiymet; Attard, Chantal; Kulkarni, Hemant; Cummings, Nik; Diego, Vincent P; Carless, Melanie A; Shields, Katherine A; Johnson, Matthew P; Kowlessur, Sudhir; Dyer, Thomas D; Comuzzie, Anthony G; Almasy, Laura; Zimmet, Paul; Moses, Eric K; Göring, Harald H H; Curran, Joanne E; Blangero, John; Jowett, Jeremy B M

2014-09-01

Adipokines actuate chronic, low-grade inflammation through a complex network of immune markers, but the current understanding of these networks is incomplete. The soluble isoform of the IL-1 receptor accessory protein (sIL1RAP) occupies an important position in the inflammatory pathways involved in obesity. The pathogenetic and clinical influences of sIL1RAP are unknown. The objective of the study was to elucidate whether plasma levels of sIL1RAP are reduced in obesity, using affluent clinical, biochemical, and genetic data from two diverse cohorts. The study was conducted in two cohorts: the San Antonio Family Heart Study (n = 1397 individuals from 42 families) and South Asians living in Mauritius, n = 230). Plasma sIL1RAP levels were measured using an ELISA. The genetic basis of sIL1RAP levels were investigated using both a large-scale gene expression profiling study and a genome-wide association study. A significant decrease in plasma sIL1RAP levels were observed in obese subjects, even after adjustment for age and sex. The sIL1RAP levels demonstrated a strong inverse association with obesity measures in both populations. All associations were more significant in females. Plasma sIL1RAP levels were significantly heritable, correlated with IL1RAP transcript levels (NM_134470), showed evidence for shared genetic influences with obesity measures and were significantly associated with the rs2885373 single-nucleotide polymorphism (P = 6.7 × 10(-23)) within the IL1RAP gene. Plasma sIL1RAP levels are reduced in obesity and can potentially act as biomarkers of obesity. Mechanistic studies are required to understand the exact contribution of sIL1RAP to the pathogenesis of obesity.

Assessing the potential to restore historic grazing ecosystems with tortoise ecological replacements.

PubMed

Griffiths, Christine J; Zuël, Nicolas; Jones, Carl G; Ahamud, Zairabee; Harris, Stephen

2013-08-01

The extinction of large herbivores, often keystone species, can dramatically modify plant communities and impose key biotic thresholds that may prevent an ecosystem returning to its previous state and threaten native biodiversity. A potentially innovative, yet controversial, landscape-based long-term restoration approach is to replace missing plant-herbivore interactions with non-native herbivores. Aldabran giant (Aldabrachelys gigantea) and Madagascan radiated (Astrochelys radiata) tortoises, taxonomically and functionally similar to the extinct Mauritian giant tortoises (Cylindraspis spp.), were introduced to Round Island, Mauritius, in 2007 to control the non-native plants that were threatening persistence of native species. We monitored the response of the plant community to tortoise grazing for 11 months in enclosures before the tortoises were released and, compared the cost of using tortoises as weeders with the cost of using manual labor. At the end of this period, plant biomass; vegetation height and cover; and adult, seedling, flower, and seed abundance were 3-136 times greater in adjacent control plots than in the tortoise enclosures. After their release, the free-roaming tortoises grazed on most non-native plants and significantly reduced vegetation cover, height, and seed production, reflecting findings from the enclosure study. The tortoises generally did not eat native species, although they consumed those native species that increased in abundance following the eradication of mammalian herbivores. Our results suggest that introduced non-native tortoises are a more cost-effective approach to control non-native vegetation than manual weeding. Numerous long-term outcomes (e.g., change in species composition and soil seed bank) are possible following tortoise releases. Monitoring and adaptive management are needed to ensure that the replacement herbivores promote the recovery of native plants. © 2013 Society for Conservation Biology.

'I Am a Nurse': Oral Histories of African Nurses.

PubMed

Wall, Barbra Mann; Dhurmah, Krist; Lamboni, Bassan; Phiri, Benson Edwinson

2015-08-01

Much of African history has been written by colonial "masters" and is skewed by cultural bias. The voices of indigenous peoples have largely been ignored. The purpose of this study was to collect the oral histories of African nursing leaders who studied and practiced nursing from the late colonial era (1950s) through decolonization and independence (1960s-70s), in order to better understand their experiences and perspectives. This study relied on historical methodology, grounded specifically within the context of decolonization and independence. The method used was oral history. Oral histories were collected from 13 retired nurses from Mauritius, Malawi, and Togo. Participants' educational and work histories bore the distinct imprint of European educational and medical norms. Nursing education provided a means of earning a living and offered professional advancement and affirmation. Participants were reluctant to discuss the influence of race, but several recalled difficulties in working with both expatriate and indigenous physicians and matrons. Differences in African nurses' experiences were evident at the local level, particularly with regard to language barriers, gender-related divisions, and educational and practice opportunities. The data show that although institutional models and ideas were transported from colonial nursing leaders to African nursing students, the African nurses in this study adapted those models and ideas to meet their own needs. The findings also support the use of storytelling as a culturally appropriate research method. Participants' stories provide a better understanding of how time, place, and social and cultural forces influenced and affected local nursing practices. Their stories also reveal that nursing has held various meanings for participants, including as a means to personal and professional opportunities and as a way to help their countries' citizens.

African swine fever: an epidemiological update.

PubMed

Sánchez-Vizcaíno, J M; Mur, L; Martínez-López, B

2012-03-01

African swine fever (ASF) is one of the most important swine diseases, mainly because of its significant sanitary and socioeconomic consequences. This review gives an update on the epidemiology of the disease and reviews key issues and strategies to improve control of the disease and promote its eradication. Several characteristics of ASF virus (ASFV) make its control and eradication difficult, including the absence of available vaccines, marked virus resistance in infected material and contaminated animal products, and a complex epidemiology and transmission involving tick reservoir virus interactions. The incidence of ASF has not only increased on the African continent over the last 15 years, so that it now affects West African countries, Mauritius and Madagascar, but it has also reached new areas, such as the Caucasus region in 2007. In fact, the rapid spread of the disease on the European continent and the uncontrolled situation in the Russian Federation places all countries at great risk as a result of intense global trade. The proximity of some affected areas to the European Union (EU) borders (<150 km) has increased concerns about the potential economic consequences of an ASF incursion into the EU pig sector. Establishing effective surveillance, control and eradication programmes that implicate all actors (veterinarians, farmers, and policy makers) is essential for controlling ASF. African swine fever -free countries should be aware of the potential risk of ASF incursion and implement risk reduction measures such as trade controls and other sanitary measures. This review will discuss lessons learnt so far about ASF control, current challenges to its control and future studies needed to support global efforts at prevention and control. © 2012 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Disentangling regional trade agreements, trade flows and tobacco affordability in sub-Saharan Africa.

PubMed

Appau, Adriana; Drope, Jeffrey; Labonté, Ronald; Stoklosa, Michal; Lencucha, Raphael

2017-11-14

In principle, trade and investment agreements are meant to boost economic growth. However, the removal of trade barriers and the provision of investment incentives to attract foreign direct investments may facilitate increased trade in and/or more efficient production of commodities considered harmful to health such as tobacco. We analyze existing evidence on trade and investment liberalization and its relationship to tobacco trade in Sub-Saharan African countries. We compare tobacco trading patterns to foreign direct investments made by tobacco companies. We estimate and compare changes in the Konjunkturforschungsstelle (KOF) Economic Globalization measure, relative price measure and cigarette prices. Preferential regional trade agreements appear to have encouraged the consolidation of cigarette production, which has shaped trading patterns of tobacco leaf. Since 2002, British American Tobacco has invested in tobacco manufacturing facilities in Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa strategically located to serve different regions in Africa. Following this, British America Tobacco closed factories in Ghana, Rwanda, Uganda, Mauritius and Angola. At the same time, Malawi and Tanzania exported a large percentage of tobacco leaf to European countries. After 2010, there was an increase in tobacco exports from Malawi and Zambia to China, which may be a result of preferential trade agreements the EU and China have with these countries. Economic liberalization has been accompanied by greater cigarette affordability for the countries included in our analysis. However, only excise taxes and income have an effect on cigarette prices within the region. These results suggest that the changing economic structures of international trade and investment are likely heightening the efficiency and effectiveness of the tobacco industry. As tobacco control advocates consider supply-side tobacco control interventions, they must consider carefully the effects of these economic agreements and whether there are ways to mitigate them.

Coral reef sedimentation on Rodrigues and the Western Indian Ocean and its impact on the carbon cycle.

PubMed

Rees, Siwan A; Opdyke, Bradley N; Wilson, Paul A; Fifield, L Keith

2005-01-15

Coral reefs in the southwest Indian Ocean cover an area of ca. 18,530 km2 compared with a global reef area of nearly 300,000 km2. These regions are important as fishing grounds, tourist attractions and as a significant component of the global carbon cycle. The mass of calcium carbonate stored within Holocene neritic sediments is a number that we are only now beginning to quantify with any confidence, in stark contrast to the mass and sedimentation rates associated with pelagic calcium carbonate, which have been relatively well defined for decades. We report new data that demonstrate that the reefs at Rodrigues, like those at Reunion and Mauritius, only reached a mature state (reached sea level) by 2-3 ka: thousands of years later than most of the reefs in the Australasian region. Yet field observations show that the large lagoon at Rodrigues is already completely full of carbonate detritus (typical lagoon depth less than 1 m at low spring tide). The presence of aeolian dunes at Rodrigues indicates periodic exposure of past lagoons throughout the Pleistocene. The absence of elevated Pleistocene reef deposits on the island indicates that the island has not been uplifted. Most Holocene reefs are between 15 and 20 m in thickness and those in the southwest Indian Ocean appear to be consistent with this observation. We support the view that the CO2 flux associated with coral-reef growth acts as a climate change amplifier during deglaciation, adding CO2 to a warming world. southwest Indian Ocean reefs could have added 7-10% to this global flux during the Holocene.

How much incident lung cancer was missed globally in 2012? An ecological country-level study.

PubMed

Sartorius, Benn; Sartorius, Kurt

2016-05-31

Lung cancer incidence is increasing in many low-to-middle-income countries and is significantly under-reported in Africa, which could potentially mislead policy makers when prioritising disease burden. We employed an ecological correlation study design using countrylevel lung cancer incidence data and associated determinant data. Lagged prevalence of smoking and other exposure data were used to account for exposure-disease latency. A multivariable Poisson model was employed to estimate missed lung cancer in countries lacking incidence data. Projections were further refined to remove potential deaths from infectious/external competing causes. Global lung cancer incidence was much lower among females vs males (13.6 vs 34.2 per 100,000). Distinct spatial heterogeneity was observed for incident lung cancer and appeared concentrated in contiguous regions. Our model predicted a revised global lung cancer incidence in 2012 of 23.6 compared to the Globocan 2012 estimate of 23.1, amounting to ~38,101 missed cases (95% confidence interval: 28,489-47,713). The largest relative under-estimation was predicted for Africa, Central America and the Indian Ocean regions (Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mayotte, Reunion, Seychelles). Our results suggest substantial underreporting of lung cancer incidence, specifically in developing countries (e.g. Africa). The missed cost of treating these cases could amount to >US$ 130 million based on recent developing setting costs for treating earlier stage lung cancer. The full cost is not only under-estimated, but also requires substantial additional social/family inputs as evidenced in more developed settings like the European Union. This represents a major public health problem in developing settings (e.g. Africa) with limited healthcare resources.

Marine protected areas in the eastern African Region: how successful are they?

PubMed

Francis, Julius; Nilsson, Agneta; Waruinge, Dixon

2002-12-01

This article reviews the governance and management of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), and the coral reefs they contain, in the eastern African Region. This includes the Comoros, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Tanzania, and the Seychelles. Three generations or categories of MPAs are distinguished: i) small areas for protection of a single species or unique marine habitat; iii) large multiple use MPAs designed for coastal development as well as biodiversity protection; and iii) MPAs managed by a nongovernmental organization (NGO) or the private sector. Each of these MPA types is examined according to the policies, legislation, and management systems they entail as well as the economic and community situation they operate within. The paper also provides a review of some eastern African MPAs in terms of their size and location, the type of MPA, zonation schemes, and financial status. The successes of the different types of MPAs are discussed based on specific indicators, such as changes in biodiversity, infrastructure, compliance to regulations and the level of involvement of primary stakeholders in the management. From the review it is clear that a fourth generation of MPAs may be forthcoming; community-based MPAs. Although lack of data makes it difficult to assess the effectiveness of these different categories of MPAs, it is clear that no MPA can succeed without support of the local communities. Generally, the results of the analysis are promising for MPAs, however a lack of data is hampering a deeper analysis. The major issues facing MPAs in the region are highlighted, as well as some regional initiatives striving to address these issues. A number of recommendations are made, aiming to strengthen the establishment and management of MPAs in the eastern African region.

Bioactive phenolics and antioxidant propensity of flavedo extracts of Mauritian citrus fruits: potential prophylactic ingredients for functional foods application.

PubMed

Ramful, Deena; Bahorun, Theeshan; Bourdon, Emmanuel; Tarnus, Evelyne; Aruoma, Okezie I

2010-11-28

The flavedo extracts of twenty-one varieties of citrus fruits (oranges, satsumah, clementine, mandarins, tangor, bergamot, lemon, tangelos, kumquat, calamondin and pamplemousses) grown in Mauritius were examined for their total phenolic, flavonoid and vitamin C contents and antioxidant activities. Total phenolics correlated strongly with the trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), ferric reducing antioxidant capacity (FRAP) and hypochlorous acid (HOCl) scavenging activity assays (r > 0.85). Based on their antioxidant activities in these three assays nine citrus fruits namely, one orange, clementine, tangor and pamplemousse variety, two tangelo varieties and three mandarin varieties, were further characterized for their flavanone, flavonol and flavone levels by HPLC and their antioxidant activities were assessed by the copper-phenanthroline and iron chelation assays. The flavanone, hesperidin, was present at the highest concentrations in all flavedo extracts except for pamplemousses where it was not detected. Contents in hesperidin ranged from 83 ± 0.06 to 234 ± 1.73 mg/g FW. Poncirin, didymin, diosmin, isorhoifolin and narirutin were also present in all extracts whereas naringin was present only in one mandarin variety. The nine flavedo extracts exhibited good DNA protecting ability in the cuphen assay with IC₅₀ values ranging from 6.3 ± 0.46 to 23.0 ± 0.48 mg FW/mL. Essentially the flavedos were able to chelate metal ions however, tangor was most effective with an IC₅₀ value of 9.1 ± 0.08 mg FW/mL. The flavedo extracts of citrus fruits represent a significant source of phenolic antioxidants with potential prophylactic properties for the development of functional foods. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Review of Antibiotic Resistance in the Indian Ocean Commission: A Human and Animal Health Issue.

PubMed

Gay, Noellie; Belmonte, Olivier; Collard, Jean-Marc; Halifa, Mohamed; Issack, Mohammad Iqbal; Mindjae, Saindou; Palmyre, Philippe; Ibrahim, Abdul Aziz; Rasamoelina, Harena; Flachet, Loïc; Filleul, Laurent; Cardinale, Eric

2017-01-01

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major threat to human, animal health, and environment worldwide. For human, transmission occurred through a variety of routes both in health-care settings and community. In animals, AMR was reported in livestock, pets, and wildlife; transmission of AMR can be zoonotic with the probably most important route being foodborne transmission. The Indian Ocean Commission (IOC), composed of Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Reunion (France), and Seychelles recognized the surveillance of AMR in both animal and human as a main public health priority for the region. Mayotte, French overseas territory, located in Comoros archipelago, was also included in this review. This review summarized our best epidemiological knowledge regarding AMR in Indian Ocean. We documented the prevalence, and phenotypic and genotypic profiles of prone to resistance Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria both in animals and humans. Our review clearly pointed out extended-spectrum β-lactamase and carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae as main human and animal health issue in IOC. However, publications on AMR are scarce, particularly in Comoros, Mayotte, and Seychelles. Thus, research and surveillance priorities were recommended (i) estimating the volume of antimicrobial drugs used in livestock and human medicine in the different territories [mainly third generation cephalosporin (3GC)]; (ii) developing a "One Health" surveillance approach with epidemiological indicators as zoonotic foodborne pathogen (i.e., couple Escherichia coli resistance to 3GC/carbapenems); (iii) screening travelers with a history of hospitalization and consumption of antibiotic drug returning from at risk areas (e.g., mcr-1 transmission with China or hajj pilgrims) allowing an early warning detection of the emergence for quick control measures implementation in IOC.

Review of Antibiotic Resistance in the Indian Ocean Commission: A Human and Animal Health Issue

PubMed Central

Gay, Noellie; Belmonte, Olivier; Collard, Jean-Marc; Halifa, Mohamed; Issack, Mohammad Iqbal; Mindjae, Saindou; Palmyre, Philippe; Ibrahim, Abdul Aziz; Rasamoelina, Harena; Flachet, Loïc; Filleul, Laurent; Cardinale, Eric

2017-01-01

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major threat to human, animal health, and environment worldwide. For human, transmission occurred through a variety of routes both in health-care settings and community. In animals, AMR was reported in livestock, pets, and wildlife; transmission of AMR can be zoonotic with the probably most important route being foodborne transmission. The Indian Ocean Commission (IOC), composed of Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Reunion (France), and Seychelles recognized the surveillance of AMR in both animal and human as a main public health priority for the region. Mayotte, French overseas territory, located in Comoros archipelago, was also included in this review. This review summarized our best epidemiological knowledge regarding AMR in Indian Ocean. We documented the prevalence, and phenotypic and genotypic profiles of prone to resistance Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria both in animals and humans. Our review clearly pointed out extended-spectrum β-lactamase and carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae as main human and animal health issue in IOC. However, publications on AMR are scarce, particularly in Comoros, Mayotte, and Seychelles. Thus, research and surveillance priorities were recommended (i) estimating the volume of antimicrobial drugs used in livestock and human medicine in the different territories [mainly third generation cephalosporin (3GC)]; (ii) developing a “One Health” surveillance approach with epidemiological indicators as zoonotic foodborne pathogen (i.e., couple Escherichia coli resistance to 3GC/carbapenems); (iii) screening travelers with a history of hospitalization and consumption of antibiotic drug returning from at risk areas (e.g., mcr-1 transmission with China or hajj pilgrims) allowing an early warning detection of the emergence for quick control measures implementation in IOC. PMID:28730149

Moralistic gods, supernatural punishment and the expansion of human sociality.

