Biodiversity inventories and conservation of the marine fishes of Bootless Bay, Papua New Guinea

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

Background The effective management and conservation of biodiversity is predicated on clearly defined conservation targets. Species number is frequently used as a metric for conservation prioritization and monitoring changes in ecosystem health. We conducted a series of synoptic surveys focusing on the fishes of the Bootless Bay region of Papua New Guinea to generate a checklist of fishes of the region. Bootless Bay lies directly south of Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea, and experiences the highest human population density of any marine area in the country. Our checklist will set a baseline against which future environmental changes can be tracked. Results We generated a checklist of 488 fish species in 72 families found in Bootless Bay during a two-week sampling effort. Using incident-based methods of species estimation, we extrapolate there to be approximately 940 fish species in Bootless Bay, one of the lowest reported numbers in Papua New Guinea. Conclusions Our data suggest that the Bootless Bay ecosystem of Papua New Guinea, while diverse in absolute terms, has lower fish biodiversity compared to other shallow marine areas within the country. These differences in faunal diversity are most likely a combination of unequal sampling effort as well as biophysical factors within Bootless Bay compounded by historical and/or contemporary anthropogenic disturbances. PMID:22849436

Biodiversity inventories and conservation of the marine fishes of Bootless Bay, Papua New Guinea

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Drew Joshua A

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The effective management and conservation of biodiversity is predicated on clearly defined conservation targets. Species number is frequently used as a metric for conservation prioritization and monitoring changes in ecosystem health. We conducted a series of synoptic surveys focusing on the fishes of the Bootless Bay region of Papua New Guinea to generate a checklist of fishes of the region. Bootless Bay lies directly south of Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea, and experiences the highest human population density of any marine area in the country. Our checklist will set a baseline against which future environmental changes can be tracked. Results We generated a checklist of 488 fish species in 72 families found in Bootless Bay during a two-week sampling effort. Using incident-based methods of species estimation, we extrapolate there to be approximately 940 fish species in Bootless Bay, one of the lowest reported numbers in Papua New Guinea. Conclusions Our data suggest that the Bootless Bay ecosystem of Papua New Guinea, while diverse in absolute terms, has lower fish biodiversity compared to other shallow marine areas within the country. These differences in faunal diversity are most likely a combination of unequal sampling effort as well as biophysical factors within Bootless Bay compounded by historical and/or contemporary anthropogenic disturbances.

Improved laboratory capacity is required to respond better to future cholera outbreaks in Papua New Guinea

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Paul Horwood

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Cholera was first detected in Papua New Guinea in July 2009, caused by Vibrio cholerae O1 El Tor serotype Ogawa. By late 2011, 15 500 cases had been reported throughout lowland Papua New Guinea with a case fatality rate of 3.2%. The epidemic has since slowed, with only sporadic cases reported in Western Province and the Autonomous Region of Bougainville (ARB. Accurate and timely diagnosis is a critical element of the public health response to cholera, yet in low-income countries where the burden of cholera is the greatest, diagnostic services are often limited. Here we report on the diagnostic challenges and the logistical factors that impacted on diagnosis during the first reported outbreak of cholera in Papua New Guinea.

Comparison of Cocoa Beans from China, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea

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Fenglin Gu

2013-05-01

Full Text Available A survey on five kinds of cocoa beans from new cocoa planting countries was conducted to analyze each kind’s basic quality. The average bean weight and butter content of Hainan cocoa beans were the lowest, at less than 1.1 g, and 39.24% to 43.44%, respectively. Cocoa beans from Indonesia where shown to be about 8.0% and 9.0% higher in average bean weight and butter content, respectively, than that of Papua New Guinea and about 20.0% and 25.0% higher in average bean weight and butter content than Chinese dried beans, respectively. The average total polyphenolic content ranged from 81.22 mg/10 g to 301.01 mg/10 g. The Hainan 2011 sample had the highest total polyphenolic content, followed by the unfermented sample from Indonesia and the Papua New Guinea sample. The polyphenolic levels found in the Hainan 2010 sample were 123.61 mg/10 g and lower than the other three samples, but the Indonesian fermented sample had the lowest total polyphenolic content of 81.22 mg/10 g. The average total amino acid content ranged from 11.58 g/100 g to 18.17 g/100 g. The total amino acid content was the highest in the Indonesian unfermented sample, followed by the Hainan 2011 sample and the Papua New Guinea sample. The levels found in the Hainan 2010 sample were lower; the Indonesian fermented sample had the lowest total amino acid content.

Folk Opera: Stories Crossing Borders in Papua New Guinea

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Haseman, B.; Baldwin, A.; Linthwaite, H.

2014-01-01

The Life Drama project is a drama-based sexual health promotion project, developed by a cross-cultural research team in Papua New Guinea (PNG) over the past four years. Recognising the limitations of established theatre-in-education and theatre-for-development approaches when working across cultures, the research team explored ways of tapping into…

Serological evidence for transmission of multiple dengue virus serotypes in Papua New Guinea and West Papua prior to 1963.

