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Caribbean Island (caribbean + island)
Selected AbstractsA Dengue Outbreak among Camp Participants in a Caribbean Island, 1995JOURNAL OF TRAVEL MEDICINE, Issue 2 2000Rob Lyerla Background: Dengue, a mosquito-transmitted viral disease, is a risk for visitors in tropical and subtropical areas. Several participants in a community-assistance program in Tortola, British Virgin Islands, in August, 1995, reported dengue-like symptoms either before or soon after leaving the island. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study to determine the extent of the outbreak, risk factors for illness, and the proportion of inapparent infections. Program participants were interviewed by telephone or mail, and asked to submit a serum sample for dengue diagnosis. A clinically-diagnosed case of dengue was defined as a person with fever and two or more of the following: headache, retro-orbital pain, myalgia, arthralgia, rash, or hemorrhagic manifestations. Serum specimens were tested for virus isolation, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), plaque-reduction neutralization (PRNT) or anti-dengue IgM and IgG antibody. Results: Thirty-two (97%) of the 33 program participants responded; 21 of the 32 (66%) provided at least one serum sample for study. The median age was 17 years; 20 (62%) were women. Of 32 respondents, 22 (69%) met the clinical case definition for dengue: 15 of them (68%) had a positive IgM antibody response and 7 did not submit a serum sample. Dengue 1 virus (DEN-1) was identified by PCR in one case and all 11 positive PRNT results. No asymptomatic infections were identified. No respondent used effective mosquito repellent, and only 2 (6%) used bednets. Conclusion: A DEN-1 outbreak with a high attack rate (69%) occurred in a group of young short-term community aid workers. There were no asymptomatic infections documented. Participants' rare use of bednets or effective mosquito repellent highlights the importance of providing travelers to tropical areas with information about dengue fever and the recommended precautions to protect against infection. [source] AN ECOLOGICAL REVIEW OF CLADOPHORA GLOMERATA (CHLOROPHYTA) IN THE LAURENTIAN GREAT LAKES,JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY, Issue 4 2008Scott N. Higgins Cladophora glomerata (L.) Kütz. is, potentially, the most widely distributed macroalga throughout the world's freshwater ecosystems. C. glomerata has been described throughout North America, Europe, the Atlantic Islands, the Caribbean Islands, Asia, Africa, Australia and New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands. Cladophora blooms were a common feature of the lower North American Great Lakes (Erie, Michigan, Ontario) from the 1950s through the early 1980s and were largely eradicated through the implementation of a multibillion-dollar phosphorus (P) abatement program. The return of widespread blooms in these lakes since the mid-1990s, however, was not associated with increases in P loading. Instead, current evidence indicates that the resurgence in blooms was directly related to ecosystem level changes in substratum availability, water clarity, and P recycling associated with the establishment of dense colonies of invasive dreissenid mussels. These results support the hypothesis that dreissenid mussel invasions may induce dramatic shifts in energy and nutrient flow from pelagic zones to the benthic zone. [source] MtDNA from extinct Tainos and the peopling of the CaribbeanANNALS OF HUMAN GENETICS, Issue 2 2001C. LALUEZA-FOX Tainos and Caribs were the inhabitants of the Caribbean when Columbus reached the Americas; both human groups became extinct soon after contact, decimated by the Spaniards and the diseases they brought. Samples belonging to pre-Columbian Taino Indians from the La Caleta site (Dominican Republic) have been analyzed, in order to ascertain the genetic affinities of these groups in relation to present-day Amerinds, and to reconstruct the genetic and demographic events that took place during the peopling of the Caribbean. Twenty-seven bone samples were extracted and analyzed for mtDNA variation. The four major Amerindian mtDNA lineages were screened through amplification of the specific marker regions and restriction enzymatic digestion, when needed. The HVRI of the control region was amplified with four sets of overlapping primers and sequenced in 19 of the samples. Both restriction enzyme and sequencing results suggest that only two (C and D) of the major mtDNA lineages were present in the sample: 18 individuals (75%) belonged to the C haplogroup, and 6 (25%) to the D haplogroup. Sequences display specific substitutions that are known to correlate with each haplogroup, a fact that helped to reject the possibility of European DNA contamination. A low rate of Taq misincorporations due to template damage was estimated from the cloning and sequencing of different PCR products of one of the samples. High frequencies of C and D haplogroups are more common in South American populations, a fact that points to that sub-continent as the homeland of the Taino ancestors, as previously suggested by linguistic and archaeological evidence. Sequence and haplogroup data show that the Tainos had a substantially reduced mtDNA diversity, which is indicative of an important founder effect during the colonization of the Caribbean Islands, assumed to have been a linear migratory movement from mainland South America following the chain configuration of the Antilles. [source] A wedding in the family: home making in a global kin networkGLOBAL