PubMed

Purzycki, Benjamin Grant; Apicella, Coren; Atkinson, Quentin D; Cohen, Emma; McNamara, Rita Anne; Willard, Aiyana K; Xygalatas, Dimitris; Norenzayan, Ara; Henrich, Joseph

2016-02-18

Since the origins of agriculture, the scale of human cooperation and societal complexity has dramatically expanded. This fact challenges standard evolutionary explanations of prosociality because well-studied mechanisms of cooperation based on genetic relatedness, reciprocity and partner choice falter as people increasingly engage in fleeting transactions with genetically unrelated strangers in large anonymous groups. To explain this rapid expansion of prosociality, researchers have proposed several mechanisms. Here we focus on one key hypothesis: cognitive representations of gods as increasingly knowledgeable and punitive, and who sanction violators of interpersonal social norms, foster and sustain the expansion of cooperation, trust and fairness towards co-religionist strangers. We tested this hypothesis using extensive ethnographic interviews and two behavioural games designed to measure impartial rule-following among people (n = 591, observations = 35,400) from eight diverse communities from around the world: (1) inland Tanna, Vanuatu; (2) coastal Tanna, Vanuatu; (3) Yasawa, Fiji; (4) Lovu, Fiji; (5) Pesqueiro, Brazil; (6) Pointe aux Piments, Mauritius; (7) the Tyva Republic (Siberia), Russia; and (8) Hadzaland, Tanzania. Participants reported adherence to a wide array of world religious traditions including Christianity, Hinduism and Buddhism, as well as notably diverse local traditions, including animism and ancestor worship. Holding a range of relevant variables constant, the higher participants rated their moralistic gods as punitive and knowledgeable about human thoughts and actions, the more coins they allocated to geographically distant co-religionist strangers relative to both themselves and local co-religionists. Our results support the hypothesis that beliefs in moralistic, punitive and knowing gods increase impartial behaviour towards distant co-religionists, and therefore can contribute to the expansion of prosociality.

Genotyping-by-sequencing provides the first well-resolved phylogeny for coffee (Coffea) and insights into the evolution of caffeine content in its species: GBS coffee phylogeny and the evolution of caffeine content.

PubMed

Hamon, Perla; Grover, Corrinne E; Davis, Aaron P; Rakotomalala, Jean-Jacques; Raharimalala, Nathalie E; Albert, Victor A; Sreenath, Hosahalli L; Stoffelen, Piet; Mitchell, Sharon E; Couturon, Emmanuel; Hamon, Serge; de Kochko, Alexandre; Crouzillat, Dominique; Rigoreau, Michel; Sumirat, Ucu; Akaffou, Sélastique; Guyot, Romain

2017-04-01

A comprehensive and meaningful phylogenetic hypothesis for the commercially important coffee genus (Coffea) has long been a key objective for coffee researchers. For molecular studies, progress has been limited by low levels of sequence divergence, leading to insufficient topological resolution and statistical support in phylogenetic trees, particularly for the major lineages and for the numerous species occurring in Madagascar. We report here the first almost fully resolved, broadly sampled phylogenetic hypothesis for coffee, the result of combining genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) technology with a newly developed, lab-based workflow to integrate short read next-generation sequencing for low numbers of additional samples. Biogeographic patterns indicate either Africa or Asia (or possibly the Arabian Peninsula) as the most likely ancestral locality for the origin of the coffee genus, with independent radiations across Africa, Asia, and the Western Indian Ocean Islands (including Madagascar and Mauritius). The evolution of caffeine, an important trait for commerce and society, was evaluated in light of our phylogeny. High and consistent caffeine content is found only in species from the equatorial, fully humid environments of West and Central Africa, possibly as an adaptive response to increased levels of pest predation. Moderate caffeine production, however, evolved at least one additional time recently (between 2 and 4Mya) in a Madagascan lineage, which suggests that either the biosynthetic pathway was already in place during the early evolutionary history of coffee, or that caffeine synthesis within the genus is subject to convergent evolution, as is also the case for caffeine synthesis in coffee versus tea and chocolate. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The welfare implications of using exotic tortoises as ecological replacements.

PubMed

Griffiths, Christine J; Zuël, Nicolas; Tatayah, Vikash; Jones, Carl G; Griffiths, Owen; Harris, Stephen

2012-01-01

Ecological replacement involves the introduction of non-native species to habitats beyond their historical range, a factor identified as increasing the risk of failure for translocations. Yet the effectiveness and success of ecological replacement rely in part on the ability of translocatees to adapt, survive and potentially reproduce in a novel environment. We discuss the welfare aspects of translocating captive-reared non-native tortoises, Aldabrachelys gigantea and Astrochelys radiata, to two offshore Mauritian islands, and the costs and success of the projects to date. Because tortoises are long-lived, late-maturing reptiles, we assessed the progress of the translocation by monitoring the survival, health, growth, and breeding by the founders. Between 2000 and 2011, a total of 26 A. gigantea were introduced to Ile aux Aigrettes, and in 2007 twelve sexually immature A. gigantea and twelve male A. radiata were introduced to Round Island, Mauritius. Annual mortality rates were low, with most animals either maintaining or gaining weight. A minimum of 529 hatchlings were produced on Ile aux Aigrettes in 11 years; there was no potential for breeding on Round Island. Project costs were low. We attribute the success of these introductions to the tortoises' generalist diet, habitat requirements, and innate behaviour. Feasibility analyses for ecological replacement and assisted colonisation projects should consider the candidate species' welfare during translocation and in its recipient environment. Our study provides a useful model for how this should be done. In addition to serving as ecological replacements for extinct Mauritian tortoises, we found that releasing small numbers of captive-reared A. gigantea and A. radiata is cost-effective and successful in the short term. The ability to release small numbers of animals is a particularly important attribute for ecological replacement projects since it reduces the potential risk and controversy associated with introducing non-native species.

Bibliometric trends of health economic evaluation in Sub-Saharan Africa.

PubMed

Hernandez-Villafuerte, Karla; Li, Ryan; Hofman, Karen J

2016-08-24

Collaboration between Sub-Saharan African researchers is important for the generation and transfer of health technology assessment (HTA) evidence, in order to support priority-setting in health. The objective of this analysis was to evaluate collaboration patterns between countries. We conducted a rapid evidence assessment that included a random sample of health economic evaluations carried out in 20 countries (Angola, Botswana, Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Uganda). We conducted bibliometric network analysis based on all first authors with a Sub-Saharan African academic affiliation and their co-authored publications ("network-articles"). Then we produced a connection map of collaboration patterns among Sub-Saharan African researchers, reflecting the number of network-articles and the country of affiliation of the main co-authors. The sample of 119 economic evaluations mostly related to treatments of communicable diseases, in particular HIV/AIDS (42/119, 35.29 %) and malaria (26/119, 21.85 %). The 39 first authors from Sub-Saharan African institutions together co-authored 729 network-articles. The network analysis showed weak collaboration between health economic researchers in Sub-Saharan Africa, with researchers being more likely to collaborate with Europe and North America than with other African countries. South Africa stood out as producing the highest number of health economic evaluations and collaborations. The development and evaluation of HTA research networks in Sub-Saharan Africa should be supported, with South Africa central to any such efforts. Organizations and institutions from high income countries interested in supporting priority setting in Sub-Saharan Africa should include promoting collaboration as part of their agendas, in order to take advantage of the potential transferability of results and methods of the available health economic analyses in Africa and internationally.

The most remote point method for the site selection of the future GGOS network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hase, Hayo; Pedreros, Felipe

2014-10-01

The Global Geodetic Observing System (GGOS) proposes 30-40 geodetic observatories as global infrastructure for the most accurate reference frame to monitor the global change. To reach this goal, several geodetic observatories have upgrade plans to become GGOS stations. Most initiatives are driven by national institutions following national interests. From a global perspective, the site distribution remains incomplete and the initiatives to improve this are up until now insufficient. This article is a contribution to answer the question on where to install new GGOS observatories and where to add observation techniques to existing observatories. It introduces the iterative most remote point (MRP) method for filling in the largest gaps in existing technique-specific networks. A spherical version of the Voronoi-diagram is used to pick the optimal location of the new observatory, but practical concerns determine its realistic location. Once chosen, the process is iterated. A quality and a homogeneity parameter of global networks measure the progress of improving the homogeneity of the global site distribution. This method is applied to the global networks of VGOS, and VGOS co-located with SLR to derive some clues about where additional observatory sites or additional observation techniques at existing observatories will improve the GGOS network configuration. With only six additional VGOS-stations, the homogeneity of the global VGOS-network could be significantly improved by more than . From the presented analysis, 25 known or new co-located VGOS and SLR sites are proposed as the future GGOS backbone: Colombo, Easter Island, Fairbanks, Fortaleza, Galapagos, GGAO, Hartebeesthoek, Honiara, Ibadan, Kokee Park, La Plata, Mauritius, McMurdo, Metsahövi, Ny Alesund, Riyadh, San Diego, Santa Maria, Shanghai, Syowa, Tahiti, Tristan de Cunha, Warkworth, Wettzell, and Yarragadee.

Petri net modelling of gene regulation of the Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

PubMed

Grunwald, Stefanie; Speer, Astrid; Ackermann, Jörg; Koch, Ina

2008-05-01

Searching for therapeutic strategies for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, it is of great interest to understand the responsible molecular pathways down-stream of dystrophin completely. For this reason we have performed real-time PCR experiments to compare mRNA expression levels of relevant genes in tissues of affected patients and controls. To bring experimental data in context with the underlying pathway theoretical models are needed. Modelling of biological processes in the cell at higher description levels is still an open problem in the field of systems biology. In this paper, a new application of Petri net theory is presented to model gene regulatory processes of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. We have developed a Petri net model, which is based mainly on own experimental and literature data. We distinguish between up- and down-regulated states of gene expression. The analysis of the model comprises the computation of structural and dynamic properties with focus on a thorough T-invariant analysis, including clustering techniques and the decomposition of the network into maximal common transition sets (MCT-sets), which can be interpreted as functionally related building blocks. All possible pathways, which reflect the complex net behaviour in dependence of different gene expression patterns, are discussed. We introduce Mauritius maps of T-invariants, which enable, for example, theoretical knockout analysis. The resulted model serves as basis for a better understanding of pathological processes, and thereby for planning next experimental steps in searching for new therapeutic possibilities. Free availability of the Petri net editor and animator Snoopy and the clustering tool PInA via http://www-dssz.informatik.tu-cottbus.de/~ wwwdssz/. The Petri net models used can be accessed via http://www.tfh-berlin.de/bi/duchenne/.

Implementation of the framework convention on tobacco control in Africa: current status of legislation.

PubMed

Tumwine, Jacqueline

2011-11-01

To describe, as of July 2011, the status of tobacco control legislation in Africa in three key areas of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC)-(1) Protection from exposure to tobacco smoke, (2) Packaging and labelling of tobacco products, and (3) Tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship. Review and analysis of tobacco control legislation in Africa, media reports, journal articles, tobacco industry documents and data published in the 2011 WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic. Modest progress in FCTC implementation in Africa with many countries having legislation or policies on the protection from exposure to tobacco smoke, however, only a handful of countries meet the standards of the FCTC Article 8 and its Guidelines particularly with regards to designated smoking areas. Little progress on packaging and labelling of tobacco products, with few countries having legislation meeting the minimum standards of the FCTC Article 11 and its Guidelines. Mauritius is the only African country with graphic or pictorial health warnings in place and has the largest warning labels in Africa. Slightly better progress in banning tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship has been shown by African countries, although the majority of legislation falls short of the standards of the FCTC Article 13 and its Guidelines. Despite their efforts, African countries' FCTC implementation at national level has not matched the strong regional commitment demonstrated during the FCTC treaty negotiations. This study highlights the need for Africa to step up efforts to adopt and implement effective tobacco control legislation that is fully compliant with the FCTC. In order to achieve this, countries should prioritise resources for capacity building for drafting strong FCTC compliant legislation, research to inform policy and boost political will, and countering the tobacco industry which is a major obstacle to FCTC implementation in Africa.

Experience with indium-111 and yttrium-90-labeled somatostatin analogs.

PubMed

Virgolini, I; Traub, T; Novotny, C; Leimer, M; Füger, B; Li, S R; Patri, P; Pangerl, T; Angelberger, P; Raderer, M; Burggasser, G; Andreae, F; Kurtaran, A; Dudczak, R

2002-01-01

The high level expression of somatostatin receptors (SSTR) on various tumor cells has provided the molecular basis for successful use of radiolabeled octreotide / lanreotide analogs as tumor tracers in nuclear medicine. Other (nontumoral) potential indications for SSTR scintigraphy are based on an increased lymphocyte binding at sites of inflammatory or immunologic diseases such as thyroid-associated ophthalmology. The vast majority of human tumors seem to over-express the one or the other of five distinct hSSTR subtype receptors. Whereas neuroendocrine tumors frequently overexpress hSSTR2, intestinal adenocarcinomas seem to overexpress more often hSSTR3 or hSSTR4, or both of these hSSTR. In contrast to In-DTPA-DPhe(1)-octreotide (OctreoScan(R)) which binds to hSSTR2 and 5 with high affinity (Kd 0.1-5 nM), to hSSTR3 with moderate affinity (K(d) 10-100 nM) and does not bind to hSSTR1 and hSSTR4, (111)In / (90)Y-DOTA-lanreotide was found to bind to hSSTR2, 3, 4, and 5 with high affinity, and to hSSTR1 with lower affinity (K(d) 200 nM). Based on its unique hSSTR binding profile, (111)In-DOTA-lanreotide was suggested to be a potential radioligand for tumor diagnosis, and (90)Y-DOTA-lanreotide suitable for receptor-mediated radionuclide therapy. As opposed to (111)In-DTPA-DPhe(1)-octreotide and (111)In-DOTA-DPhe(1)-Tyr(3)-octreotide, discrepancies in the scintigraphic results were seen in about one third of (neuroendocrine) tumor patients concerning both the tumor uptake as well as detection of tumor lesions. On a molecular level, these discrepancies seem to be based on a "higherrdquuo; high-affinity binding of (111)In-DOTA-DPhe(1)-Tyr(3)-octreotide to hSSTR2 (K(d) 0.1-1 nM). Other somatostatin analogs with divergent affinity to the five known hSSTR subtype receptors have also found their way into the clinics, such as (99m)Tc-depreotide (NeoSpect(R); NeoTect(R)). Most of the imaging results are reported for neuroendocrine tumors (octreotide analogs) or nonsmall cell lung cancer ((99m)Tc-depreotide), indicating high diagnostic cabability of this type of receptor tracers. Consequently to their use as receptor imaging agents, hSSTR recognizing radioligands have also been implemented for experimental receptor-targeted radionuclide therapy. Beneficial results were reported for high-dose treatment with (111)In-DTPA-DPhe(1)-octreotide, based on the emission of Auger electrons. The Phase IIa study "MAURITIUS" (Multicenter Analysis of a Universal Receptor Imaging and Treatment Initiative, a eUropean Study) showed in progressive cancer patients (therapy entry criteria) with a calculated tumor dose > 10 Gy / GBq (90)Y-DOTA-lanreotide, the proof-of-principle for treating tumor patients with peptide receptor imaging agents. In the "MAURITIUS" study, cummulative treatment doses up to 200 mCi (90)Y-DOTA-lanreotide were given as short-term infusion. Overall treatment results in 70 patients indicated stable tumor disease in 35% of patients and regressive tumor disease in 10% of tumor patients with different tumor entities expressing hSSTR. No acute or chronic severe hematological toxicity, change in renal or liver function parameters due to (90)Y-DOTA-lanreotide treatment, were reported. (90)Y-DOTA-DPhe(1)-Tyr(3)-octreotide may show a higher tumor uptake in neuroendocrine tumor lesions and may therefore be superior for treatment in patients with neuroendocrine tumors. However, there is only limited excess to long-term and survival data at present. Potential indications for (90Y-DOTA-lanreotide are radioiodine-negative thyroid cancer, hepatocellular cancer and lung cancer. Besides newer approaches and recent developments of 188)Re-labeled radioligands, no clinical results on the treatment response are yet available. In conclusion, several radioligands have been implemented on the basis of peptide receptor recognition throughout the last decade. A plentitude of preclinical data and clinical studies confirm their potential use in diagnosis as well as "proof-of-principle" for therapy of cancer patients. However, an optimal radiopeptide formulatioents. However, an optimal radiopeptide formulation does not yet exist for receptor-targeted radionuclide therapy. Ongoing developments may result in peptides more suitable for this kind of receptor-targeted radionuclide therapy.

Morinda citrifolia L. fruit extracts modulates H2O2-induced oxidative stress in human liposarcoma SW872 cells.

PubMed

Ruhomally, Z; Somanah, J; Bahorun, T; Neergheen-Bhujun, V S

2016-07-01

Morinda citrifolia L. commonly known as noni is used by the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries due to the plethora of pharmacological activities of its metabolites. In Mauritius, the fruits of M. citrifolia are used in folk medicine against a number of indications. The present study aimed at evaluating the antioxidant activity of ripe and unripe noni fruit at both biochemical and cellular levels. Using an array of established assay systems, the fruit antioxidant propensity was assessed in terms of its radical scavenging, iron reducing and metal chelating potentials. Ascorbic acid, total phenolic and total flavonoid contents of the fruits were also determined. The ascorbic acid content of ripe noni was 76.24 ± 1.13 mg/100 g while total phenolics of ripe and unripe fruit extracts were 748.40 ± 8.85 μg and 770.34 ± 2.27 μg GAE g(-1) FW respectively. Both the ripe and unripe extracts of M. citrifolia were potent scavengers of nitric oxide, superoxide and hydroxyl radicals. The ferric reducing capacity ranged from 11.26 ± 0.33 to 11.90 ± 0.20 mM Fe(2+) g(-1) FW while the IC50 values for the iron (II) chelating power were 0.50 ± 0.01 and 1.74 ± 0.01 g FW/mL for the ripe and unripe fruit extracts respectively. Cellular studies additionally demonstrated that noni were able to dose-dependently counteract accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced oxidative stress, a potential obesogenic factor within human liposarcoma SW872 cells as well as significantly restore cell death within the concentration range of 0.106-0.813 g/mL. Results reported herein suggest noni as an interesting source of prophylactic antioxidants modulated by its polyphenol composition.

Inequalities in health and health risk factors in the Southern African Development Community: evidence from World Health Surveys.

