Search Results (15)

Indigenous peoples globally experience a high burden of type 2 diabetes in comparison to non-Indigenous peoples. While community-based exercise interventions designed for type 2 diabetes (T2D) management have garnered success in non-Indigenous populations, they likely require adjustments to meet the needs of Indigenous people. This systematic review aims to determine if health outcomes in Indigenous peoples with T2D could be improved by community-based exercise programmes and the features of those programmes that best meet their needs. The CINAHL, Embase, Informit Indigenous Collection, Medline, PubMed, Scopus, SportDiscus, and Web of Science databases have been searched to identify peer-reviewed literature with original outcome data that report on the health effects of community-based exercise interventions for the management of T2D among Indigenous peoples. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool and Indigenous Community Engagement Tool were implemented to assess methodological quality. Three moderate-to-high-quality studies were selected for review, including participants of Polynesian or Native American Zuni Indian descent. Results indicated positive effects of group exercise on glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), body mass index, body weight, total cholesterol, blood pressure, quality of life, and patient activation levels in high-adhering participants. This review concludes that community-based exercise interventions may improve health outcomes for Indigenous adults with T2D when conducted with strong community engagement. Full article

α(1,2)fucosyltransferase (Se enzyme) encoded by FUT2 is involved in the secretor status of ABH(O) blood group antigens. The se^del2 allele is one of the non-functional FUT2 (se) alleles in which 9.3 kb, containing the entire coding region of FUT2, is deleted by Alu-mediated nonhomologous recombination. In addition to this allele, three SNPs of FUT2, c.375A>G, c.385A>T, and c.571C>T, appear to be prevalent in certain Oceanian populations such as Polynesians. Recently, we developed an endpoint genotyping assay to determine se^del2 zygosity, using a FAM-labeled probe for detection of the se^del2 allele and a VIC-labeled probe for the detection of FUT2. In this study, instead of the VIC probe, a HEX-labeled probe covering both c.375A>G and c.385A>T and a Cy5-labeled probe covering c.571C>T were added to the se^del2 allele assay mixture to allow for the simultaneous detection of these four variations via endpoint genotyping for se^del2 zygosity and fluorescence melting curve analysis for c.375A>G, c.385A>T, and c.571C>T genotyping. The results obtained from 24 Samoan subjects using this method were identical to those obtained using previous methods. Therefore, it appears that the present method can accurately determine these four variations simultaneously. Full article

In this study, samples from 429 dog individuals across three main regions of Vietnam (Southern Vietnam (SVN), Central Vietnam (CVN), and Northern Vietnam (NVN)) were collected to analyze the 582 bp region mtDNA HVI, so as to study the genetic diversity and to screen the rare haplotype E in the Vietnamese village dog population. Nine new haplotypes A, two new haplotypes B, and three haplotypes C were unique to Vietnam dogs, in which the new haplotypes An3, An7, Cn1, and Cn3 concerned mutations at new polymorphism sites (15,517, 15,505, 15,479, and 15,933, respectively) which have not been previously reported. The detection of haplotypes A9 and A29, and the appearance of haplotype A200 in the two individual dogs sampled support that the Southeast Asian dog is the ancestor of today’s Australian dingo and Polynesian dog. The two rare haplotypes E (E1 and E4) were reconfirmed in Vietnamese dogs and discussed. This study also contributes to strengthening the theory of domestication of dogs to the south of the Yangtze River and the Southeast Asian origin of the dingo. Full article

New Zealand had no people or four-footed mammals of any size until it was colonised by Polynesian voyagers and Pacific rats in c. 1280 AD. Between 1769 and 1920 AD, Europeans brought three more species of commensal rats and mice, and three predatory mustelids, plus rabbits, house cats hedgehogs and Australian brushtail possums. All have in turn invaded the whole country and many offshore islands in huge abundance, at least initially. Three species are now reduced to remnant populations, but the other eight remain widely distributed. They comprise an artificial but interacting and fully functional bottom-up predator-prey system, responding at all levels to interspecific competition, habitat quality and periodic resource pulsing. Full article

Animal venoms are a rich source of pharmacological compounds with ecological and evolutionary significance, as well as with therapeutic and biotechnological potentials. Among the most promising venomous animals, cone snails produce potent neurotoxic venom to facilitate prey capture and defend against aggressors. Conus striatus, one of the largest piscivorous species, is widely distributed, from east African coasts to remote Polynesian Islands. In this study, we investigated potential intraspecific differences in venom composition between distinct geographical populations from Mayotte Island (Indian Ocean) and Australia (Pacific Ocean). Significant variations were noted among the most abundant components, namely the κA-conotoxins, which contain three disulfide bridges and complex glycosylations. The amino acid sequence of a novel κA-conotoxin SIVC, including its N-terminal acetylated variant, was deciphered using tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). In addition, the glycosylation pattern was found to be consisting of two HexNAc and four Hex for the Mayotte population, which diverge from the previously characterized two HexNAc and three Hex combinations for this species, collected elsewhere. Whereas the biological and ecological roles of these modifications remain to be investigated, population-specific glycosylation patterns provide, for the first time, a new level of intraspecific variations in cone snail venoms. Full article