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Dagwin Luang-Suarkia

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Little is known about the natural history of dengue in Papua New Guinea (PNG. We assessed dengue virus (DENV-specific neutralizing antibody profiles in serum samples collected from northern and southern coastal areas and the highland region of New Guinea between 1959 and 1963. Neutralizing antibodies were demonstrated in sera from the northern coast of New Guinea: from Sabron in Dutch New Guinea (now known as West Papua and from four villages in East Sepik in what is now PNG. Previous monotypic infection with DENV-1, DENV-2, and DENV-4 was identified, with a predominance of anti-DENV-2 neutralizing antibody. The majority of positive sera demonstrated evidence of multiple previous DENV infections and neutralizing activity against all four serotypes was detected, with anti-DENV-2 responses being most frequent and of greatest magnitude. No evidence of previous DENV infection was identified in the Asmat villages of the southern coast and a single anti-DENV-positive sample was identified in the Eastern Highlands of PNG. These findings indicate that multiple DENV serotypes circulated along the northern coast of New Guinea at different times in the decades prior to 1963 and support the notion that dengue has been a significant yet neglected tropical infection in PNG for many decades.

Predictors of Acute Bacterial Meningitis in Children from a Malaria-Endemic Area of Papua New Guinea

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Laman, Moses; Manning, Laurens; Greenhill, Andrew R.; Mare, Trevor; Michael, Audrey; Shem, Silas; Vince, John; Lagani, William; Hwaiwhanje, Ilomo; Siba, Peter M.; Mueller, Ivo; Davis, Timothy M. E.

2012-01-01

Predictors of acute bacterial meningitis (ABM) were assessed in 554 children in Papua New Guinea 0.2–10 years of age who were hospitalized with culture-proven meningitis, probable meningitis, or non-meningitic illness investigated by lumbar puncture. Forty-seven (8.5%) had proven meningitis and 36 (6.5%) had probable meningitis. Neck stiffness, Kernig’s and Brudzinski’s signs and, in children Papua New Guinea but malaria microscopy augments diagnostic precision. PMID:22302856

Informal Lifelong Learning for Development in Papua New Guinea: A Case Study from the Margins into the Mainstream

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Kidu, Carol

2018-01-01

This article traces the impact of the Ginigoada Foundation on the educational development of thousands of children and adults in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Port Moresby, capital city of Papua New Guinea (PNG), had been noted for the lack of educational opportunities for the majority of the population who lived in urban villages and squatter…

The effectiveness of school educating program for betel quid chewing: A pilot study in Papua New Guinea

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Gene Chen

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Background: To investigate the effectiveness of educating program among primary and secondary school students in Papua New Guinea, where has the highest incidence of oral cancer all over the world. Methods: A cross-sectional school based survey was arranged in primary and secondary school in Papua New Guinea in June, 2015. A self-administrated questionnaire was administered before and after education done by health experts from Taiwan. The subjects were chosen by random. The schools provided the students we educated and did the questionnaires on. Results: Ninety five primary school students and 55 secondary school students in Papua New Guinea participated in the study. Before education, both groups lacked the knowledge that betel quid is harmful to health and had no motivation to quit betel quid consumption with the average score 4.580 out of the total score of 8 for primary school students, and the average score of 4.600 out of the total score of 8 for secondary school students. After education, improvements were noted in knowledge of betel quid among both groups, and reached the statistical significance for secondary school students (mean difference 0.700 ± 0.277, 95% CI 0.164–1.248, p-value = 0.018. Conclusion: A great achievement was gained by a short time of education. To prevent the incidence and mortality of oral cancer in Papua New Guinea, education programs should be arranged aggressively and effectively. Keywords: Betel nut, Betel quid, Education, Papua New Guinea

Leadership Styles of New Ireland High School Administrators: A Papua New Guinea Study

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Tivinarlik, Alfred; Wanat, Carolyn L.

2006-01-01

This yearlong ethnographic study of principals' leadership in Papua New Guinea high schools describes influences of imposing a bureaucratic school organization on principals' decision making in a communal society. Communal values of kinship relationships, "wantok" system, and "big men" leadership challenged principals'…

The Implementation of Curricular Reform: Tanzania and Papua New Guinea.

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Saunders, Murray; Vulliamy, Graham

1983-01-01

Discusses the origins and policy characteristics of the Education for Self Reliance project in Tanzania and the Secondary Schools Community Extension Project in Papua New Guinea. Compares the sociopolitical climate, the policy characteristics, the role of academic assessment, policy change, and examples of the existing policy in the two countries.…

Rhinobatos manai sp. nov., a new species of guitarfish (Rhinopristiformes: Rhinobatidae) from New Ireland, Papua New Guinea.