PubMed

Umuhoza, Stella M; Ataguba, John E

2018-04-27

Socioeconomic inequalities in health have been documented in many countries including those in the Southern African Development Community (SADC). However, a comprehensive assessment of health inequalities and inequalities in the distribution of health risk factors is scarce. This study specifically investigates inequalities both in poor self-assessed health (SAH) and in the distribution of selected risk factors of ill-health among the adult populations in six SADC countries. Data come from the 2002/04 World Health Survey (WHS) using six SADC countries (Malawi, Mauritius, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe) where the WHS was conducted. Poor SAH is reporting bad or very bad health status. Risk factors such as smoking, heavy drinking, low fruit and vegetable consumption and physical inactivity were considered. Other environmental factors were also considered. Socioeconomic status was assessed using household expenditures. Standardised and normalised concentration indices (CIs) were used to assess socioeconomic inequalities. A positive (negative) concentration index means a pro-rich (pro-poor) distribution where the variable is reported more among the rich (poor). Generally, a pro-poor socioeconomic inequality exists in poor SAH in the six countries. However, this is only significant for South Africa (CI = - 0.0573; p < 0.05), and marginally significant for Zambia (CI = - 0.0341; P < 0.1) and Zimbabwe (CI = - 0.0357; p < 0.1). Smoking and inadequate fruit and vegetable consumption were significantly concentrated among the poor. Similarly, the use of biomass energy, unimproved water and sanitation were significantly concentrated among the poor. However, inequalities in heavy drinking and physical inactivity are mixed. Overall, a positive relationship exists between inequalities in ill-health and inequalities in risk factors of ill-health. There is a need for concerted efforts to tackle the significant socioeconomic inequalities in ill-health and health risk factors in the region. Because some of the determinants of ill-health lie outside the health sector, inter-sectoral action is required.

Multiple pharmacological targets, cytotoxicity, and phytochemical profile of Aphloia theiformis (Vahl.) Benn.

PubMed

Picot, Marie Carene Nancy; Bender, Onur; Atalay, Arzu; Zengin, Gokhan; Loffredo, Loïc; Hadji-Minaglou, Francis; Mahomoodally, Mohamad Fawzi

2017-05-01

Aphloia theiformis (Vahl.) Benn. (AT) is traditionally used in Sub-Saharan African countries including Mauritius as a biomedicine for the management of several diseases. However, there is a dearth of experimental studies to validate these claims. We endeavoured to evaluate the inhibitory effects of crude aqueous extract as traditionally used together with the crude methanol extracts of AT leaves on urease, angiotensin (I) converting enzyme (ACE), acetylcholinesterase (AChE), cholesterol esterase (CEase), glycogen phosphorylase a (GPa), and glycation in vitro. The crude extract showing potent activity against the studied enzymes was further partitioned using different solvents of increasing polarity. The enzyme inhibitory and antiglycation activities of each fraction was assessed. Kinetic of inhibition of the active crude extract/fractions on the aforementioned enzymes was consequently determined using Lineweaver-Burk plots. An ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC-UV/MS) system was used to establish the phytochemical profile of AT. The real time cell analysis system (iCELLigence™) was used to monitor any cellular cytotoxicity of AT. Crude methanolextract (CME) was a potent inhibitor of the studied enzymes, with IC 50 ranging from 696.22 to 19.73μg/mL. CME (82.5%) significantly (p<0.05) inhibited glycation and was comparable to aminoguanidine (81.5%). Ethyl acetate and n-butanol fractions of CME showed non-competitive, competitive, and uncompetitive mode of inhibition against ACE, CEase, and AChE respectively. Mangiferin, a xanthone glucoside was present in CME, ethyl acetate, and n-butanol fractions. Active extract/fractions were found to be non-cytotoxic (IC 50 >20μg/mL) according to the U.S National Cancer Institute plant screening program. This study has established baseline data that tend to justify the traditional use of AT and open new avenues for future biomedicine development. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Plasma Levels of Soluble Interleukin 1 Receptor Accessory Protein Are Reduced in Obesity

PubMed Central

Attard, Chantal; Kulkarni, Hemant; Cummings, Nik; Diego, Vincent P.; Carless, Melanie A.; Shields, Katherine A.; Johnson, Matthew P.; Kowlessur, Sudhir; Dyer, Thomas D.; Comuzzie, Anthony G.; Almasy, Laura; Zimmet, Paul; Moses, Eric K.; Göring, Harald H. H.; Curran, Joanne E.; Blangero, John; Jowett, Jeremy B. M.

2014-01-01

Context: Adipokines actuate chronic, low-grade inflammation through a complex network of immune markers, but the current understanding of these networks is incomplete. The soluble isoform of the IL-1 receptor accessory protein (sIL1RAP) occupies an important position in the inflammatory pathways involved in obesity. The pathogenetic and clinical influences of sIL1RAP are unknown. Objective: The objective of the study was to elucidate whether plasma levels of sIL1RAP are reduced in obesity, using affluent clinical, biochemical, and genetic data from two diverse cohorts. Design, Setting, and Participants: The study was conducted in two cohorts: the San Antonio Family Heart Study (n = 1397 individuals from 42 families) and South Asians living in Mauritius, n = 230). Main Outcome Measures: Plasma sIL1RAP levels were measured using an ELISA. The genetic basis of sIL1RAP levels were investigated using both a large-scale gene expression profiling study and a genome-wide association study. Results: A significant decrease in plasma sIL1RAP levels were observed in obese subjects, even after adjustment for age and sex. The sIL1RAP levels demonstrated a strong inverse association with obesity measures in both populations. All associations were more significant in females. Plasma sIL1RAP levels were significantly heritable, correlated with IL1RAP transcript levels (NM_134470), showed evidence for shared genetic influences with obesity measures and were significantly associated with the rs2885373 single-nucleotide polymorphism (P = 6.7 × 10−23) within the IL1RAP gene. Conclusions: Plasma sIL1RAP levels are reduced in obesity and can potentially act as biomarkers of obesity. Mechanistic studies are required to understand the exact contribution of sIL1RAP to the pathogenesis of obesity. PMID:24915116

Implementation of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in Africa: Current Status of Legislation

PubMed Central

Tumwine, Jacqueline

2011-01-01

Objective To describe, as of July 2011, the status of tobacco control legislation in Africa in three key areas of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC)—(1) Protection from exposure to tobacco smoke, (2) Packaging and labelling of tobacco products, and (3) Tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship. Methods Review and analysis of tobacco control legislation in Africa, media reports, journal articles, tobacco industry documents and data published in the 2011 WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic. Results Modest progress in FCTC implementation in Africa with many countries having legislation or policies on the protection from exposure to tobacco smoke, however, only a handful of countries meet the standards of the FCTC Article 8 and its Guidelines particularly with regards to designated smoking areas. Little progress on packaging and labelling of tobacco products, with few countries having legislation meeting the minimum standards of the FCTC Article 11 and its Guidelines. Mauritius is the only African country with graphic or pictorial health warnings in place and has the largest warning labels in Africa. Slightly better progress in banning tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship has been shown by African countries, although the majority of legislation falls short of the standards of the FCTC Article 13 and its Guidelines. Despite their efforts, African countries’ FCTC implementation at national level has not matched the strong regional commitment demonstrated during the FCTC treaty negotiations. Conclusion This study highlights the need for Africa to step up efforts to adopt and implement effective tobacco control legislation that is fully compliant with the FCTC. In order to achieve this, countries should prioritise resources for capacity building for drafting strong FCTC compliant legislation, research to inform policy and boost political will, and countering the tobacco industry which is a major obstacle to FCTC implementation in Africa. PMID:22163209

Status of health sector strategic plans in five countries of the WHO African Region.

PubMed

Barry, S P; Sambo, L G; Bakeera, S; Kirigia, J M; Diarra-Nama, A J

2009-01-01

To assess the adequacy of the existing strategic plans and compare the format and content of health sector strategic plans with the guidelines in selected countries of the African region. The health strategic plans for Gambia, Liberia, Malawi, Tanzania and Uganda, which are kept at the WHO/AFRO, were reviewed. All health strategic plans among the Anglophone countries (Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritius, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe) that were developed after the year 2000 were eligible for inclusion. Fifty percent of these countries that fitted this criterion were randomly selected. They included Gambia, Liberia, Malawi, Tanzania and Uganda. The analysis framework used in the review included situation analysis; an assessment of appropriateness of strategies that are selected; well developed indicators for each strategy; the match between the service and outcomes targets with available resources; and existence of a clear framework for partnership engagement for implementation. Most of the strategic plans identify key ill health conditions and their contributing factors. Health service and resource gaps are described but not quantified in the Botswana, Gambia, Malawi, Tanzania strategic documents. Most of the plans selected strategies that related to the situational analysis. Generally, countries' plans had clear indicators. Matching service and outcome targets to available resources was the least addressed area in majority of the plans. Most of the strategic plans identified stakeholders and acknowledged their participation in the implementation, providing different levels of comprehensiveness. Some of the areas that are well addressed according to the analysis framework included: addressing the strategic concerns of the health policies; identifying key partners for implementation; and selection of appropriate strategies. The following areas needed more emphasis: quantification of health system gaps; setting targets that are cognisant of the local resource base; and being more explicit in what stakeholders' roles are during the implementation period.

Body mass index, waist circumference, waist-hip ratio, and glucose intolerance in Chinese and Europid adults in Newcastle, UK.

PubMed Central

Unwin, N; Harland, J; White, M; Bhopal, R; Winocour, P; Stephenson, P; Watson, W; Turner, C; Alberti, K G

1997-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To compare the prevalence of glucose intolerance (impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes), and its relationship to body mass index (BMI) and waist-hip ratio in Chinese and Europid adults. DESIGN: This was a cross sectional study. SETTING: Newcastle upon Tyne. SUBJECTS: These comprised Chinese and Europid men and women, aged 25-64 years, and resident in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Two hour post load plasma glucose concentration, BMI, waist circumference, and waist-hip ratio. METHODS: Population based samples of Chinese and European adults were recruited. Each subject had a standard WHO oral glucose tolerance test. RESULTS: Complete data were available for 375 Chinese and 610 Europid subjects. The age adjusted prevalences of glucose intolerance in Chinese and Europid men were 13.0% (p = 0.04). Mean BMIs were lower in Chinese men (23.8 v 26.1) and women (23.5 v 26.1) than in the Europids (p values < 0.001), as were waist circumferences (men, 83.3 cm v 90.8, p < 0.001; women, 77.3 cm v 79.2, p < 0.05). Mean waist-hip ratios were lower in Chinese men (0.90 v 0.91, p = 0.02) but higher in Chinese women (0.84 v 0.78, p < 0.001) compared with Europids. In both Chinese and Europid adults, higher BMI, waist circumference, and waist-hip ratio were associated with glucose intolerance. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of glucose intolerance in Chinese men and women, despite lower BMIs, is similar to or higher than that in local Europid men and women and intermediate between levels found in China and those in Mauritius. It is suggested that an increase in mean BMI to the levels in the Europid population will be associated with a substantial increase in glucose intolerance in Chinese people. PMID:9196645

The Welfare Implications of Using Exotic Tortoises as Ecological Replacements

PubMed Central

Griffiths, Christine J.; Zuël, Nicolas; Tatayah, Vikash; Jones, Carl G.; Griffiths, Owen; Harris, Stephen

2012-01-01

Background Ecological replacement involves the introduction of non-native species to habitats beyond their historical range, a factor identified as increasing the risk of failure for translocations. Yet the effectiveness and success of ecological replacement rely in part on the ability of translocatees to adapt, survive and potentially reproduce in a novel environment. We discuss the welfare aspects of translocating captive-reared non-native tortoises, Aldabrachelys gigantea and Astrochelys radiata, to two offshore Mauritian islands, and the costs and success of the projects to date. Methodology/Principal Findings Because tortoises are long-lived, late-maturing reptiles, we assessed the progress of the translocation by monitoring the survival, health, growth, and breeding by the founders. Between 2000 and 2011, a total of 26 A. gigantea were introduced to Ile aux Aigrettes, and in 2007 twelve sexually immature A. gigantea and twelve male A. radiata were introduced to Round Island, Mauritius. Annual mortality rates were low, with most animals either maintaining or gaining weight. A minimum of 529 hatchlings were produced on Ile aux Aigrettes in 11 years; there was no potential for breeding on Round Island. Project costs were low. We attribute the success of these introductions to the tortoises’ generalist diet, habitat requirements, and innate behaviour. Conclusions/Significance Feasibility analyses for ecological replacement and assisted colonisation projects should consider the candidate species’ welfare during translocation and in its recipient environment. Our study provides a useful model for how this should be done. In addition to serving as ecological replacements for extinct Mauritian tortoises, we found that releasing small numbers of captive-reared A. gigantea and A. radiata is cost-effective and successful in the short term. The ability to release small numbers of animals is a particularly important attribute for ecological replacement projects since it reduces the potential risk and controversy associated with introducing non-native species. PMID:22724012

AstroGen: A Progress Report

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tenn, Joseph S.; AstroGen Team

2018-01-01

Since early 2014 a small group of volunteers has been compiling the world's astronomy-related doctoral dissertations. Working almost entirely with data available online, we have now listed more than 24,000 such theses, including nearly complete coverage of 21 countries: the United States (14,183), United Kingdom (3699), Spain (1091), Netherlands (982), Canada (872), Australia (738), Sweden (375), Greece (239), Argentina (182), Finland (165), Denmark (110), Ireland (103), South Africa (97), New Zealand (87), Norway (79), Chile (42), Iran (25), Mauritius (5), Iceland (3), Pakistan (2), and Ethiopia (1). These numbers are as of mid-September 2017 and subject to revision. For each country we go back to the beginning of the modern Ph.D. or equivalent. Fully half of the doctorates have been earned since 1999. For each thesis we try to include the author (with links to a website or obituary), awarding institution, year of degree, thesis title, link to the thesis if online (about 64% are), translation of title if necessary, advisor(s), and other mentors.Our goal is to emulate the Mathematics Genealogy Project (MGP: http://www.genealogy.ams.org/) with a website having a page for each person with links to that person's advisor(s) and students, if any. We will also have a page for each university. We have posted some introductory material on the website (https://astrogen.aas.org/), and are waiting for help from the AAS IT department to convert our data, currently in spreadsheets, to a database and then a website. We expect this to occur in early 2018.I will present some summaries of our results to date and conduct a discussion of how we can expand our database. We have people currently working on France, Russia, and India, but we need volunteers with linguistic ability and, preferably, familiarity with the academic cultures, to take on Germany, Italy, and nearly all the countries of Asia.

Risk assessment and spread of the potentially invasive Ceratitis rosa Karsch and Ceratitis quilicii De Meyer, Mwatawala & Virgilio sp. Nov. using life-cycle simulation models: Implications for phytosanitary measures and management

PubMed Central

Tanga, Chrysantus Mbi; Khamis, Fathiya Mbarak; Tonnang, Henri E. Z.; Rwomushana, Ivan; Mosomtai, Gladys; Mohamed, Samira A.; Ekesi, Sunday

2018-01-01

Integrative taxonomy has resolved the species status of the potentially invasive Ceratitis rosa Karsch into two separate species with distinct ecological requirements: C. rosa “lowland type” and the newly described species Ceratitis quilicii De Meyer, Mwatawala & Virgilio sp. nov. “highland type”. Both species are tephritid pests threatening the production of horticultural crops in Africa and beyond. Studies were carried out by constructing thermal reaction norms for each life stage of both species at constant and fluctuating temperatures. Non-linear functions were fitted to continuously model species development, mortality, longevity and oviposition to establish phenology models that were stochastically simulated to estimate the life table parameters of each species. For spatial analysis of pest risk, three generic risk indices were visualized using the advanced Insect Life Cycle Modeling software. The study revealed that the highest fecundity, intrinsic rate of natural increase and net reproductive rate for C. rosa and C. quilicii was at 25 and 30°C, respectively. The resulting model successfully fits the known distribution of C. rosa and C. quilicii in Africa and the two Indian Ocean islands of La Réunion and Mauritius. Globally, the model highlights the substantial invasion risk posed by C. rosa and C. quilicii to cropping regions in the Americas, Australia, India, China, Southeast Asia, Europe, and West and Central Africa. However, the proportion of the regions predicted to be climatically suitable for both pests is narrower for C. rosa in comparison with C. quilicii, suggesting that C. quilicii will be more tolerant to a wider range of climatic conditions than C. rosa. This implies that these pests are of significant concern to biosecurity agencies in the uninvaded regions. Therefore, these findings provide important information to enhance monitoring/surveillance and designing pest management strategies to limit the spread and reduce their impact in the invaded range. PMID:29304084

Cytoplasmic Incompatibility as a Means of Controlling Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus Mosquito in the Islands of the South-Western Indian Ocean

PubMed Central

Atyame, Célestine M.; Pasteur, Nicole; Dumas, Emilie; Tortosa, Pablo; Tantely, Michaël Luciano; Pocquet, Nicolas; Licciardi, Séverine; Bheecarry, Ambicadutt; Zumbo, Betty; Weill, Mylène; Duron, Olivier

2011-01-01

The use of the bacterium Wolbachia is an attractive alternative method to control vector populations. In mosquitoes, as in members of the Culex pipiens complex, Wolbachia induces a form of embryonic lethality called cytoplasmic incompatibility, a sperm-egg incompatibility occurring when infected males mate either with uninfected females or with females infected with incompatible Wolbachia strain(s). Here we explore the feasibility of the Incompatible Insect Technique (IIT), a species-specific control approach in which field females are sterilized by inundative releases of incompatible males. We show that the Wolbachia wPip(Is) strain, naturally infecting Cx. p. pipiens mosquitoes from Turkey, is a good candidate to control Cx. p. quinquefasciatus populations on four islands of the south-western Indian Ocean (La Réunion, Mauritius, Grande Glorieuse and Mayotte). The wPip(Is) strain was introduced into the nuclear background of Cx. p. quinquefasciatus mosquitoes from La Réunion, leading to the LR[wPip(Is)] line. Total embryonic lethality was observed in crosses between LR[wPip(Is)] males and all tested field females from the four islands. Interestingly, most crosses involving LR[wPip(Is)] females and field males were also incompatible, which is expected to reduce the impact of any accidental release of LR[wPip(Is)] females. Cage experiments demonstrate that LR[wPip(Is)] males are equally competitive with La Réunion males resulting in demographic crash when LR[wPip(Is)] males were introduced into La Réunion laboratory cages. These results, together with the geographic isolation of the four south-western Indian Ocean islands and their limited land area, support the feasibility of an IIT program using LR[wPip(Is)] males and stimulate the implementation of field tests for a Cx. p. quinquefasciatus control strategy on these islands. PMID:22206033

Geographic variation in the damselfish-red alga cultivation mutualism in the Indo-West Pacific

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background On coral reefs, damselfish defend their territories from invading herbivores and maintain algal turfs, from which they harvest filamentous algae. In southern Japan, intensive weeding of indigestible algae by Stegastes nigricans results in overgrowth by one filamentous alga, Polysiphonia sp. 1. Because this alga is highly susceptible to grazing and is competitively inferior to other algae, it survives only within the protective territories of this fish species, suggesting an obligate mutualism between damselfish and their cultivated alga. The wide distribution of damselfish species through the Indo-Central Pacific raises the question of whether this species-specific mutualism is maintained throughout the geographic range of the fish. To address this question, from all 18 damselfish species we conducted comprehensive surveys of algal flora within their territories throughout the Indo-West Pacific, and identified species of Polysiphonia using morphological examination and gene sequencing data. Results Several species of the genus Polysiphonia were observed as a major crop in territories throughout the geographic range of S. nigricans. Polysiphonia sp. 1 occurred only in territories of S. nigricans in central areas of the Indo-Pacific. However, its occurrence was low from the Great Barrier Reef and Mauritius. In contrast, other indigenous Polysiphonia species, which formed a clade with Polysiphonia sp. 1, occurred in the territories of fishes from Egypt, Kenya, and the Maldives. The other Polysiphonia species in the clade only inhabited damselfish territories and were never found elsewhere. Conclusions Cultivation mutualism between the damselfish S. nigricans and algae of Polysiphonia was maintained throughout the Indo-West Pacific, although algal crop species and the mode of cultivation (e.g., presence/absence of selective weeding, the species composition of algal turfs) varied among localities. This finding implies that damselfish utilize indigenous Polysiphonia species in newly colonized habitats in different ways, and therefore the algal composition and means of cultivation have diverged. PMID:20565824

Does the distribution of healthcare utilization match needs in Africa?