Tikopia Island, a small and relatively isolated Polynesian Outlier in the Southeast Solomon Islands, supports a remarkably dense human population with minimal external support. Examining long-term trends in human land use on Tikopia through archaeological datasets spanning nearly 3000 years presents an opportunity to investigate pathways to long-term sustainability in a tropical island setting. Here, we trace nutrient dynamics across Tikopia’s three pre-European contact phases (Kiki, Sinapupu, Tuakamali) via stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis of commensal Pacific rat (Rattus exulans) and domestic pig (Sus scrofa) bone and tooth dentine collagen. Our results show a decline in δ¹⁵N values from the Kiki (c. 800 BC-AD 100) to Sinapupu (c. AD 100–1200) phases, consistent with long-term commensal isotope trends observed on other Polynesian islands. However, increased δ¹⁵N coupled with lower δ¹³C values in the Tuakamali Phase (c. AD 1200–1800) point to a later nutrient rejuvenation, likely tied to dramatic transformations in agriculture and land use at the Sinapupu-Tuakamali transition. This study offers new, quantifiable evidence for deep-time land and resource management decisions on Tikopia and subsequent impacts on island nutrient status and long-term sustainability. Full article

Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) is an important component of many coastal environments and hydrologic processes, providing sources of nutrients to marine ecosystems, and potentially, an important source of fresh water for human populations. Here, we use a combination of unpiloted aerial systems (UAS) thermal infrared (TIR) imaging and salinity measurements to characterize SGD on the remote East Polynesian island of Rapa Nui (Easter Island, Chile). Previous research has shown that coastal freshwater seeps are abundant on Rapa Nui and strongly associated with the locations of ancient settlement sites. We currently lack, however, information on the differential magnitude or quality of these sources of fresh water. Our UAS-based TIR results from four locations on Rapa Nui suggest that locations of variably-sized SGD plumes are associated with many ancient settlement sites on the island and that these water sources are resilient to drought events. These findings support previous work indicating that ancient Rapa Nui communities responded to the inherent and climate-induced hydrological challenges of the island by focusing on these abundant and resilient freshwater sources. Our results highlight the efficacy of using UAS-based TIR for detecting relatively small SGD locations and provide key insights on the potential uses of these water sources for past and current Rapa Nui communities. Full article

A third of Aotearoa New Zealand’s increasingly ageing population resides in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. This most populous cosmopolitan urban area in the country is also home to the largest Polynesian population of any global city. Sprawling across a North Island isthmus inclusive of Hauraki Gulf islands, 70% of the city region is rural, whilst almost 90% of the ethnically diverse residents live in urban areas. Members of Auckland Council’s Seniors Advisory Panel (SAP) advocated for, and in 2018 secured unanimous support from the governing body to resource an Age-friendly City (AFC) Project. This case study inquiry applied bricolage methodology to provide diverse contextual perspectives of this unique Polynesian setting, prior to exploring interview narratives of three SAP members who served two consecutive terms (six years) as AFC advocates. Weaving insights gleaned from their interview transcripts responding to relational leadership prompts about their age-friendly advocacy with the findings from the council’s AFC Community Engagement report highlighted the achievements and challenges of the evolving AFC Project. Service-learning recommendations include co-developing: (1) A sustainable co-governance framework for an independent steering group that embodies the values and principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi to enable empowered active ageing for all residents; (2) A succession plan that enables the timely transfer of knowledge and skills to empower incoming SAP members. Full article

In French Polynesia, the production and exportation of black pearls through the aquaculture of the black-lip pearl oyster Pinctada margaritifera provide the second largest economic income for the country after tourism. This industry entirely relies on the collection of natural spats from few highly recruiting lagoons. In recent years, pearl oyster producers have experienced variable success rates in spat collection, with significant spatial and temporal variability in spat supply, driving uncertainty in the future of pearl production. This study combines, for the first time in a farmed lagoon, genetic (SNPs), demographic (sex ratio, age), and biophysical data (larval dispersal modelling) to shed new light on population dynamics, connectivity, and spat recruitment in Ahe Atoll, a well-studied pearl farming site. Our results indicate that the geographical structuring of the natural populations and the contribution of both natural and exploited stocks to the production of spats result from the interaction of hydrodynamic features, life history traits and demographic parameters: the northeastern natural populations are older, not well connected to the southwestern natural populations and are not replenished by larvae produced by adjacent exploited populations. Moreover, we observe that the exploited populations did not contribute to larval production during our experiment, despite a sampling period set during the most productive season for spat collection. This is likely the result of a strong male bias in the exploited populations, coupled with a sweepstakes reproductive strategy of the species. Our results warrant further investigations over the future of the northeastern older natural populations and a reflection on the current perliculture techniques. Full article