NETWORKS, Issue 3 2002Karen Fog Olwig Rituals such as weddings and funerals are significant for transnational family networks as events where scattered relatives meet and validate shared kinship and common origins. They are particularly important when taking place at a family ,home' that has been a centre of social and economic relations and locus of emotional attachment. This article analyses a wedding on a Caribbean island involving a large global family network, which occurred at a critical point in the family's history. It became an occasion when members asserted their notions of belonging rooted in the ,home', not just as members of a common kin group, but as persons whose life trajectories had involved them in different social, economic and geographical contexts. Individually they had dissimilar interpretations and expectations of their place in the home, and these were played out at the wedding. The gathering allowed a display of family solidarity, but was also a site where differing views of individuals' contribution to the global household were expressed, and rights to belong in the family home and, by implication, the island were contested. [source] Sociocultural factors in the development of anorexia nervosa in a black womanINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EATING DISORDERS, Issue 4 2006Ellen M.C. Willemsen MD Abstract Background In an earlier study, we found that anorexia nervosa (AN) does not occur among Black women on the Caribbean island of Curaçao. Method A case report is presented of a Black Antillean woman with AN, who was referred to a center for eating disorders in The Netherlands. In Curaçao, our patient succeeded in gaining weight to become more attractive. Due to subsequent problems in the relationship with her partner, she deliberately lost weight to become less attractive. Results After immigrating to The Netherlands, she adopted the Western cultural ideal of thinness and developed AN. Conclusion This case illustrates the role and possible effects of sociocultural factors in the development of AN. © 2006 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 2006 [source] Coral community decline at a remote Caribbean island: marine no-take reserves are not enoughAQUATIC CONSERVATION: MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS, Issue 7 2007Vânia R. Coelho Abstract 1.Coral reefs around the world have been deteriorating over decades owing to anthropogenic pressure. In the Caribbean recent rates of decline are alarming, particularly for coral reefs under high local human impact, many of which are severely degraded, although regions with lower direct anthropogenic influence seem less affected. 2.Little Cayman is a relatively undeveloped island, with less than 150 permanent residents. About 20% of its reefs have been protected by no-take marine reserves since the mid-1980s. We analysed the dynamics of coral communities around the island from 1999 to 2004 in order to test the hypothesis that a lack of major local anthropogenic disturbances is enough to prevent decline of coral populations. 3.Live hard coral coverage, coral diversity, abundance, mortality, size, and prevalence of disease and bleaching were measured using the Atlantic and Gulf Rapid Reef Assessment methodology (line transects) at nine sites. Despite the apparent undisturbed condition of the island, a 40% relative reduction of mean live coral coverage (from 26% to 16%, absolute change was 10%) was recorded in five years. Mean mortality varied from year to year from 23% to 27%. Overall mean diameter and height have decreased between 6% and 15% on average (from 47 to 40 cm for diameter, and from 31 to 29 cm for height). 4.The relative abundance of large reef builders of the genus Montastraea decreased, while that of smaller corals of the genera Agaricia and Porites increased. Disease prevalence has increased over time, and at least one relatively large bleaching event (affecting 10% of the corals) took place in 2003. 5.Mean live coral cover decline was similar inside (from 29% to 19%) and outside (from 24% to 14%) marine no-take reserves. No significant difference in disease prevalence or clear pattern in bleaching frequency was observed between protected and non-protected areas. It is concluded that more comprehensive management strategies are needed in order to effectively protect coral communities from degradation. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Index Pteridophytorum Guadalupensium or a revised checklist to the ferns and club mosses of Guadeloupe (French West Indies)BOTANICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY, Issue 3 2009MAARTEN J. M. CHRISTENHUSZ Recent revision of the fern diversity of the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe and its dependencies (Marie Galante, Les Saintes and La Désirade) resulted in the listing of 292 native ferns and club mosses in 28 families and 88 genera, of which eight ferns are endemic to Guadeloupe and 20 taxa are only recorded from the Lesser Antilles. Additionally, 21 species have recently been found to be naturalized. Nineteen new combinations are made and a new hybrid is described. Many types from the Fée collection have been reassessed and a number of names are lecto- or neotypified. Studied specimens are cited and localities are provided. © 2009 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2009, 161, 213,277. [source] PHYLOGENETIC RELATIONSHIPS AND MORPHOLOGICAL DIVERSITY IN DARWIN'S FINCHES AND THEIR RELATIVESEVOLUTION, Issue 6 2002Kevin J. Burns Abstract Despite the importance of Darwin's finches to the development of evolutionary