PubMed

Bonfrer, Igna; van de Poel, Ellen; Grimm, Michael; Van Doorslaer, Eddy

2014-10-01

An equitable distribution of healthcare use, distributed according to people's needs instead of ability to pay, is an important goal featuring on many health policy agendas worldwide. However, relatively little is known about the extent to which this principle is violated across socio-economic groups in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). We examine cross-country comparative micro-data from 18 SSA countries and find that considerable inequalities in healthcare use exist and vary across countries. For almost all countries studied, healthcare utilization is considerably higher among the rich. When decomposing these inequalities we find that wealth is the single most important driver. In 12 of the 18 countries wealth is responsible for more than half of total inequality in the use of care, and in 8 countries wealth even explains more of the inequality than need, education, employment, marital status and urbanicity together. For the richer countries, notably Mauritius, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland, the contribution of wealth is typically less important. As the bulk of inequality is not related to need for care and poor people use less care because they do not have the ability to pay, healthcare utilization in these countries is to a large extent unfairly distributed. The weak average relationship between need for and use of health care and the potential reporting heterogeneity in self-reported health across socio-economic groups imply that our findings are likely to even underestimate actual inequities in health care. At a macro level, we find that a better match of needs and use is realized in those countries with better governance and more physicians. Given the absence of social health insurance in most of these countries, policies that aim to reduce inequities in access to and use of health care must include an enhanced capacity of the poor to generate income. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine © The Author 2013; all rights reserved.

Multifrequency tomography of the La Reunion mantle plume with P and S waves using ocean bottom seismometers in the Indian Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsekhmistrenko, M.; Sigloch, K.; Hosseini, K.

2017-12-01

The RHUM-RUM experiment (Reunion Hotspot Upper Mantle - Reunions Unterer Mantel) investigates the presence or absence of a whole mantle plume beneath the volcanic hotspot island of La Reunion. From 2011 to 2016, RHUM-RUM instrumented a 2000 km x 2000 km area of western Indian Ocean seafloor, islands and Madagascar with broadband seismometers and hydrophones. The central component was a 13-month deployment of 57 German and French Ocean Bottom Seismometers (OBS) in 2300-5600 m depth. This was supplemented by 2-3 years deployments of 37 island stations on Reunion, Mauritius, Rodrigues, the southern Seychelles, the Iles Eparses and southern Madagascar. Two partner projects contributed another 30+ stations on Madagascar. We present results of multifrequency P- and S-waveform tomography of the entire mantle column beneath the Reunion hotspot. We use all frequency passbands that efficiently transmit body waves and rise above the considerable noise floor of OBS measurements. More than 200 teleseismic events during the 13-month long OBS deployment yielded usable measurements, and another 400 events before and after. We present our methods, discuss data yield and quality of ocean-bottom versus island/land seismometers and hydrophones. 150,000 combined cross-correlations measurements were used in multifrequency P-wave tomography, in passbands between 30 s and 2.7 s dominant period. Cross-correlation coefficients at permanent and temporal land stations are generally higher than on OBS, which are more affected by both microseismic and self-noise. Hydrophones worked more reliably, but strong reverberations from the water column mean that they are still less usable than seismograms. All measurements of the RHUM-RUM array are embedded in a global P-wave inversion. Mantle structures obtained from this new, high resolution tomographic model of the La Reunion area are compared to existing tomographies. We also compare to local and global convection models in order to understand the relation between mantle flow and the development of mantle plumes through time.

Finite frequency P-wave traveltime measurements on ocean bottom seismometers and hydrophones in the western Indian Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsekhmistrenko, Maria; Sigloch, Karin; Hosseini, Kasra; Barruol, Guilhem

2016-04-01

From 2011 to 2014, the RHUM-RUM project (Reunion Hotspot Upper Mantle - Reunions Unterer Mantel) instrumented a 2000x2000km2 area of Indian Ocean seafloor, islands and Madagascar with broadband seismometers and hydrophones. The central component was a 13-month deployment of 57 German and French Ocean Bottom Seismometers (OBS) in 2300-5600 m depth. This was supplemented by 2-3 year deployments of 37 island stations on Reunion, Mauritius, Rodrigues, the southern Seychelles, the Iles Eparses and southern Madagascar. Two partner projects contributed another 30+ stations on Madagascar. Our ultimate objective is multifrequency waveform tomography of the entire mantle column beneath the Reunion hotspot. Ideally we would use all passbands that efficiently transmit body waves but this meets practical limits in the noise characteristics of ocean-bottom recordings in particular. Here we present the preliminary data set of frequency-dependent P-wave traveltime measurements on seismometers and hydrophones, obtained by cross-correlation of observed with predicted waveforms. The latter are synthesized from fully numerical Green's functions and carefully estimated, broadband source time functions. More than 200 teleseismic events during the 13-month long deployment yielded usable P-waveform measurements. We present our methods and discuss data yield and quality of ocean-bottom versus land seismometers, and of OBS versus broadband hydrophones. Above and below the microseismic noise band, data yields are higher than within it, especially for OBS. The 48 German OBS, equipped with Guralp 60 s sensors, were afflicted by relatively high self-noise compared to the 9 French instruments equipped with Nanometrics Trillium 240 s sensors. The HighTechInc (model HTI-01 and HTI-04-PCA/ULF) hydrophones (100 s corner period) functioned particularly reliably but their waveforms are relatively more challenging to model due to reverberations in the water column. We obtain ~15000 combined cross-correlations measurements that should be usable in multifrequency P-wave tomography, in passbands between 30 s and 2.7 s dominant period.

A Revision of Male Ants of the Malagasy Amblyoponinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) with Resurrections of the Genera Stigmatomma and Xymmer

PubMed Central

Yoshimura, Masashi; Fisher, Brian L.

2012-01-01

In a male-based revision of ants of the subfamily Amblyoponinae from the Southwest Indian Ocean islands (SWIO: Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mayotte, Reunion, and Seychelles), we explore and reconsider male morphological characters that distinguish genera within the group. Our investigation redefines Amblyopone Erichson sensu Brown (1960), here referred to as Amblyopone sensu lato, into three genera: Xymmer Santschi stat. rev., Amblyopone sensu stricto, Stigmatomma Roger stat. rev. All species names under Amblyopone s. l. reassign into Xymmer and Amblyopone s. s., which are small, well-defined genera, and Stigmatomma, a large group with a generic delimitation that still needs further refinement. Based on a study of male mandible characters and our scenario for mandibular evolution of the worker caste within Amblyopone s. l, we conclude that Amblyopone s. s. nests outside of XMAS (Xymmer+Mystrium+Adetomyrma+Stigmatomma) clade. The following names are transferred from Amblyopone s. l. to Xymmer as comb. rev.: muticus. The following names are transferred from Amblyopone s. l. to Stigmatomma as comb. rev.: amblyops, armigerum, bellii, bierigi, bruni, celata, chilense, denticulatum, elongatum, emeryi, feae, impressifrons, luzonicum, minuta, normandi, oregonense, pallipes, quadratum, reclinatum, rothneyi, santschii, saundersi, silvestrii, zwaluwenburgi; as comb. nov.: agostii, annae, besucheti, boltoni, caliginosum, cleae, crenatum, degeneratum, egregium, electrinum, eminia, exiguum, falcatum, ferrugineum, fulvidum, gaetulicum, gingivalis, glauerti, gnoma, gracile, groehni, heraldoi, lucidum, lurilabes, monrosi, mystriops, noonadan, octodentatum, ophthalmicum, orizabanum, papuanum, pertinax, pluto, punctulatum, rubiginoum, sakaii, smithi, trigonignathum, trilobum, wilsoni, zaojun, and testaceum. A male-based key to the genera of Malagasy amblyoponine ants, their diagnoses, and a discussion of the evolution of the morphological character of males in the subfamily are given, and the distinguishing characters of each are illustrated. In addition, our results predict that Paraprionopelta belongs in the XMAS clade and that Concoctio should have males with two mandibular teeth. PMID:22496722

Detailed monitoring of a small but recovering population reveals sublethal effects of disease and unexpected interactions with supplemental feeding.

PubMed

Tollington, Simon; Greenwood, Andrew; Jones, Carl G; Hoeck, Paquita; Chowrimootoo, Aurélie; Smith, Donal; Richards, Heather; Tatayah, Vikash; Groombridge, Jim J

2015-07-01

Infectious diseases are widely recognized to have substantial impact on wildlife populations. These impacts are sometimes exacerbated in small endangered populations, and therefore, the success of conservation reintroductions to aid the recovery of such species can be seriously threatened by outbreaks of infectious disease. Intensive management strategies associated with conservation reintroductions can further compound these negative effects in such populations. Exploring the sublethal effects of disease outbreaks among natural populations is challenging and requires longitudinal, individual life-history data on patterns of reproductive success and other indicators of individual fitness. Long-term monitoring data concerning detailed reproductive information of the reintroduced Mauritius parakeet (Psittacula echo) population collected before, during and after a disease outbreak was investigated. Deleterious effects of an outbreak of beak and feather disease virus (BFDV) were revealed on hatch success, but these effects were remarkably short-lived and disproportionately associated with breeding pairs which took supplemental food. Individual BFDV infection status was not predicted by any genetic, environmental or conservation management factors and was not associated with any of our measures of immune function, perhaps suggesting immunological impairment. Experimental immunostimulation using the PHA (phytohaemagglutinin assay) challenge technique did, however, provoke a significant cellular immune response. We illustrate the resilience of this bottlenecked and once critically endangered, island-endemic species to an epidemic outbreak of BFDV and highlight the value of systematic monitoring in revealing inconspicuous but nonetheless substantial ecological interactions. Our study demonstrates that the emergence of such an infectious disease in a population ordinarily associated with increased susceptibility does not necessarily lead to deleterious impacts on population growth and that negative effects on reproductive fitness can be short-lived. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Ecological Society.

The genus Psiadia: Review of traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology.

PubMed

Mahadeo, Keshika; Grondin, Isabelle; Kodja, Hippolyte; Soulange Govinden, Joyce; Jhaumeer Laulloo, Sabina; Frederich, Michel; Gauvin-Bialecki, Anne

2018-01-10

The genus Psiadia Jacq. ex. Willd. belongs to the Asteraceae family and includes more than 60 species. This genus grows in tropical and subtropical regions, being especially well represented in Madagascar and the Mascarene Islands (La Réunion, Mauritius and Rodrigues). Several Psiadia species have been used traditionally for their medicinal properties in Africa and the Mascarene Islands. Based on traditional knowledge, various phytochemical and pharmacological studies have been conducted. However there are no recent papers that provide an overview of the medicinal potential of Psiadia species. Therefore, the aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive summary of the botany, phytochemistry and pharmacology of Psiadia and to highlight the gaps in our knowledge for future research opportunities. The available information on traditional uses, phytochemistry and biological activities of the genus Psiadia was collected from scientific databases through a search using the keyword 'Psiadia' in 'Google Scholar', 'Pubmed', 'Sciencedirect', 'SpringerLink', 'Web of Science', 'Wiley' and 'Scifinder'. Additionally, published books and unpublished Ph.D. and MSc. dissertations were consulted for botanical information and chemical composition. Historically, species of the genus Psiadia have been used to treat a wide range of ailments including abdominal pains, colds, fevers, bronchitis, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, skin infections and liver disorders among others. Phytochemical works led to the isolation of flavonoids, phenylpropanoids, coumarins and terpenoids. Furthermore, phytochemical compositions of the essential oils of some species have been evaluated. Crude extracts, essential oils and isolated molecules showed in vitro pharmacological activities, such as antimicrobial, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, antiplasmodial and antileishmanial activities. Crude extracts of Psiadia dentata and Psiadia arguta have specifically been found to be potentially useful for inhibition of growth of Plasmodium falciparum. However, pharmacological data on this particular genus is quite limited. Further research is necessary to determine the active compounds and the underlying mechanisms. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Excess density compensation of island herpetofaunal assemblages

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rodda, G.H.; Dean-Bradley, K.

2002-01-01

Aim Some species reach extraordinary densities on islands. Island assemblages have fewer species, however, and it is possible that island species differ from their mainland counterparts in average mass. Island assemblages could be partitioned differently (fewer species or smaller individuals) from mainland sites without differing in aggregate biomass (density compensation). Our objective was to determine the generality of excess density compensation in island herpetofaunal assemblages.Location Our bounded removal plot data were obtained from Pacific Island sites (Guam, Saipan and Rota), the West Indies (British Virgin Islands), and the Indian Ocean (Ile aux Aigrettes off Mauritius). The literature values were taken from several locales. Other island locations included Barro Colorado Island, Bonaire, Borneo, Philippine Islands, Seychelle Islands, Barrow Island (Australia), North Brother Island (New Zealand), Dominica and Puerto Rico. Mainland sites included Costa Rica, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Australia, Thailand, Peru, Brazil, Panama and the USA.Method We added our thirty-nine bounded total removal plots from sixteen island habitats to fifteen literature records to obtain seventy-five venues with estimable density and biomass of arboreal or terrestrial herpetofaunal assemblages. These biomass estimates were evaluated geographically and in relation to sampling method, insularity, latitude, disturbance regime, seasonality, community richness, vegetative structure and climate. Direct data on trophic interactions (food availability, parasitism and predation pressure) were generally unavailable. Sampling problems were frequent for arboreal, cryptic and evasive species.Results and main conclusions We found strong evidence that herpetofaunal assemblages on small islands (mostly lizards) exhibit a much greater aggregate density of biomass (kg ha−1) than those of larger islands or mainland assemblages (small islands show excess density compensation). High aggregate biomass density was more strongly associated with the degree of species impoverishment on islands than it was on island area or insularity per se. High aggregate biomass density was not strongly associated with latitude, precipitation, canopy height or a variety of other physical characteristics of the study sites. The association between high aggregate biomass density and species-poor islands is consistent with the effects of a reduced suite of predators on depauperate islands, but other features may also contribute to excess density compensation.

Agriculture modifies the seasonal decline of breeding success in a tropical wild bird population

PubMed Central

Cartwright, Samantha J; Nicoll, Malcolm A C; Jones, Carl G; Tatayah, Vikash; Norris, Ken

2014-01-01

Habitat conversion for agriculture is a major driver of biodiversity loss, but our understanding of the demographic processes involved remains poor. We typically investigate the impacts of agriculture in isolation even though populations are likely to experience multiple, concurrent changes in the environment (e.g. land and climate change). Drivers of environmental change may interact to affect demography, but the mechanisms have yet to be explored fully in wild populations. Here, we investigate the mechanisms linking agricultural land use with breeding success using long-term data for the formerly Critically Endangered Mauritius kestrel Falco punctatus, a tropical forest specialist that also occupies agricultural habitats. We specifically focused on the relationship between breeding success, agriculture and the timing of breeding because the latter is sensitive to changes in climatic conditions (spring rainfall) and enables us to explore the interactive effects of different (land and climate) drivers of environmental change. Breeding success, measured as egg survival to fledging, declines seasonally in this population, but we found that the rate of this decline became increasingly rapid as the area of agriculture around a nest site increased. If the relationship between breeding success and agriculture was used in isolation to estimate the demographic impact of agriculture, it would significantly under-estimate breeding success in dry (early) springs and over-estimate breeding success in wet (late) springs. Analysis of prey delivered to nests suggests that the relationship between breeding success and agriculture might be due, in part, to spatial variation in the availability of native, arboreal geckos. Synthesis and applications. Agriculture modifies the seasonal decline in breeding success in this population. As springs are becoming wetter in our study area and since the kestrels breed later in wetter springs, the impact of agriculture on breeding success will become worse over time. Our results suggest that forest restoration designed to reduce the detrimental impacts of agriculture on breeding may also help reduce the detrimental effects of breeding late due to wetter springs. Our results therefore highlight the importance of considering the interactive effects of environmental change when managing wild populations. PMID:25558086

Relationship between family meal frequency and individual dietary intake among diabetic patients.

PubMed

Ruhee, Divya; Mahomoodally, Fawzi

2015-01-01

Notoriously, the island of Mauritius has one of the highest prevalence of diabetes in the world. Management of the disease is very important and family meals are undoubtedly beneficial to patients as they promote the development of healthy eating behaviours and food choices. This study has aimed to probe into potential relationship(s) between family meal frequency and individual dietary intake among diabetic patients and to establish whether family cohesion may be a plausible mediator of this relationship. A cross-sectional survey was carried out with a random sample of 384 diabetic patients. The Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale III was used to obtain information on two general aspects of family functioning, that is, cohesiveness and adaptability. Chi-squared (χ (2)) tests, independent sample t-tests and one-way ANOVA were used to determine statistical significance. Pearson correlation was used to examine associations between family meal frequency, individual dietary intake and family cohesion. Hierarchical linear regression models were performed for the mediation analysis. Family meal frequency (breakfast, lunch and dinner) was observed to be positively associated with intake of fish, raw vegetables, dried and fresh fruits, low-fat milk, cheese, yogurt, nuts and light butter and negatively associated with intake of red meat, white rice, white bread, whole egg fried, chocolates, fried cakes, burgers, chips, and fried noodles/rice. Average mediation (52.6 %) was indicated by family cohesion for the association between family meal frequency and individual dietary intake among diabetic patients. Sobel's test further confirmed the trend towards complete mediation (z = 15.4; P < 0.05). A strong relationship between family meal frequency and individual dietary intake among diabetic patients was recorded. The present study is one of the few studies that have examined family cohesion as a mediator of the relationship and to our best knowledge is the first work to demonstrate a trend towards complete mediation. Results obtained can be used by health professionals to devise strategies for increasing knowledge and awareness of both diabetic patients and their respective families to curd down this public health burden.