Pre-Western-contact Hawai‘i stands as a quintessential example of a large human population that practiced intensive agriculture, yet minimally affected native habitats that comprised the foundation of its vitality. An explicit geospatial footprint of human-transformed areas across the pre-contact Hawaiian archipelago comprised less than 15% of total land area, yet provided 100% of human needs, supporting a thriving Polynesian society. A post-contact history of disruption of traditional land use and its supplanting by Western land tenure and agriculture culminated in a landscape less than 250 years later in which over 50% of native habitats have been lost, while self-sufficiency has plummeted to 15% or less. Recapturing the ‘āina momona (productive lands) of ancient times through biocultural restoration can be accomplished through study of pre-contact agriculture, assessment of biological and ecological changes on Hawaiian social-ecological systems, and conscious planned efforts to increase self-sufficiency and reduce importation. Impediments include the current tourism-based economy, competition from habitat-modifying introduced species, a suite of agricultural pests severely limiting traditional agriculture, and climate changes rendering some pre-contact agricultural centers suboptimal. Modified methods will be required to counteract these limitations, enhance biosecurity, and diversify agriculture, without further degrading native habitats, and recapture a reciprocal Hawaiian human-nature relationship. Full article

There is evidence that lifestyle intervention among Polynesian people can reduce diabetes incidence and complications, but this evidence has not been systematically reviewed. The aim of this study was to systematically review the efficacy of lifestyle interventions, targeting the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes among Polynesian people. MEDLINE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Embase were searched to find randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and pre-post studies. Eight studies (four RCTs and four pre-post studies) with 1590 participants met the inclusion criteria. The data on health outcomes that was reported in these studies included blood pressure, body mass index, waist circumference, weight, and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c). The meta-analyses showed that the interventions had resulted in statistically significant reductions in systolic blood pressure (SBP) across four of the studies (WMD, −9.93 mmHg; 95% Cl, −10.77 to −9.09; and p < 0.00001). However, the effects on weight across five of the studies (WMD, −1.15 kg; 95% Cl, −2.80 to 0.51; p = 0.18) and the HbA1c levels across two of the studies (WMD, −0.38%; 95% Cl, −1.15 to 0.39; and p = 0.33) were not statistically significant. This review provides evidence that lifestyle interventions may be effective in achieving modest reductions in SBP in Polynesian people. Further research is needed to fully assess the effectiveness of these interventions in this population long-term. Full article

Understanding how species respond to population declines is a central question in conservation and evolutionary biology. Population declines are often associated with loss of genetic diversity, inbreeding and accumulation of deleterious mutations, which can lead to a reduction in fitness and subsequently contribute to extinction. Using temporal approaches can help us understand the effects of population declines on genetic diversity in real time. Sequencing pre-decline as well as post-decline mitogenomes representing all the remaining mitochondrial diversity, we estimated the loss of genetic diversity in the critically endangered kākāpō (Strigops habroptilus). We detected a signal of population expansion coinciding with the end of the Pleistocene last glacial maximum (LGM). Also, we found some evidence for northern and southern lineages, supporting the hypothesis that the species may have been restricted to isolated northern and southern refugia during the LGM. We observed an important loss of neutral genetic diversity associated with European settlement in New Zealand but we could not exclude a population decline associated with Polynesian settlement in New Zealand. However, we did not find evidence for fixation of deleterious mutations. We argue that despite high pre-decline genetic diversity, a rapid and range-wide decline combined with the lek mating system, and life-history traits of kākāpō contributed to a rapid loss of genetic diversity following severe population declines. Full article

Integration of archaeology, modern genetics, and ancient DNA holds promise for the reconstruction of the human past. We examine the advances in research on the indigenous peoples of Polynesia to determine: (1) what do archaeological and genetic data (ancient and modern DNA) tell us about the origins of Polynesians; and, (2) what evidence is there for long-distance travel and contacts between Polynesians and indigenous populations of the Americas? We note that the general dispersal pattern of founding human populations in the remote islands of the Pacific and long-distance interaction spheres continue to reflect well-established models. New research suggests that the formation of an Ancestral Polynesia Culture in Western Polynesia may have involved differential patterns of dispersal followed by significant later migrations. It has also been suggested that the pause between the settlement of Western and Eastern Polynesia was centuries longer than currently thought, followed by a remarkably rapid pulse of island colonization. Long-distance travel between islands of the Pacific is currently best documented through the sourcing of artifacts, while the discovery of admixture of Native American DNA within the genome of the people from Easter Island (Rapa Nui) is strong new evidence for sustained contacts between Polynesia and the Americas. Full article

In both Hawaiian and Tahitian, the central meaning of mahu denotes gender-variant individuals, particularly male-bodied persons who have a significant investment in femininity. However, in Hawai‘i, unlike Tahiti, the word mahu is now more commonly used as an insult against gay or transgender people. The negative connotation of the term in Hawaiian indexes lower levels of social acceptability for mahu identity on O‘ahu (Hawai‘i’s most populous island) as compared to Tahiti. The article argues that these differences are partly due to a historical legacy of sexually repressive laws. The article traces the history of sodomy laws in these two Polynesian societies and argues that this history supports the hypothesis that sodomy laws (in conjunction with such social processes as urbanisation and Christianisation) are partially to blame for the diminished social status of mahu on O‘ahu. A different social and legal history in Tahiti accounts for the fact that the loss of social status experienced by Tahitian mahu has been lesser than that of their Hawaiian counterparts. Full article