theory, the origin of the group has only recently been examined using a rigorous, phylogenetic methodology that includes many potential outgroups. Knowing the evolutionary relationships of Darwin's finches to other birds is important for understanding the context from which this adaptive radiation arose. Here we show that analysis of mitochondrial DNA sequence data from the cytochrome b gene confirm that Darwin's finches are monophyletic. In addition, many taxa previously proposed as the sister taxon to Darwin's finches can be excluded as their closest living relative. Darwin's finches are part of a well-supported monophyletic group of species, all of which build a domed nest. All but two of the non-Darwin's finches included in this clade occur on Caribbean islands and most are Caribbean endemics. These close relatives of Darwin's finches show a diversity of bill types and feeding behaviors similar to that observed among Darwin's finches themselves. Recent studies have shown that adaptive evolution in Darwin's finches occurred relatively quickly. Our data show that among the relatives of Darwin's finches, the evolution of bill diversity was also rapid and extensive. [source] Are the Northern Andes a species pump for Neotropical birds?JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY, Issue 2 2010Phylogenetics, biogeography of a clade of Neotropical tanagers (Aves: Thraupini) Abstract Aim, We used mitochondrial DNA sequence data to reconstruct the phylogeny of a large clade of tanagers (Aves: Thraupini). We used the phylogeny of this Neotropical bird group to identify areas of vicariance, reconstruct ancestral zoogeographical areas and elevational distributions, and to investigate the correspondence of geological events to speciation events. Location, The species investigated are found in 18 of the 22 zoogeographical regions of South America, Central America and the Caribbean islands; therefore, we were able to use the phylogeny to address the biogeographical history of the entire region. Methods, Molecular sequence data were gathered from two mitochondrial markers (cytochrome b and ND2) and analysed using Bayesian and maximum-likelihood approaches. Dispersal,vicariance analysis (DIVA) was used to reconstruct zoogeographical areas and elevational distributions. A Bayesian framework was also used to address changes in elevation during the evolutionary history of the group. Results, Our phylogeny was similar to previous tanager phylogenies constructed using fewer species; however, we identified three genera that are not monophyletic and uncovered high levels of sequence divergence within some species. DIVA identified early diverging nodes as having a Northern Andean distribution, and the most recent common ancestor of the species included in this study occurred at high elevations. Most speciation events occurred either within highland areas or within lowland areas, with few exchanges occurring between the highlands and lowlands. The Northern Andes has been a source for lineages in other regions, with more dispersals out of this area relative to dispersals into this area. Most of the dispersals out of the Northern Andes were dispersals into the Central Andes; however, a few key dispersal events were identified out of the Andes and into other zoogeographical regions. Main conclusions, The timing of diversification of these tanagers correlates well with the main uplift of the Northern Andes, with the highest rate of speciation occurring during this timeframe. Central American tanagers included in this study originated from South American lineages, and the timing of their dispersal into Central America coincides with or post-dates the completion of the Panamanian isthmus. [source] ,-Globin gene cluster haplotypes and ,-thalassemia in sickle cell disease patients from TrinidadAMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN BIOLOGY, Issue 3 2008Altheia Jones-Lecointe In this study, we have determined the frequency of ,S haplotypes in 163 sickle cell disease patients from Trinidad. The ,3.7 globin gene deletion status was also studied with an observed gene frequency of 0.17. Among the 283 ,S chromosomes analyzed, the Benin haplotype was the most prevalent (61.8%) followed by Bantu (17.3%), Senegal (8.5%), Cameroon (3.5%), and Arab-Indian (3.2%), while 5.7% of them were atypical. This ,S haplotypes distribution differed from those previously described in other Caribbean islands (Jamaica, Guadeloupe, and Cuba), in agreement with the known involvement of the major colonial powers (Spain, France, and Great Britain) in the slave trade in Trinidad and documented an Indian origin of the ,S gene. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Repeat Teenage Pregnancy in Two Cultures,The Meanings Ascribed by TeenagersCHILDREN & SOCIETY, Issue 3 2010Jean Clarke This qualitative study charts the views, feelings and experiences of two diverse, yet in many ways similar, groups of respondents from two cultures , one group of 26 respondents from the Caribbean islands of Jamaica and Barbados and the other group of 26 respondents from London, who have experienced repeat teenage pregnancies. The study uses a comparative approach to provide a psychosocial, emotional and economic understanding of the factors, which lead to repeat pregnancies. This study cautions against an over reliance on a mechanistic understanding and management of both single and repeat teenage pregnancies, and emphasises the fact that economic, social, psychological and emotional processes are also crucial to our understanding of repeat teenage pregnancies. [source] | |||||||||||||