Evolved Rocks in Ocean Islands Formed by Melting of Metasomatized Mantle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashwal, L. D.; Torsvik, T. H.; Horvath, P.; Harris, C.; Webb, S. J.; Werner, S. C.; Corfu, F.

2015-12-01

Evolved rocks like trachyte occur as minor components of many plume-related basaltic ocean islands (e.g. Hawaii, Gran Canaria, Azores, Réunion), and are typically interpreted as products of extreme fractional crystallization from broadly basaltic magmas. Trachytes from Mauritius (Indian Ocean) suggest otherwise. Here, 6.8 Ma nepheline-bearing trachytes (SiO2 ~63%, Na2O + K2O ~12%) are enriched in all incompatible elements except Ba, Sr and Eu, which show prominent negative anomalies. Initial eNd values cluster at 4.03 ± 0.15 (n = 13), near the lower end of the range for Mauritian basalts (eNd = 3.70 - 5.75), but initial Sr is highly variable (ISr = 0.70408 - 0.71034) suggesting secondary deuteric alteration. Fractional crystallization models starting with a basaltic parent fail, because when plagioclase joins olivine in the crystallizing assemblage, residual liquids become depleted in Al2O3, produce no nepheline, and do not approach trachytic compositions. Mauritian basalts and trachytes do not fall near the ends of known miscibility gaps, eliminating liquid immiscibility processes. Partial melting of extant gabbroic bodies, either from the oceanic crust or from Réunion plume-related magmas should yield quartz-saturated melts different from the critically undersaturated Mauritian trachytes. A remaining possibility is that the trachytes represent direct, small-degree partial melts of fertile, perhaps metasomatized mantle. This is supported by the presence of trachytic glasses in many mantle xenoliths, and experimental results show that low-degree trachytic melts can be produced from mantle peridotites even under anhydrous conditions. If some feldspar is left behind as a residual phase, this would account for the negative Ba, Sr and Eu anomalies observed in Mauritian trachytes. Two trachyte samples that are less depleted in these elements contain xenocrysts of anorthoclase, Al-rich cpx and Cl-rich kaersutite that are out of equilibrium with host trachyte magmas; these may represent fragments of a refertilized mantle source. A model of direct, low-degree partial melting of metasomatized mantle may apply to other worldwide examples of evolved rocks in ocean islands.

Ethnopharmacological analysis of medicinal plants used against non-communicable diseases in Rodrigues Island, Indian Ocean.

PubMed

Samoisy, Anne Kathie; Mahomoodally, M Fawzi

2015-09-15

Rodrigues is an autonomous outer island that form part of the Republic of Mauritius and one of three islands that constitute the Mascarene archipelago in the Indian Ocean. Though herbal medicine is in common use in Rodrigues, there has been no ethnopharmacological study to document quantitatively such traditional practise particularly against non-communicable diseases (NCD) which is currently a growing major health issue on the island. The aim of the present study was to collect, analyse and document traditionally used medicinal plants (MP) from key informants and traditional medicine practitioners (TMP) in the tropical island of Rodrigues to treat and/or manage common NCD. Data was collected via face-to-face interviews with MP users (n=113) and TMP (n=9). Seven quantitative ethnopharmacological indices, namely family use value (FUV), use value (UV), informant agreement ratio (IAR), relative frequency of citation (RFC), fidelity level (FL), relative importance (RI) and ethnobotanicity index (EI) were calculated. Hundred and three plants belonging to 55 families were recorded for the treatment and/or management of 27 different NCD. Three of the MP (Terminalia bentzoë (L.) L.F, Sarcostemma cf. adontolepis Balf.f. and Clerodendrum laciniatum Balf.f.) recorded are endemic to Rodrigues and 2 (Carissa xylopicron Thouars., Phyllanthus casticum Willemet f.) endemic to the Mascarene Islands. The most solicited MP family was Asteraceae with a total of 8 species. Citrus aurantifolia (Christm.) Swingle scored the highest RFC (RFC=1.02) value. Ten plants were found to score 100% FL and the highest IAR (0.98) was observed for the disease category of certain conditions originating in the perinatal period. Arecaceae scored the highest FUV value and Ayapana triplinervis (Vahl) R.M. King et H.Rob highest UV (UV= 2.72). Given the dearth of updated information on traditional medicine of Rodrigues, this study can provide an opportunity to establish valuable primary information on the different MP used by the local people and hence can open new perspectives for further pharmacological research. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

SHADOZ (Southern Hemisphere ADditional OZonesondes): An Ozonesonde Network for Satellite Validation, Climatology and Modeling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thompson, Anne M.; Witte, Jacquelyn C.; Schmidlin, Francis J.; Oltmans, Samuel J.; McPeters, Richard D.; Einaudi, Franco (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

In the past 5 years, new tropical ozone data products have been developed from TOMS and other satellites, During this period, global chemical-transport models have been used for ozone assessment studies. However, there has been a lack of independent ozone profiles in the tropics for evaluation of the data sets and models. In 1998, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Wallops Flight Facility and NOAA's CMDL (Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics Lab), began a 2-year project to collect a consistent data set by augmenting ozonesonde launches at southern hemisphere tropical sites The measurements are available to the scientific community at a single electronic location - the SHADOZ website at NASA/Goddard: http://code9l6.gsfc.nasa.gov/Data services/Shadoz/shadoz hmpg2.html. Stations in SHADOZ include four islands in the Pacific: Fiji, Tahiti, San Cristobal (Galapagos) and American Samoa. Two sites are at and in the Atlantic: Natal (Brazil) and Ascension Island. Three other sites span Africa (Nairobi and Irene, South Africa) and the Indian Ocean (Reunion Island and Watukosek in Java, Indonesia). All SHADOZ sites are using ECC-type sondes, with the conversion from JMD sondes at Java in 1999, but there are variations in sonde preparation technique and data processing. During the 1998-1999 period, more than 550 sondes were incorporated into the SHADOZ data base. Examples from these measurements illustrate the tropical wave-one pattern in total ozone which is easily detectable by satellite. They also show that the wave-one pattern appears to be in the troposphere, as assumed in creating the modified-residual tropospheric ozone data product from TOMS. SHADOZ will add data from intensive field campaigns from time to time. Recent contributions to the SHADOZ archive are from the INDOEX (Indian Ocean Experiment January-March 1999)sondes at the Maldives (5N, 73E) and 27 sondes on the US NOAA oceanographic vessel, the FIN Ronald H Brown between Virginia (US) and Mauritius via CapeTown, during a cruise in January and February 1999. In 2000, as part of the SAFARI-2000 experiment and a validation project called Southern African Validation for EOS (SAVE), enhancement of ozonesonde launches at Irene (South Africa) will extend the data set from this site beyond the 1998-1999 period.

Elastic plate flexure above mantle plumes explains the upstream offset of volcanic activity at la Réunion and Hawaii

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerbault, Muriel; Fontaine, Fabrice; Rabinowicz, Michel; Bystricky, Micha

2017-04-01

Surface volcanism at la Réunion and Hawaii occurs with an offset of 150-180 km upstream to the plume axis with respect to the plate motion. This striking observation raises questions about the forcing of plume-lithosphere thermo-mechanical interactions on melt trajectories beneath these islands. Based on visco-elasto-plastic numerical models handled at kilometric resolution, we propose to explain this offset by the development of compressional stresses at the base of the lithosphere, that result from elastic plate bending above the upward load exerted by the plume head. This horizontal compression adopts a disc shape centered around the plume axis, 20 km thick and 150 km in radius, at 50-70 km depth where the temperature varies from 600°C to 750°C. It lasts for 5 to 10 My in an oceanic plate of age greater than 70 My, a timing that is controlled by the visco-elastic relaxation time at 50-70 km depth. This period of time exceeds the time during which both the Somalian/East-African and Pacific plates drift over the Reunion and Hawaii plumes, respectively, thus rendering this basal compression a persistent feature. It is inferred that the buoyant melts percolating in the plume head pond below this zone of compression and eventually spread laterally until the most compressive principal elastic stresses reverse to the vertical, i.e., 150 km away from the plume head. There, melts propagate through dikes upwards to 35 km depth, where the plate curvature reverses and ambient compression diminishes. This 30-35 km depth may thus host magmatic reservoirs where melts pond, until further differentiation can relaunch ascension up to the surface and form a volcanic edifice. In a second stage, as the volcano grows because of melt accumulation at the top of the plate, the lithosphere is flexed downwards, inducing extra tensile stress at 30-35 km depth and compression at 15 km depth. It implies that now the melts pond at 15 km and form another magmatic reservoir lying just underneath the crust. These two processes explain the ponding of primary (shield) melts at 35 km and 15 km depths as partialy recorded below La Reunion, Mauritius or Hawaii volcanoes with seismic tomography.

Significant variance in genetic diversity among populations of Schistosoma haematobium detected using microsatellite DNA loci from a genome-wide database.

PubMed

Glenn, Travis C; Lance, Stacey L; McKee, Anna M; Webster, Bonnie L; Emery, Aidan M; Zerlotini, Adhemar; Oliveira, Guilherme; Rollinson, David; Faircloth, Brant C

2013-10-17

Urogenital schistosomiasis caused by Schistosoma haematobium is widely distributed across Africa and is increasingly being targeted for control. Genome sequences and population genetic parameters can give insight into the potential for population- or species-level drug resistance. Microsatellite DNA loci are genetic markers in wide use by Schistosoma researchers, but there are few primers available for S. haematobium. We sequenced 1,058,114 random DNA fragments from clonal cercariae collected from a snail infected with a single Schistosoma haematobium miracidium. We assembled and aligned the S. haematobium sequences to the genomes of S. mansoni and S. japonicum, identifying microsatellite DNA loci across all three species and designing primers to amplify the loci in S. haematobium. To validate our primers, we screened 32 randomly selected primer pairs with population samples of S. haematobium. We designed >13,790 primer pairs to amplify unique microsatellite loci in S. haematobium, (available at http://www.cebio.org/projetos/schistosoma-haematobium-genome). The three Schistosoma genomes contained similar overall frequencies of microsatellites, but the frequency and length distributions of specific motifs differed among species. We identified 15 primer pairs that amplified consistently and were easily scored. We genotyped these 15 loci in S. haematobium individuals from six locations: Zanzibar had the highest levels of diversity; Malawi, Mauritius, Nigeria, and Senegal were nearly as diverse; but the sample from South Africa was much less diverse. About half of the primers in the database of Schistosoma haematobium microsatellite DNA loci should yield amplifiable and easily scored polymorphic markers, thus providing thousands of potential markers. Sequence conservation among S. haematobium, S. japonicum, and S. mansoni is relatively high, thus it should now be possible to identify markers that are universal among Schistosoma species (i.e., using DNA sequences conserved among species), as well as other markers that are specific to species or species-groups (i.e., using DNA sequences that differ among species). Full genome-sequencing of additional species and specimens of S. haematobium, S. japonicum, and S. mansoni is desirable to better characterize differences within and among these species, to develop additional genetic markers, and to examine genes as well as conserved non-coding elements associated with drug resistance.

Strategies and approaches to vector control in nine malaria-eliminating countries: a cross-case study analysis.

PubMed

Smith Gueye, Cara; Newby, Gretchen; Gosling, Roland D; Whittaker, Maxine A; Chandramohan, Daniel; Slutsker, Laurence; Tanner, Marcel

2016-01-04

There has been progress towards malaria elimination in the last decade. In response, WHO launched the Global Technical Strategy (GTS), in which vector surveillance and control play important roles. Country experiences in the Eliminating Malaria Case Study Series were reviewed to identify success factors on the road to elimination using a cross-case study analytic approach. Reports were included in the analysis if final English language draft reports or publications were available at the time of analysis (Bhutan, Cape Verde, Malaysia, Mauritius, Namibia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Turkmenistan). A conceptual framework for vector control in malaria elimination was developed, reviewed, formatted as a matrix, and case study data was extracted and entered into the matrix. A workshop was convened during which participants conducted reviews of the case studies and matrices and arrived at a consensus on the evidence and lessons. The framework was revised and a second round of data extraction, synthesis and summary of the case study reports was conducted. Countries implemented a range of vector control interventions. Most countries aligned with integrated vector management, however its impact was not well articulated. All programmes conducted entomological surveillance, but the response (i.e., stratification and targeting of interventions, outbreak forecasting and strategy) was limited or not described. Indoor residual spraying (IRS) was commonly used by countries. There were several examples of severe reductions or halting of IRS coverage and subsequent resurgence of malaria. Funding and operational constraints and poor implementation had roles. Bed nets were commonly used by most programmes; coverage and effectiveness were either not measured or not articulated. Larval control was an important intervention for several countries, preventing re-introduction, however coverage and impact on incidence were not described. Across all interventions, coverage indicators were incomparable, and the rationale for which tools were used and which were not used appeared to be a function of the availability of funding, operational issues and cost instead of evidence of effectiveness to reduce incidence. More work is required to fill gaps in programme guidance, clarify the best methods for choosing and targeting vector control interventions, and support to measure cost, cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit of vector surveillance and control interventions.

Contribution of tropical cyclones to global rainfall

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khouakhi, Abdou; Villarini, Gabriele; Vecchi, Gabriel; Smith, James

2016-04-01

Rainfall associated with tropical cyclones (TCs) can have both devastating and beneficial impacts in different parts of the world. In this work, daily precipitation and historical six-hour best track TC datasets are used to quantify the contribution of TCs to global rainfall. We select 18607 rain gauge stations with at least 25 complete (at least 330 measurements per year) years between 1970 and 2014. We consider rainfall associated with TCs if the center of circulation of the storm passed within a given distance from the rain gauge and within a given time window. Spatial and temporal sensitivity analyses are performed with varying time windows (same day, ±1 day) and buffer radii (400 km and 500 km) around each rain gauge. Results highlight regional differences in TC-induced rainfall. The highest TC-induced precipitation totals (400 to 600+ mm/year) are prevalent along eastern Asia, western and northeastern Australia, and in the western Pacific islands. Stations along the southeast of the U.S. coast and surrounding the Gulf of Mexico receive up to 200 mm/year of TC rainfall. The highest annual fractional contributions of TCs to total rainfall (from 35 to 50%) are recorded in stations located in northwestern Australia, southeastern China, the northern Philippines and the southern Mexico peninsula. Seasonally, the highest proportions (40 to 50%) are recorded along eastern Australia and Mauritius in winter, and in eastern Asia and Mexico in summer and autumn. Analyses of the relative contribution of TCs to extreme rainfall using annual maximum (AM) and peaks-over-threshold (POT) approaches indicate notable differences among regions. The highest TC-AM rainfall proportions (45 to 60%) are found in stations located in Japan, eastern China, the Philippines, eastern and western Australia. Substantial contributions (25 to 40% of extreme rainfall) are also recorded in stations located along the U.S. East Coast, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Mexico peninsula. We find similar patterns using the POT approach to identify extremes. The fractional contributions decrease as we move inland from the coast. Moreover, the relationship between TC-induced extreme rainfall and the El Niño-Southern Oscillation is also examined using logistic and Poisson regression. Results indicate that TC-induced extreme rainfall tends to occur more frequently in Australia and along the U.S. East Coast during La Niña, and along eastern Asia and northwestern Pacific islands during El Niño.

[Human diffusion of arthropod disease vectors throughout the world].

PubMed

Mouchet, J; Giacomini, T; Julvez, J

1995-01-01

The present distribution of animals and plants throughout the world is the result of an evolutionary process involving tectonic, climatic and biotic factors. Humans, since their appearance, have contributed to the spreading of many species including disease vectors and pests. When humans left their native African home, they brought with them ectoparasites such as lice and acarids. During the neolithic era, humans were leading domesticated animals which carried their own parasites into new areas. Dwelling commensals, flea, bugs, triatomids, flies, and cockroaches followed human migrations. In the second millennium, sailboats transported mosquito species which were resistant and reproduced on board, including Culex quinquefasciatus, Aedes aegypti, and Ae. albopictus. Steamers further shortened the length of trips and allowed the transport of anophelines. The opening of the Tamatave-Port-Louis line was immediately followed by the transport of An. gambiae from Madagascar to Mauritius and Reunion, and epidemics of malaria occurred on the two islands which had been free of the disease. Also, An. gambiae was transported from Senegal to Brazil. Old tires destined for recycling carried Ae. albopictus to the USA, Brazil, and then Italy. The pandemic of the plague at the end of the nineteenth century was propagated from harbour to harbour by steamers carrying both infected rats and their fleas Xenopsylla cheopsis. Aircrafts have reduced the travel time so much that in less than two days an insect could reach every point of the world. As soon as the airports had been built on the islands of French Polynesia, they were all colonized by Ae. aegypti. The same phenomenon occurred with midges (Fig. 2). Also, the construction of the airport on a Galapagos Island coincided with the importation of the blackfly Simulium bipunctatum from the continent. In addition, infected malaria mosquitos imported from tropical countries reached Europe and contaminated airport employees and local inhabitants. Six cases of malaria were recorded during the summer of 1994 around the Charles de Gaulle Airport, north of Paris, suggesting that the anophelines could have been imported from West and Central African countries which are served by this airport. The serious threat of vector importation is moderated by the vector's difficulty in adapting to new conditions. However any prediction is questionable.

Implosion Source Development and Diego Garcia Reflections

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harben, P E; Boro, C

2001-06-01

Calibration of hydroacoustic stations for nuclear explosion monitoring is important for increasing monitoring capability and confidence from newly installed stations and from existing stations. Past work at Ascension Island has shown that ship-towed airguns can be effectively used for local calibrations such as sensor location, amplitude and phase response, and T-phase coupling in the case of T-phase stations. At regional and ocean-basin distances from a station, the calibration focus is on acoustic travel time, transmission loss, bathymetric shadowing, diffraction, and reflection as recorded at a particular station. Such station calibrations will lead to an overall network calibration that seeks tomore » maximize detection, location, and discrimination capability of events with acoustic signatures. Active-source calibration of hydroacoustic stations at regional and ocean-basin scales has not been attempted to date, but we have made significant headway addressing how such calibrations could be accomplished. We have developed an imploding sphere source that can be used instead of explosives on research and commercial vessels without restriction. The imploding sphere has been modeled using the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory hydrodynamic code CALE and shown to agree with field data. The need for boosted energy in the monitoring band (2-100 Hz) has led us to develop a 5-sphere implosion device that was tested in the Pacific Ocean earlier this year. Boosting the energy in the monitoring band can be accomplished by a combination of increasing the implosion volume (i.e. the 5-sphere device) and imploding at shallower depths. Although active source calibrations will be necessary at particular locations and for particular objectives, the newly installed Diego Garcia station in the Indian Ocean has shown that earthquakes can be used to help understand regional blockages and the locations responsible for observed hydroacoustic reflections. We have analyzed several events with a back-azimuth from Diego Garcia between 100 and 140 degrees. The Diego Garcia records show a pronounced reflection that correlates in travel time and back-azimuth (calculated using the waveform cross-correlation of the tri-partite array elements to determine lag time across the array) with a reflector at the Saya de Malha Bank, on the Seychelles-Mauritius Plateau. We also show that to accurately predict blockage and reflection regions, it is essential to have detailed bathymetry in relatively small but critical areas.« less

The central role of national programme management for the achievement of malaria elimination: a cross case-study analysis of nine malaria programmes.

PubMed

Smith Gueye, Cara; Newby, Gretchen; Tulloch, Jim; Slutsker, Laurence; Tanner, Marcel; Gosling, Roland D

2016-09-22

A malaria eradication goal has been proposed, at the same time as a new global strategy and implementation framework. Countries are considering the strategies and tools that will enable progress towards malaria goals. The eliminating malaria case-study series reports were reviewed to identify successful programme management components using a cross-case study analytic approach. Nine out of ten case-study reports were included in the analysis (Bhutan, Cape Verde, Malaysia, Mauritius, Namibia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Turkmenistan). A conceptual framework for malaria elimination programme management was developed and data were extracted and synthesized. Findings were reviewed at a consultative workshop, which led to a revision of the framework and further data extraction and synthesis. Success factors of implementation, programme choices and changes, and enabling factors were distilled. Decentralized programmes enhanced engagement in malaria elimination by sub-national units and communities. Integration of the malaria programme into other health services was also common. Decentralization and integration were often challenging due to the skill and experience levels of newly tasked staff. Accountability for programme impact was not clarified for most programmes. Motivation of work force was a key factor in maintaining programme quality but there were few clear, detailed strategies provided. Different incentive schemes targeted various stakeholders. Training and supervision, although not well described, were prioritized by most programmes. Multi-sectoral collaboration helped some programmes share information, build strategies and interventions and achieve a higher quality of implementation. In most cases programme action was spurred by malaria outbreaks or a new elimination goal with strong leadership. Some programmes showed high capacity for flexibility through introduction of new strategies and tools. Several case-studies described methods for monitoring implementation quality and coverage; however analysis and feedback to those implementing malaria elimination in the periphery was not well described. Political commitment and sustained financing contributed to malaria programme success. Consistency of malaria programmes depends on political commitment, human and financial resources, and leadership. Operational capacity of the programme and the overall health system structure and strength are also important aspects. Malaria eradication will require adaptive, well-managed malaria programmes that are able to tailor implementation of evidence-based strategies, founded upon strong sub-national surveillance and response, with adequate funding and human resources.

Seagrass ecosystems in the Western Indian Ocean.

PubMed

Gullström, Martin; de la Torre Castro, Maricela; Bandeira, Salomão; Björk, Mats; Dahlberg, Mattis; Kautsky, Nils; Rönnbäck, Patrik; Ohman, Marcus C

2002-12-01

Seagrasses are marine angiosperms widely distributed in both tropical and temperate coastal waters creating one of the most productive aquatic ecosystems on earth. In the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region, with its 13 reported seagrass species, these ecosystems cover wide areas of near-shore soft bottoms through the 12 000 km coastline. Seagrass beds are found intertidally as well as subtidally, sometimes down to about 40 m, and do often occur in close connection to coral reefs and mangroves. Due to the high primary production and a complex habitat structure, seagrass beds support a variety of benthic, demersal and pelagic organisms. Many fish and shellfish species, including those of commercial interest, are attracted to seagrass habitats for foraging and shelter, especially during their juvenile life stages. Examples of abundant and widespread fish species associated to seagrass beds in the WIO belong to the families Apogonidae, Blenniidae, Centriscidae, Gerreidae, Gobiidae, Labridae, Lethrinidae Lutjanidae, Monacanthidae, Scaridae, Scorpaenidae, Siganidae, Syngnathidae and Teraponidae. Consequently, seagrass ecosystems in the WIO are valuable resources for fisheries at both local and regional scales. Still, seagrass research in the WIO is scarce compared to other regions and it is mainly focusing on botanic diversity and ecology. This article reviews the research status of seagrass beds in the WIO with particular emphasis on fish and fisheries. Most research on this topic has been conducted along the East African coast, i.e. in Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique and eastern South Africa, while less research was carried out in Somalia and the Island States of the WIO (Seychelles, Comoros, Reunion (France), Mauritius and Madagascar). Published papers on seagrass fish ecology in the region are few and mainly descriptive. Hence, there is a need of more scientific knowledge in the form of describing patterns and processes through both field and experimental work. Quantitative seagrass fish community studies in the WIO such as the case study presented in this paper are negligible, but necessitated for the perspective of fisheries management. It is also highlighted that the pressure on seagrass beds in the region is increasing due to growing coastal populations and human disturbance from e.g. pollution, eutrophication, sedimentation, fishing activities and collection of invertebrates, and its effect are little understood. Thus, there is a demand for more research that will generate information useful for sustainable management of seagrass ecosystems in the WIO.

The United Nations Basic Space Science Initiative

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haubold, Hans; Balogh, Werner

2014-05-01

The basic space science initiative was a long-term effort for the development of astronomy and space science through regional and international cooperation in this field on a worldwide basis, particularly in developing nations. Basic space science workshops were co-sponsored and co-organized by ESA, JAXA, and NASA. A series of workshops on basic space science was held from 1991 to 2004 (India 1991, Costa Rica and Colombia 1992, Nigeria 1993, Egypt 1994, Sri Lanka 1995, Germany 1996, Honduras 1997, Jordan 1999, France 2000, Mauritius 2001, Argentina 2002, and China 2004; http://neutrino.aquaphoenix.com/un-esa/) and addressed the status of astronomy in Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, and Western Asia. Through the lead of the National Astronomical Observatory Japan, astronomical telescope facilities were inaugurated in seven developing nations and planetariums were established in twenty developing nations based on the donation of respective equipment by Japan.Pursuant to resolutions of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space of the United Nations (COPUOS) and its Scientific and Technical Subcommittee, since 2005, these workshops focused on the preparations for and the follow-ups to the International Heliophysical Year 2007 (UAE 2005, India 2006, Japan 2007, Bulgaria 2008, South Korea 2009; www.unoosa.org/oosa/SAP/bss/ihy2007/index.html). IHY's legacy is the current operation of 16 worldwide instrument arrays with more than 1000 instruments recording data on solar-terrestrial interaction from coronal mass ejections to variations of the total electron content in the ionosphere (http://iswisecretariat.org/). Instruments are provided to hosting institutions by entities of Armenia, Brazil, France, Israel, Japan, Switzerland, and the United States. Starting in 2010, the workshops focused on the International Space Weather Initiative (ISWI) as mandated in a three-year-work plan as part of the deliberations of COPUOS. Workshops on ISWI were held in Egypt in 2010 for Western Asia, Nigeria in 2011 for Africa, and Ecuador in 2012 for Latin America and the Caribbean. The International Center for Space Weather Science and Education at Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan 9www.serc.kyushu-u.ac.jp/index_e.html), was established through the basic space science initiative in 2012. Similar research and education centres were also established in Nigeria(www.cbssonline.com/aboutus.html) and India (www.cmsintl.org). Activities of basic space science initiative were also coordinated with the Regional Centres for Space Science and Technology Education, affiliated to the United Nations (www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/SAP/centres/index.html). Prospective future directions of the initiative will be discussed in this paper.

The YES Africa 2011 Symposium: A Key to Developing the Future Geoscience Workforce in Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nkhonjera, E.

2011-12-01

Africa is facing serious challenges in geoscience education. This has been as a result of absence of or very young/small Earth Science Departments in some universities (e.g., Mauritius, Namibia, Botswana, Swaziland, Malawi): Limited capacity (staff and equipment needed for practicals) to cope with the growing number of students, compounded by brain drain of academic staffs and the fact that current tertiary programmes do not seem to produce graduates suitable for the industry are some of the contributing factors to the challenges, (UNESCO-AEON Report, 2009). As such Earth Science studies in Africa have been one of the career paths that has not been promoted or highly preferred by many students. In January 2011, the YES Network African chapter was launched through the YES Africa 2011 Symposium that took place at the University of Johannesburg South Africa in Conjunction with the 23rd Colloquium of Africa Geology from the 08-14th January 2011. The YES Africa 2011 Symposium was organized by five YES African National networks from Southern, Central, Eastern and Northern Africa to bring young geoscientists from all regions of Africa together to present their research about African geoscience topics. The symposium also included roundtable discussions about increasing the involvement of youth's participation in geoscience issues in Africa, about how to increase the number of youths in African geosciences education university programs, and about how to promote geoscience careers to university students in Africa c. Roundtable discussions revealed that many African colleges and universities do not provide adequate infrastructure and resources to support the students studying in the department. As such, most students graduate with poor preparation for geoscience careers, having gained a theoretical understanding of geology, but not the practical application of the discipline. The recommendations from the YES Africa 2011 Symposium also highlighted on the best ways of developing the geoscience workforce in Africa so that it can become competitive within the international community. International networks like the YES Network help geoscience students and early-career geoscientists to interact with their colleagues around the world and share knowledge and experiences. YES Network conferences, such as the YES Africa 2011 Symposium are a prime example of how geoscience students and early-career geoscientists are actively working together through this professional international network to provide opportunities for young scientists to present their research, share ideas about future projects, and discuss strategies for solving current scientific and career or academic pathway concerns.

Hydrothermal Activity Along the Central Indian Ridge: Ridges, Hotspots and Philately.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

German, C. R.; Connelly, D. P.; Evans, A. J.; Murton, B. J.; Curewitz, D.; Okino, K.; Statham, P. J.; Parson, L. M.

2001-12-01

The global mid-ocean ridge crest extends 50-60,000km and the majority remains unexplored for hydrothermal activity. Even those areas which are reasonably familiar continue to spring surprises (e.g. the "Lost City" site found in late 2000). Within the confines of conceivable research budgets, therefore, choosing new areas for investigation and exploration demands an intelligent approach, beyond flicking through holiday brochures or identifying missing entries for the John Edmond Memorial Stamp Collection. With that caveat, the Southampton Oceanography Centre led a 10-week expedition to the Central Indian Ridge, earlier this year, based in and around Mauritius. During cruise CD127 (23 April-23 May) we conducted a systematic investigation of the ridge crest (seafloor and overlying water column) between 18 deg 16 min and 20 deg 49 min South. We chose this area to investigate the distribution of hydrothermal activity both close to, and away from, that section of the ridge crest which continues to reflect past influence of the migrating Rodrigues hot-spot. Our hypothesis was that the high incidence of hydrothermal activity we had located previously, near the Azores Triple Junction, may result from waning influence of the Azores Hot-Spot nearby and that similar effects might be found resulting from interaction of the CIR with the Rodrigues hot-spot. The primary scientific package we employed was the SOC's TOBI deep-tow sidescan vehicle, now up-graded with an extra Light Scattering Sensor string. In concert, this instrumentation allowed us to prospect for particle-laden hydrothermal plumes in the water column overlying the ridge-crest, in real-time, whilst simultaneously acquiring high-resolution sidescan images of the underlying seafloor. Using this approach, particle-rich anomalies were observed at 5 locations along ca. 300km of surveyed ridge-crest, including 4 sites all within the extended (hot-spot influenced) segment 15, which stretches from 18 deg 45 to 20 deg 14 min South. Follow-up vertical CTD hydrocasts, targetted using the in-situ TOBI+sensors package, re-confirmed the presence of particle-rich plumes at these sites and enabled water column sampling which has revealed small but significant TDMn anomalies, diagnostic of high-temperature hydrothermal plumes, ranging up to 4-6nmol/l (compared with local backgrounds of circa 300pmol/l). We will present our plume data in the context of their tectonic/volcanic settings to argue that the only good hot-spot is a dead or dying one. Provocative?

Taxonomy of the ant genus Carebara Westwood (Formicidae, Myrmicinae) in the Malagasy Region.

PubMed

Azorsa, Frank; Fisher, Brian L

2018-01-01

The genus Carebara is revised for the Malagasy region, and based on the examination of over 10,000 specimens, twenty-three species are recognized. Twenty one of these are described as new ( C. bara sp. n. , C. berivelo sp. n. , C. betsi sp. n. , C. creolei sp. n. , C. demeter sp. n. , C. dota sp. n. , C. hainteny sp. n. , C. hiragasy sp. n. , C. jajoby sp. n. , C. kabosy sp. n. , C. lova sp. n. , C. mahafaly sp. n. , C. malagasy sp. n. , C. omasi sp. n. , C. placida sp. n. , C. raberi sp. n. , C. salegi sp. n. , C. sampi sp. n. , C. tana sp. n. , C. tanana sp. n. , C. vazimba sp. n. ), and two are redescribed, C. grandidieri Forel (= C. voeltzkowi Forel n. syn. ) and C. nosindambo Forel. A lectotype is designated for C. nosindambo. C. creolei sp. n. is known only from Mauritius and Seychelles, C. grandidieri Forel is distributed in Comoros, Madagascar and Mayotte, and the other twenty-one species are endemic to Madagascar. Most of the Carebara species recorded in this work are endemic to a specific habitat (ecoregion), but some of them ( C. bara sp. n. , C. grandidieri Forel, C. jajoby sp. n. , C. kabosy sp. n. , and C. nosindambo Forel) are widespread within Madagascar across all major habitats. The worker caste of Carebara can be differentiated from other genera in the Myrmicinae subfamily by the presence of the following combination of characters: antennae of eight to eleven segments, with a two-segmented club; anterior clypeal margin without central isolated seta (rarely present in some species or specimens), and usually with four distinct setae; mandibles with four to seven teeth (except in one species from Ghana - C. crigensis with three teeth); and palp formula 2,2 or 1,2. We report that almost all Carebara species found in the Malagasy region have intermediates (distinct forms) in the major worker subcaste, with the largest major workers showing remnants of queen flight sclerites and ocelli. The widespread presence of intermediates in the major worker subcaste expands the morphological boundaries of Carebara . We present an overview of the natural history of Carebara in the Malagasy region, an illustrated key for the identification of the known Malagasy species of Carebara , as well as high-resolution images and distribution maps. Unique identifiers are used for all specimens studied, including type material, and the raw data that forms the basis of this study are available on www.antweb.org (open access).

Mapping Submarine Groundwater Discharge - how to investigate spatial discharge variability on coastal and beach scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stieglitz, T. C.; Burnett, W. C.; Rapaglia, J.

2008-12-01

Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) is now increasingly recognized as an important component in the water balance, water quality and ecology of the coastal zone. A multitude of methods are currently employed to study SGD, ranging from point flux measurements with seepage meters to methods integrating over various spatial and temporal scales such as hydrological models, geophysical techniques or surface water tracer approaches. From studies in a large variety of hydrogeological settings, researchers in this field have come to expect that SGD is rarely uniformly distributed. Here we discuss the application of: (a) the mapping of subsurface electrical conductivity in a discharge zone on a beach; and (b) the large-scale mapping of radon in coastal surface water to improving our understanding of SGD and its spatial variability. On a beach scale, as part of intercomparison studies of a UNESCO/IAEA working group, mapping of subsurface electrical conductivity in a beach face have elucidated the non-uniform distribution of SGD associated with rock fractures, volcanic settings and man-made structures (e.g., piers, jetties). Variations in direct point measurements of SGD flux with seepage meters were linked to the subsurface conductivity distribution. We demonstrate how the combination of these two techniques may complement one another to better constrain SGD measurements. On kilometer to hundred kilometer scales, the spatial distribution and regional importance of SGD can be investigated by mapping relevant tracers in the coastal ocean. The radon isotope Rn-222 is a commonly used tracer for SGD investigations due to its significant enrichment in groundwater, and continuous mapping of this tracer, in combination with ocean water salinity, can be used to efficiently infer locations of SGD along a coastline on large scales. We use a surface-towed, continuously recording multi-detector setup installed on a moving vessel. This tool was used in various coastal environments, e.g. in Florida, Brazil, Mauritius and Australia's Great Barrier Reef lagoon. From shore-parallel transects along the Central Great Barrier Reef coastline, numerous processes and locations of SGD were identified, including terrestrially-derived fresh SGD and the recirculation of seawater in mangrove forests, as well as riverine sources. From variations in the inverse relationship of the two tracers radon and salinity, some aspects of regional freshwater input into the lagoon during the tropical wet season could be assessed. Such surveys on coastal scales can be a useful tool to obtain an overview of locations and processes of SGD on an unknown coastline.

Elastic flexure controls magma trajectories and explains the offset of primary volcanic activity upstream of mantle plume axis at la Réunion and Hawaii hotspot islands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerbault, Muriel; Fontaine, Fabrice J.; Rabinowicz, Michel; Bystricky, Misha

2017-03-01

Surface volcanism at la Réunion and Hawaii occurs with an offset of 150-180 km upstream to the plume axis with respect to the plate motion. This striking observation raises questions about the forcing of plume-lithosphere thermo-mechanical interactions on melt trajectories beneath these islands. Based on visco-elasto-plastic numerical models handled at kilometric resolution, we propose to explain this offset by the development of compressional stresses at the base of the lithosphere, that result from elastic plate bending above the upward load exerted by the plume head. This horizontal compression adopts a disc shape centered around the plume axis: (i) it is 20 km thick, (ii) it has a 150 km radius, (iii) it lays at the base of the elastic part of the lithosphere, i.e., around ∼50-70 km depth where the temperature varies from ∼600 °C to ∼750 °C, (iv) it lasts for 5 to 10 My in an oceanic plate of age greater than 70 My, and (vi) it is controlled by the visco-elastic relaxation time at ∼50-70 km depth. This period of time exceeds the time during which both the Somalian/East-African and Pacific plates drift over the Reunion and Hawaii plumes, respectively. This indicates that this basal compression is actually a persistent feature. It is inferred that the buoyant melts percolating in the plume head pond below this zone of compression and eventually spread laterally until the most compressive principal elastic stresses reverse to the vertical, i.e., ∼150 km away from the plume head. There, melts propagate through dikes upwards to ∼35 km depth, where the plate curvature reverses and ambient compression diminishes. This 30-35 km depth may thus host a magmatic reservoir where melts transported by dykes pond. Only after further magmatic differentiation can dykes resume their ascension up to the surface and begin forming a volcanic edifice. As the volcano grows because of melt accumulation at the top of the plate, the lithosphere is flexed downwards, inducing extra tensile stress at 30-35 km depth and compression at ∼15 km depth (induced by the edifice load). It implies that now the melts pond at ∼15 km and form another magmatic reservoir lying just underneath the crust. These processes explain the ponding of primary (shield) melts at ∼35 km and ∼15 km depths as recorded below La Reunion, Mauritius or Hawaii volcanoes, all shifted by ∼150 km with respect to the plume axis.

[Malaria is still a leading cause of fever and death among children and pregnant women in Africa in 2015].

PubMed

Doumbo, Ogobara; Fall, Ibrahima Socé; Niaré, Doumbo

2016-03-01

The prevalence and morbidity of P. vivax, P. ovale (curisi et wallikeri) and P. malariae remain underestimated. However important progress has been made. According to the WHO World Malaria report between 2000 and 2015 the malaria incidence has decreased by 42% while the incidence of malaria deaths has decreased by 66%. This is the result of the important progress made in scaling up the main interventions such the rapid diagnosis test, Artemisinin-based combination therapies, long lasting insecticide treated nets, indoor residual house spraying, intermittent preventive treatment during pregnancy (IPTp-SP), Seasonal Malaria Chemoprophylaxis with combined antimalarial (SMClAQ-SP). In the Sahel region with a highly seasonal transmission, the use of SMC resulted in a reduction of malaria morbidity for 80% and a reduce mortality for 58%. Malaria elimination efforts are going on in many countries in Swaziland, South Africa, Namibia, Zanzibar (United Republic of Tanzania), Bioko Island (Equatorial Guinea), Sao Tome and Principe, Cape Verde, and maybe Senegal. For the time being only countries in Northern Africa and few in East Africa (Mauritius) have reached the elimination of local transmission. Despite the progress made near 500,000 malaria deaths occur annually in the African Region with 10-15% leading to disabling sequels and low school performance in children. Reaching the target of 80% for preventive and treatment interventions remain a challenge in many countries in Africa. It's important to keep in mind that the Abuja targets and MGDs were not reached by most African countries. In addition, among 12 million children eligible for SMC only 35% were covered despite the availability of resources in 2014. A huge global stock out of ACT. AQ-SP is possible. The development of an effective vaccine has been disappointing with a limited effectiveness of the RTS,S. The emerging resistance to Artemisinin derivate in South-East Asia and its possible expansion to Africa is of big concern. Anopheles gambiae resistance to pyrethroid make to situation even more complex. The situation can worsen because of factor such as climate change and socio-political crisis. Therefore the malaria situation in Africa is still of big concern despite the progress highlighted. Innovative a robust approach is needed with strong government commitment and partners support to lead battle. A new hope is emerging with the development of candidate vaccine from whole sporozoïte, the other candidates vaccines blocking the transmission in phase 1b and the new SMC Plus strategy (AQ-SP+Azithromycine). Conclusion: lessons learnt from the malaria eradication era in the 50s must be factored in while developing the malaria elimination strategy for Africa by 2030.

Determining Ocean-Bottom Seismometer Orientations from the RHUM-RUM experiment from P-wave and Rayleigh wave polarizations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scholz, John-Robert; Barruol, Guilhem; Fontaine, Fabrice R.; Sigloch, Karin

2016-04-01

To image the upper mantle structure beneath La Réunion hotspot, a large-scale seismic network has been deployed on land and at sea in the frame of the RHUM-RUM project (Réunion Hotspot and Upper Mantle - Réunions Unterer Mantel). This French-German passive seismic experiment was designed to investigate and image the deep structure beneath La Réunion, from crust to core, to precise the shape and depth origin of a mantle plume, if any, and to precise the horizontal and vertical mantle flow associated to a possible plume upwelling, to its interaction with the overlying plate and with the neighboring Indian ridges. For this purpose, 57 Ocean-Bottom Seismometers (OBS) were installed around La Réunion and along the Central and Southwest Indian ridges. Broad-band instruments were deployed with the French R/V Marion Dufresne in late 2012 (cruise MD192), and recovered 13 months later by the German R/V Meteor (cruise M101). The pool of OBS was complemented by ~60 terrestrial stations, installed on different islands in the western Indian Ocean, such as La Réunion, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Mayotte and the Îles Éparses in the Mozambique channel. The OBS installation is a free-fall down to the seafloor, where they landed in an unknown orientation. Since seismologic investigations of crustal and upper mantle structure (e.g., receiver functions) and azimuthal anisotropy (e.g., SKS-splitting and Rayleigh waves) rely on the knowledge of the correct OBS orientation with respect to the geographic reference frame, it is of importance to determine the orientations of the OBS while recording on the seafloor. In an isotropic, horizontally homogeneous and non-dipping layered globe, the misorientation of each station refers to the offset between theoretical and recorded back-azimuth angle of a passive seismic event. Using large earthquakes (MW > 5.0), it is possible to establish multiple successful measurements per station and thus to determine with good confidence the sensor orientations. In this study, we analyzed particle motions of P-waves (P-pol) and of Rayleigh waves (R-pol) to quantify the orientation of each of the 57 OBS. We performed 213 polarization measurements based on 35 earthquakes for P-pol, and 381 polarization measurements based on 48 earthquakes for R-pol. This allowed us to successfully determine the North/South orientations for 40 out of 57 OBS: 13 stations were devoid of usable data and 4 stations were too noisy. From twice the standard deviation (95% confidence interval), we estimate the errors between 1° and 20°.

A review of the genus Pempheris (Perciformes, Pempheridae) of the Red Sea, with description of a new species.

PubMed

Koeda, Keita; Yoshino, Tetsuo; Imai, Hideyuki; Tachihara, Katsunori

2014-04-30

Four species of the fish genus Pempheris are recognized for the Red Sea: P. adusta Bleeker, 1877; P. mangula Cuvier, 1829; P. nesogallica Cuvier in Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1831; and a new species P. tominagai. All are wide-ranging in the western Indian Ocean, and P. mangula has migrated via the Suez Canal to the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Morphological and genetic analysis of 15 species in this genus show that P. adusta, a widely distributed species, that can't be divided into different species, because of the continuity of morphologies and distribution, and lack of variance in genetics between Indian Ocean, Red Sea, and Pacific Ocean populations. This confirms that the two subspecies described by Randall et al. (2013) are both synonyms of P. adusta. Pempheris adusta is distinguished from other species by a blackish spot on pectoral fin base, pored lateral-line scales 56-64, scale rows above lateral line 4 1/2-6 1/2, distinct blackish band on outer edge of anal fin, and blackish band on posterior edge of caudal fin. Pempheris mangula was named by Cuvier (1829) in a footnote making reference to a drawing and short description in Russell (1803) of a Pempheris from southeast India, giving only the native name ''Mangula-Kutti'', and listing no specimen. The wide distribution of this species, from the Indian Ocean to the Red Sea is also demonstrated by morphological and genetic analysis. Thus, the specimen collected from southern India is herein designated as the neotype. This species is distinguished from other species by its huge eye, deep body, blackish tip of the dorsal fin, pored lateral-line scales 49-60, and scale rows above lateral line 4 1/2-5 1/2. The extant syntype of Kossmann & Räuber's P. rhomboidea is designated as the lectotype of the species; however, P. rhomboidea is a synonym of P. mangula. In addition, Kossmann & Räuber's Pempheris erythraea and P. russellii Day, 1888 are also synonyms of P. mangula. Of two existing syntypes of P. nesogallica from Mauritius, one is designated as the lectotype, the other is re-identified as P. mangula; P. nesogallica is presently known only from the southern Red Sea. This species has a similar morphology to P. mangula, but can be distinguished by a smaller eye than P. mangula, and lack irregular faint longitudinal light stripes on the body side. Pempheris tominagai are distinguished from P. schwenkii Bleeker 1855, formerly misidentified, by the form of posterior nostril, scale counts, color of caudal fin, and by a 2.1% mitochondrial DNA sequence divergence. 

Somatostatin receptor PET in neuroendocrine tumours: 68Ga-DOTA0,Tyr3-octreotide versus 68Ga-DOTA0-lanreotide.

PubMed

Putzer, Daniel; Kroiss, Alexander; Waitz, Dietmar; Gabriel, Michael; Traub-Weidinger, Tatjana; Uprimny, Christian; von Guggenberg, Elisabeth; Decristoforo, Clemens; Warwitz, Boris; Widmann, Gerlig; Virgolini, Irene Johanna

2013-02-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of (68)Ga-labelled DOTA(0)-lanreotide ((68)Ga-DOTA-LAN) on the diagnostic assessment of neuroendocrine tumour (NET) patients with low to moderate uptake on planar somatostatin receptor (SSTR) scintigraphy or (68)Ga-labelled DOTA(0),Tyr(3)-octreotide ((68)Ga-DOTA-TOC) positron emission tomography (PET). Fifty-three patients with histologically confirmed NET and clinical signs of progressive disease, who had not qualified for peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) on planar SSTR scintigraphy or (68)Ga-DOTA-TOC PET (n = 38) due to lack of tracer uptake, underwent (68)Ga-DOTA-LAN PET to evaluate a treatment option with (90)Y-labelled lanreotide according to the MAURITIUS trial. The included patients received 150 ± 30 MBq of each radiopharmaceutical intravenously. PET scans were acquired 60-90 min after intravenous bolus injection. Image results from both PET scans were compared head to head, focusing on the intensity of tracer uptake in terms of treatment decision. CT was used for morphologic correlation of tumour lesions. To further evaluate the binding affinities of each tracer, quantitative and qualitative values were calculated for target lesions. (68)Ga-DOTA-LAN and (68)Ga-DOTA-TOC both showed equivalent findings in 24/38 patients when fused PET/CT images were interpreted. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of (68)Ga-DOTA-LAN in comparison to CT were 0.63, 0.5 and 0.62 (n = 53; p < 0.0001) and for (68)Ga-DOTA-TOC in comparison to CT 0.78, 0.5 and 0.76 (n = 38; p < 0.013), respectively. (68)Ga-DOTA-TOC showed a significantly higher maximum standardized uptake value (SUV(max)) regarding the primary tumour in 25 patients (p < 0.003) and regarding the liver in 30 patients (p < 0.009) compared to (68)Ga-DOTA-LAN. Corresponding values of both PET scans for tumour and liver did not show any significant correlation. (68)Ga-DOTA-TOC revealed more tumour sites than (68)Ga-DOTA-LAN (106 vs 53). The tumour to background ratios for tumour and liver calculated from SUV(max) measurements were significantly higher for (68)Ga-DOTA-TOC than (68)Ga-DOTA-LAN (p < 0.02). (68)Ga-DOTA-TOC PET imaging is an established imaging procedure for accurate staging of NET patients. (68)Ga-DOTA-LAN should only be considered as a PET tracer of second choice in patients with no pathologic tracer uptake on (68)Ga-DOTA-TOC PET. In these patients, (68)Ga-DOTA-LAN PET can provide valuable information when evaluating PRRT as the treatment option, as a broader spectrum of human SSTR subtypes can be detected.

Rebuttal to Koeda et al. (2014) on the Red Sea fishes of the perciform genus Pempheris.

PubMed

Randall, John E; Victor, Benjamin C; Alpermann, Tilman J; Bogorodsky, Sergey V; Mal, Ahmad O; Satapoomin, Ukkrit; Bineesh, K K

2014-11-25

Koeda et al. (2014) published a review of fishes of the genus Pempheris of the Red Sea. They concluded that there are four species: P. adusta Bleeker, P. mangula Cuvier, P. nesogallica Cuvier, and a new species, P. tominagai. We show that the first three species they cite are not present in the Red Sea, as follows. 1) P. adusta is a western Pacific species (type locality Ambon), described only from the holotype, and without a dark border on the anal fin. Koeda et al. (2014) mistakenly apply that name to P. flavicycla which is a widespread Indian Ocean species characterized by a prominent broad black border along the anal fin. Koeda et al. (2014) also redescribe P. adusta, using Indian Ocean specimens of P. flavicycla, despite the coloration difference and a 2.5% difference in the mtDNA sequence (COI) between Indian Ocean and W. Pacific populations. 2) P. mangula is a species from the east coast of India (type locality Visakhapatnam), clearly distinct in both gill-raker counts and a 1.1% sequence divergence in COI from its Red Sea relative P. rhomboidea. Pempheris mangula is not found west of India, and Koeda et al. (2014) mistakenly use DNA from Oman and Madagascar to represent P. mangula, instead of genetic material available from the type locality. 3) Pempheris nesogallica (type locality Mauritius) is unknown from the Red Sea. Koeda et al. (2014) separate P. nesogallica from P. rhomboidea (their "P. mangula") by eye size; we fail to find any difference (and they use their purported eye-size difference to erroneously rename one of the two syntypes of P. nesogallica as "P. mangula"). 4) Their new species P. tominagai is referred to as the Indian Ocean sister species of "P. schwenkii of the Pacific"; however, the type locality of P. schwenkii is the Batu Islands off the SW coast of Sumatra in the Indian Ocean. They mistakenly include specimens of a distant South African species as paratypes of P. tominagai. We have determined that P. tominagai is a valid species endemic to the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. They misidentify one lot of P. rhomboidea in the collection of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem as their record of P. nesogallica from the Red Sea. They misidentify the specimen in their photograph of Fig. 1B as P. adusta and use it as material for their redescription of the species, but it is now shown to be a paratype of Pempheris bexillon Mooi & Randall, 2014. Additionally, they regard P. malabarica Cuvier as a junior synonym of P. molucca Cuvier, but the name P. molucca is based on a fanciful painting and is unavailable as a nomen dubium. They treat Pempheris russellii Day as a junior synonym of P. mangula; however, it is distinct in having longer pectoral fins, a larger eye, and more gill rakers. Their key to the species of Pempheris of the Red Sea is incorrect. We present a new key and conclude that only three species of Pempheris are presently known from the Red Sea: P. flavicycla, P. rhomboidea, and P. tominagai.

GEOSCOPE Observatory Recent Developments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leroy, N.; Pardo, C.; Bonaime, S.; Stutzmann, E.; Maggi, A.

2010-12-01

The GEOSCOPE observatory consists of a global seismic network and a data center. The 31 GEOSCOPE stations are installed in 19 countries, across all continents and on islands throughout the oceans. They are equipped with three component very broadband seismometers (STS1 or STS2) and 24 or 26 bit digitizers, as required by the Federation of Seismic Digital Network (FDSN). In most stations, a pressure gauge and a thermometer are also installed. Currently, 23 stations send data in real or near real time to GEOSCOPE Data Center and tsunami warning centers. In 2009, two stations (SSB and PPTF) have been equipped with warpless base plates. Analysis of one year of data shows that the new installation decreases long period noise (20s to 1000s) by 10 db on horizontal components. SSB is now rated in the top ten long period stations for horizontal components according to the LDEO criteria. In 2010, Stations COYC, PEL and RER have been upgraded with Q330HR, Metrozet electronics and warpless base plates. They have been calibrated with the calibration table CT-EW1 and the software jSeisCal and Calex-EW. Aluminum jars are now installed instead of glass bells. A vacuum of 100 mbars is applied in the jars which improves thermal insulation of the seismometers and reduces moisture and long-term corrosion in the sensor. A new station RODM has just been installed in Rodrigues Island in Mauritius with standard Geoscope STS2 setup: STS2 seismometer on a granite base plate and covered by cooking pot and thermal insulation, it is connected to Q330HR digitizer, active lightning protection, Seiscomp PC and real-time internet connection. Continuous data of all stations are collected in real time or with a delay by the GEOSCOPE Data Center in Paris where they are validated, archived and made available to the international scientific community. Data are freely available to users by different interfaces according data types (see : http://geoscope.ipgp.fr) - Continuous data in real time coming from 23 stations to GEOSCOPE Data Center are available automatically using the seedlink protocol developed by GEOFON (GFZ, Germany). Seedlink also enables to make these data accessible in real time to Tsunami Warning Centers and to other data centers. - Validated continuous waveforms and metadata of all stations are available by using the NetDC system (Networked Data Centers) and Data Handler Interface (DHI, IRIS-DMC) via DHI Clients. Data can be requested from GEOSCOPE Data Center and from other networked centers associated to the FDSN. - A selection of seismograms corresponding to large earthquakes through the GEOSCOPE web portal. - The power spectrum estimates of the seismic noise averaged over sequences of 24 hours for each station. The noise level of the last 10 years of continuous data has been computed and is accessible via the web. The noise level of real time data is computed at day-8. GEOSCOPE data center is networked to the French virtual data center, FOSFORE/RESIF, in order to give a unique access to French seismological data. In Europe, EIDA (European Integrated Data Archive) is operational since June 2009. GEOSCOPE/IPGP is one of the four primary nodes archiving and distributing data inside EIDA. All GEOSCOPE data are available via the European Seismic Portal (http://www.seismicportal.eu).

The role of plant physiology in hydrology: looking backwards and forwards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roberts, J.

2007-01-01

The implementation of plant physiological studies at the Institute of Hydrology focussed both on examining and understanding the physiological controls of transpiration as well as evaluating the value of using physiological methods to measure transpiration. Transpiration measurement by physiological methods would be particularly valuable where this could not be achieved by micrometeorological and soil physics methods. The principal physiological measurements used were determinations of leaf stomatal conductance and leaf water relations to monitor plant water stress. In this paper the value of these approaches is illustrated by describing a few case studies in which plant physiological insight, provided both as new measurements and existing knowledge, would aid in the interpretation of the hydrological behaviour of important vegetation. Woody vegetation figured largely in these studies, conducted in the UK and overseas. Each of these case studies is formulated as a quest to answer a particular question. A collaborative comparison of conifer forest transpiration in Thetford forest using micrometeorological and soil physics techniques exhibited a substantially larger (~1 mm day-1) estimate from the micrometeorological approach. So the question - Why is there a disagreement in the estimates of forest transpiration made using micrometeorological and soil physics approaches? A range of physiological studies followed that suggested that there was no one simple answer but that the larger estimate from the micrometeorology technique might include contributions of water taken up by deep roots, from shallow-rooted vegetation and possibly also from water previously stored in trees. These sources of water were probably not included in the soil physics estimate of transpiration. The annual transpiration from woodlands in NW Europe shows a low magnitude and notable similarity between different sites raising the question - Why is transpiration from European forests low and conservative? An important contribution both to the similar and low transpiration is the likely reduction of stomatal conductance of the foliage associated with increasing air humidity deficit. A greater response is usually found when initial conductances are highest. Also contributing to similarities in transpiration from forest stands would be a compensatory role of understories and that deficits in soil moisture may not come into play until severe soil water deficits occur. Physiological studies have been conducted in many locations overseas. The modest transpiration of tropical rainforest is intriguing - Why is tropical rainforest transpiration so low? In common with temperate trees the reduction of stomatal conductance of tropical trees in association with increasing air humidity deficit will limit transpiration. In addition the high leaf area index of tropical rainforest creates conditions in the lower canopy layers that mean transpiration from those layers is much reduced from what might be possible. As well as being used to quantify and understand transpiration, physiological techniques might be used to assess when plants require water. What is the first signal that plants need water? Studies on sugar cane in Mauritius indicated that leaf growth was the most sensitive measure. A look forward to the future suggests that there will be a continued need for physiological measurements particularly where other techniques more suited to extensive vegetation are not appropriate. There are many unresolved issues about water use from fragmented, heterogeneous vegetation and physiological approaches are best suited to these. The measurement of sap flow in individual stems will be an important methodology in the future but there are still methodological issues to resolve.

The GEOSCOPE Program: state of the art in 2007

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roult, G.; Stutzmann, E.; Maggi, A.

2007-05-01

The GEOSCOPE program was launched in 1982 by the National Institute of Sciences of Universe (INSU), a department of the French National Center of Scientific Research (CNRS), following the initiative of the Institute of Physics of the Earth of Paris (IPGP). The purpose was the installation of about 25 stations well distributed worldwide (in particular in the southern hemisphere), in the standard configuration defined by the FDSN (very broad-band 24 bit, continuous recording at 20sps). At present, the GEOSCOPE program is operating 28 digital 3-component very- broadband stations. In terms of site locations, the aim of the GEOSCOPE program is almost fulfilled. Our purpose is to maintain the stations at original sites (Indian Ocean, Africa) and to fill some geographical gaps at high latitudes in the southern and northern hemisphere. In particular, at high latitudes in Russia, we plan to install a new station VOR (Vorkuta) and to move the station SEY (Seimchan) to a new location in northern Kamchatka. We are also working on improving data quality and transmission. Historically, GEOSCOPE did not operate real- time data. Continuous data from most of stations arrive with significant delays and records from large events are teletransmitted from some stations (by phone RTC line or through internet) and are made available within one day. To improve this situation, we are replacing the old Streckeisen digitizers with new Quanterra data loggers, essentially Q330-HR ones. Presently data from 13 stations are made available at the IPGP Geoscope Data Center in near real-time, with a delay depending on the station: 1- ATD (Arta, Djibouti), a joint CTBTO/CERD/G station 2- CAN (Canberra, Australia), a joint ANU/G station 3- DZM (Dzumac, New Caledonia, a joint DASE/CTBTO/G station 4- ECH (Echery, France) 5- FDF (Fort de France, French West Indies) 6- KIP (Kipapa, Hawai), a joint IRIS/USGS/G station 7- PAF (Port aux Français, Kerguelen Island) 8- RER (Riviere de l'Est , La Reunion) 9- SSB (Saint Sauveur-Badole, France) 10- SPB (Sao Paulo, Brazil) 11- TAM (Tamanrasset, Algeria) 12- TAOE Marquesas Islands, a joint DASE/G station 13- TRIS Tristan Da Cunha, a joint IRIS/USGS/G station Our challenge is to link the maximum number of stations to our Data Center for getting data in real time. To reach this objective in a few years, we plan to upgrade more than 2 stations every year, our priority in 2007 is the upgrade of stations PEL and COYC in Chile. For the last ten years we have been progressively installing en environmental sensors (microbaromètres, thermometers), transforming all our stations in multiparameter observatories. We also are participating to the national efforts for the creation of a Tsunami Warning Center at La Réunion Island in the frame of the CNATOI project (Centre National d'Alerte aux Tsunamis dans l'Océan Indien). That project includes the installation of two new stations in 2007, one at Rodrigues Island (Mauritius) and one at Fort- Dauphin (NAM station, Madagascar). Daily automatic procedures allow to compute the noise level plots of each component, for each station in near real-time, in order to detect any anomalous behaviour of the station and to follow the station status.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: New standards in 18th century astrometry (Lequeux, 2014)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lequeux, J.

2014-05-01

Catalogue of Flamsteed (flamstee.dat): John Flamsteed (1646-1719) was the first astronomer in charge of Greenwich Observatory. His stellar catalogue (Flamsteed 1725) was built on observations from 1675 to 1683 with a 6-feet radius sextant mounted on an axis parallel to the polar axis of the Earth, then from 1683 to 1719 with a mural circle with a radius of 79.5 inches (2m). 220 stars over 3925. Catalogue of Romer (romer.dat): Ole (or Olaus) Romer (1644-1710) is principally known for his 1676 discovery of the finite velocity of light, a discovery that he shared with Jean-Dominique Cassini. After a long stay in Paris, he returned to Copenhagen in 1681 and was appointed professor of astronomy at the University. The observatory and all the observations were destroyed in the great Copenhagen fire of 1728, with the exception of observations of 88 stars obtained during three observing nights, from 20 to 23 October 1706. La Caille's catalogue of fundamental stars (lacaifun.dat): Nicolas-Louis La Caille (or Lacaille, or de la Caille, 1713-1762) was a French astronomer who is remembered principally for his survey of the southern sky, where he introduced 14 new constellations that are still in use today. Before leaving for the Cape of Good Hope in 1750, he started a catalogue of the 400 brightest stars of both hemispheres, which he completed during his stays in Cape Town and in the Mauritius island, then after his return to Paris in 1754. He reduced the observations himself, including for the first time corrections for aberration and nutation, and published them with details of the observations and reductions (La Caille 1757). Bailly's adaptation of La Caille's catalogue of fundamental stars (bailly.dat): After the death of La Caille, Jean-Sylvain Bailly published a catalogue of the brighest stars of both hemispheres for the equinox B1750.0 in Ephemerides for 10 year from 1765 to 1775 (Anonymous (Bailly) 1763, p. lvii-lxiv). This catalogue obviously derives from the catalogue named lacaillefund.dat. La Caille's complete survey of the southern sky (lacaisur.dat): During his stay in Cape Town in 1751-1752, La Caille made the first systematic survey of the sky ever, in the modern sense. 244 stars over 9766. La Caille's catalogue of zodiacal stars (lacaizod.dat): When La Caille returned from his southern expedition in 1754, he undertook the construction of a catalogue of zodiacal stars. Mayer's zodiacal catalogue (mayer.dat): At exactly the same time as La Caille, Tobias Mayer (1723-1762) in Gottingen undertook a similar catalogue of zodiacal stars, using a 6-feet radius mural quadrant made by John Bird (1709-1776). 200 stars over 998. Bradley's stellar catalogue (bradley.dat): James Bradley (1693-1762) is famous for his discovery of aberration and nutation. From 1750 to his death in 1762, he built a large stellar catalogue, from observations first with an old mural sector and after 1753 with the Bird 8-ft mural sector located in Greenwich, where it 215 stars over 3220. Piazzi's stellar catalogue (piazzi.dat): Giuseppe Piazzi (1746-1846) built a large catalogue containing 7646 stars from 1792 to 1813, observed in Palermo with an altazimuthal circle of Jesse Ramsden (1735-1800) can still be seen. 202 stars over 7646. Lalande's stellar catalogue (lalande.dat): L'Histoire celeste francaise de Lalande (Lalande 1801), which contains the unreduced observations of approximately 40,000 stars, is the first very large stellar catalogue. 198 stars over ~45000. (10 data files).

Twists, turns and trade: a new look at the Indian Screw tree (Helicteres isora).

PubMed

Cunningham, A B; Ingram, W; Brinckmann, J A; Nesbitt, M

2018-06-23

This is the first study of global trade in fruits of the widely used traditional medicine, Helicteres isora L.. It is used in Ayurvedic, Siddha, Unani medical systems and/or local folk traditional medicines in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. The roots are used in Traditional Chinese Medicines in China and the fruits in jamu products in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. In addition, H. isora fruits are also used in "traditional" medical systems far beyond the natural distribition of this species, for example in Zulu herbal medicine (South Africa) and Kurdish herbal medicines (Iraq) AIMS OF THE STUDY: This study had three aims: (i) to assess the global trade in H. isora fruits; (ii) to study the H. isora trade from West Timor to Java in terms of actors and prices along the value chain and (iii) to get a better understanding of the potential of this species to improve household income in eastern Indonesia MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study uses historical records, a contemporary analysis of global trade data (2014-2016) and field assessments of value chains and the biological factors influencing H. isora fruit production. Globally, the major exporter of H. isora fruits is India, which exports H. isora fruits to 19 countries, far beyond the natural geographical distribution of this species. Over a 36-month period (January 2014 - December 2016), India exported 392 t of H. isora fruits, with a Free-On-Board (FOB) value of Indian rupiah (INR) 18,337,000 (US$ 274,055). This represents an average annual export quantity of about 130,526kg/year. Over this three year period, most of these exports (85.5%) were to Indonesia (346.58 t), followed by Thailand (6.85%). Indian H. isora exports are also used in many other medical systems, including Kurdish and Zulu "traditional" medicines in Iraq and South Africa. Formation of an Indian diaspora in Bahrain, Mauritius, South Africa, Tanzania and Trinidad and Tobago over the past 130 years is one of the drivers of H. isora fruit trade outside the natural geographic distribution of the species. In Indonesia, demand for H. isora fruits is supplemented by an intra-island trade in Java and an inter-island trade from East Nusa Tenggara. West Timor, for example, exports around 31-37 t of air-dried H. isora fruits per year to Java. At the farm gate, local harvesters in West Timor get 4000 IDR (c. 0.3 US$) per kg, with businesses in Java paying 25000 IDR (c.US$2) per kg for H. isora fruits. This is similar to the price paid for H. isora fruits imported from India to Java. India is the major exporter of whole dried H. isora fruits, including to countries where this species has never been in traditional use. In Indonesia, H. isora fruit extracts are used in the cosmetic industry as well as in jamu herbal medicines, including "Tolak Angin", the country's most popular commercial "jamu" preparation. Indonesia also is the major importer of H. isora fruits from India. In eastern Indonesia, improved income to local villagers from the H. isora fruit trade could come from improved H. isora fruit quality due to better drying techniques. This would also reduce health risks along the supply chain from to mycotoxins that have been recorded on poorly dried H. isora fruits. There also is an opportunity for cultivation of H. isora in small-holder teak plantations in Indonesia, with harvest of H. isora fruits as well as the medicinal bark. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Obituary: David Q. Wark, 1918-2002

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McMillin, Larry Max

2003-12-01

David Q. Wark, a research meteorologist at the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA/NESDIS) and its predecessor organizations for 55 years, died of cancer 30 July 2002. He will be long remembered for his seminal contributions to the weather satellite program. A pioneer in the use of satellite sensors to provide observations of the Earth's environment for application to weather forecasting and atmospheric science, Dr. Wark was noted for his brilliant insights, dedication, and exceptional scientific achievements. He developed many of the theoretical and experimental techniques on which NOAA's current multi- billion-dollar meteorological satellite program is based. In the 1960's and early 1970's, he and his NOAA colleague Donald Hilleary were the motivating force and principal investigators for the first satellite instruments dedicated to sounding the atmosphere for temperature and water-vapor. These instruments included the Satellite Infra-Red Spectrometer (SIRS)-A and -B and the Vertical Temperature Profile Radiometer (VTPR), which were flown on NASA's Nimbus satellites and NOAA's ITOS-D satellites, respectively. With colleague Henry Fleming, he formulated the radiative transfer equation that quantifies the spectral radiances of the Earth and its atmosphere (measured at satellite altitude) and inverted that equation mathematically to infer the atmospheric temperature profile from satellite-based measurements of those radiances. A difficulty they had to overcome was that the mathematical problem is ill-posed, i.e., it admits of an infinite number of solutions. They arrived at a unique solution via an innovative application of a-priori information on the atmospheric state. This work was described in the landmark 1965 Wark and Fleming paper in the American Meteorological Society's Monthly Weather Review. From that early period until just weeks before his death, Dr. Wark continued his work at the Office of Research and Applications in NOAA/NESDIS on developing advanced techniques for sounding the atmosphere from satellites. Dr. Wark's work in remote sensing of the Earth's atmosphere and surface from weather satellites benefited from his skill both as a meteorologist and an astronomer. Most of his work was directed toward the goal of deducing vertical temperature and moisture profiles in the Earth's atmosphere, but he also proposed a method for obtaining cloud top altitudes using the oxygen A band. In the early days of this effort at NOAA/NESDIS and its predecessor agencies, Dr. Wark and others (most notably Dr. S. Fritz), assembled a remarkable group of internationally known scientists at NOAA to work on this pioneering effort and made Suitland, Maryland an exciting place to work. Included in this group of visiting scientists were G. Yamamoto, D. G. James, S. Twomey, and F. Saiedy. In addition to his own insights, Dr. Wark proved to have a remarkable facility for subdividing the complex temperature profiling problem into smaller component problems that the visiting and U.S. scientists could attack without interfering with each other. Despite his well-deserved reputation for having a formidable personality, he guided the development of the satellite temperature profiling field with tact, diplomacy, and scientific acumen. During this time, Dr. Wark also brought to NESDIS, and guided, a number of younger scientists who went on to establish reputations of their own in the fields of satellite remote sensing and satellite meteorology. These included J. Alishouse, L. Crone, D. Crosby, H. Fleming, H. Jacobowitz, L. McMillin, W. L. Smith, L. Stowe, and M. Weinreb. A Fellow of the American Meteorological Society, Dr. Wark received numerous awards from various scientific organizations, including a Silver Medal and a Gold Medal from the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Medal for Exceptional Scientific Achievement from NASA, the 2nd Half-Century Award from the American Meteorological Society, the Lloyd V. Berkner Space Utilization Award from the American Astronautical Society, and the Robert M. Losey Award, from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. David Quentin Wark was born on 25 March 1918, in Spokane, Washington. He was the fourth and last child of Percival Damon Wark and Clara Belle (née Mackey) Wark. In 1921 his family moved to Altadena and Pasadena, California, where he lived until 1939. He attended Altadena Elementary School, Edison Elementary School, Washington Junior High School, Pasadena High School, and Pasadena Junior College. From 1938 to 1939, and again in the summer of 1940, he worked for the Associated Press and David Lawrence to earn money to resume his education. In 1939, he entered the University of California, Berkeley, from which he graduated with a BA in Astronomy with honors in May 1941. From 1941 to 1942 he did graduate study in meteorology at the University of California, Los Angeles. He resumed graduate studies part time in 1948 at the University of California, Berkeley, while working full time at the U.S. Weather Bureau and graduated with a PhD in Astronomy in January 1959. He remembered those times as tough days driving back and forth to Berkeley and living in Half-Moon Bay. Dr. Wark's professional career began in 1942 at the U.S. Naval Observatory, where he served as a Naval Officer until 1946. He then went to work for the U.S. Weather Bureau. He spent the first three years of that period in Istres, France, Frankfurt and Munich, Germany, and Cairo Egypt. From 1949 through 1958 he served at the Aviation Weather Forecast Office in San Francisco. He then moved to the U.S. Weather Bureau Office in Suitland, Maryland, where he worked from November 1958 until 3 July 1999, when he officially retired. He actually retired from NOAA because during this time, he saw the U.S. Weather Bureau become part of ESSA which, in turn, became a part the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in 1970. But retirement did not stop his work or his contributions to science. In his last 3 years, Dr. Wark took a part-time post-retirement position at NOAA/NESDIS where he continued to work in the field he pioneered and to which he dedicated his life. One could not ta1k to Dr. Wark for long without learning of his keen interest in sailing. He was especia1ly proud of his 4-year adventure in which took periodic time from work to sail around the world (from 1982--1986) on his 38' cutter the Capella. During this time he (and a crew of 2) spent almost an entire year on the open seas, beginning the trip at Solomons, Maryland, and including stops in Ft. Lauderdale, Cancun, Panama, Galapagos Islands, French Polynesia, Cooke Islands, Niue, Tonga, Fiji, Vanuatu, Australia, Christmas Islands, Mauritius, Reunion, South Africa, St Helena, Brazil, the Virgin Islands and back home again along the North Carolina coast. His meteorological interest showed in the detailed series of bucket temperatures he took on this trip. On his return he obtained the corresponding satellite measurements and made comparisons between his temperatures and the surface temperatures measured by the satellite. He often made comments about how rare a cloud-free sky was, at least in the vicinity of oceans. A few years later he circumnavigated the eastern half of the United States via rivers, inter-coastal waterways, and canals, a trip of approximately 2000 miles. This voyage ended in 1990, when he was 72 years of age. Some of the segments of this voyage he sailed single-handedly, a remarkable achievement. This biography would not be complete without mentioning the famous cigars. Dr. Wark acquired a reputation among his colleagues for hardly ever being seen without a well-chewed cigar, damp on one end, lit on the other, in his hand. When computers were in their infancy, discs were not as well sealed as they are today, and the one in Dr. Wark's office seemed to experience an inordinate frequency of failures. Finally, in exasperation, he decided to investigate. On pulling the disc out and examining it with a microscope, he observed a speck of cigar ash that had landed on the disc's surface and scratched it. From that time on, although he was seldom seen without a tattered cigar, it was never lit when he was in his office. Dr. Wark was dedicated to his parents and the field of meteorology. This dedication was demonstrated when he provided a generous donation to the AMS to establish the Percival D. Wark and Clara B. (Mackey) Wark Scholarship. This is an annual scholarship to be awarded to a student majoring in atmospheric or related oceanic and hydrologic sciences. Dr. Wark is survived by his nephew Walter Damon Wark of no fixed address, and his great nephew Christopher Hal Wark of Fresno, California. His two brothers, Francis Walter and Robert Damon, as well as his sister, Dorothy Marie (née Wark) Schaertl, pre-deceased him.