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White, William T; Last, Peter R; Naylor, Gavin J P

2016-10-18

A new species of guitarfish (Rhinobatos) is described based on a single specimen collected in 2014 from off New Ireland in Papua New Guinea. This specimen represents the first record of the family Rhinobatidae in Papua New Guinean waters. Based on molecular data, the new species appears to be most similar to Rhinobatos whitei (Philippines) and Rhinobatos sainsburyi (northern Australia), but is distinguished based on its coloration, morphology and certain meristic characters.

"Training by Papua New Guinea Women, for Papua New Guinea Women": Lessons from the Development of a Co-Constructed Course for Women Smallholder Farmers

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Pamphilon, Barbara; Mikhailovich, Katja; Chambers, Barbara

2014-01-01

This article examines the lessons from a collaborative project that worked with women agricultural leaders in Papua New Guinea. The project sought to build the capacity of these leaders as trainers in a way that would enable the development of a sustainable community of practice and worked within a critical and place-based pedagogy underpinned by…

[Retrospectively experiencing the menopause in Germany and in Papua New Guinea: a comparative report].

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Kowalcek, I; Rotte, D; Painn, K; Schmidt-Müller, A; Diedrich, K

2003-11-01

The objective of this study was to examine the experience of menopause in postmenopausal women from Germany and in postmenopausal women from Papua New Guinea. Experience of menopause were assessed by formation of symptom groups (e. g. hot flushes, cardiac or sleeping trouble, depression, touchiness, drop in performance, vaginal dryness, painful joints or muscles), following the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS). Apart from the translated English version a questionaire in Pidgin English was offered. Questions about positive and negative experience of menopause and the acceptance of hormonal replacement therapy were included. Statistical analysis was performed both descriptively and for the group analyses the Chi-squared-test and the Mann Whitney's U test. 40 postmenopausal German women and 41 postmenopausal women from Papua New Guinea were asked about their experience of menopause. The German women were 58.7 years old (range from 52 to 62) and had two children on average (range from 0 to 4). 87.7 % had experience of symptoms. In Papua New Guinea mean age was 55.2 years (range from 48 to 70), parity six (range from 2 to 12). 76.9 % had experience of symptoms. There were significant intercultural differences between the experience of depressive mood, general drop of performance, sexual experience and the vaginal dryness and we found no significant intercultural differences between the experiences of hot flushes, cardiac trouble, sleeping trouble, nervousness and urological symptoms. 50 % of the German women take hormonal replacement therapy and nobody of Papua New Guinea. The experience of menopause as seen in the developed countries does not exist in the developing countries. The perception about illness and well-being are formed by culturally produced patterns.

Non-tuberculous mycobacteria: baseline data from three sites in Papua New Guinea, 2010-2012.

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Ley, Serej; Carter, Robyn; Millan, Korai; Phuanukoonnon, Suparat; Pandey, Sushil; Coulter, Christopher; Siba, Peter; Beck, Hans-Peter

2015-01-01

To determine the proportion of non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) in samples of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) cases from Papua New Guinea who were diagnosed using acid-fast microscopy. As part of a case detection study for TB, conducted in three provincial hospitals in Papua New Guinea, sputum samples of suspected tuberculous cases aged 15 years or older were collected from November 2010 to July 2012. Mycobacterial species isolated from sputum and grown in culture were examined to distinguish between NTM and the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC). NTM were detected in 4% (9/225) of sputum samples grown in culture. Five (2.2%) of them were identified as NTM only and four (1.8%) were identified as mixed cultures containing both MTBC and NTM. Four different NTM species were identified; M. fortuitum, M. intracellulare, M. terrae and M. avium. This is the first report from Papua New Guinea identifying NTM in three different locations. As NTM cannot be distinguished from M. tuberculosis through smear microscopy, the presence of NTM can lead to a false-positive diagnosis of tuberculosis. The prevalence of NTM should be determined and a diagnostic algorithm developed to confirm acid-fast bacilli in a smear as M. tuberculosis.

Implementing a New Model for Teachers' Professional Learning in Papua New Guinea

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Honan, Eileen; Evans, Terry; Muspratt, Sandy; Paraide, Patricia; Reta, Medi; Baroutsis, Aspa

2012-01-01

This article reports on a study that investigates the possibilities of developing a professional learning model based on action research that could lead to sustained improvements in teaching and learning in schools in remote areas of Papua New Guinea. The issues related to the implementation of this model are discussed using a critical lens that…

A large outbreak of shigellosis commencing in an internally displaced population, Papua New Guinea, 2013.

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Benny, Edwin; Mesere, Kelly; Pavlin, Boris I; Yakam, Logan; Ford, Rebecca; Yoannes, Mition; Kisa, Debbie; Abdad, Mohammad Y; Menda, Lincoln; Greenhill, Andrew R; Horwood, Paul F

2014-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate a large outbreak of shigellosis in Papua New Guinea that began in a camp for internally displaced persons before spreading throughout the general community. Outbreak mitigation strategies were implemented in the affected area to curtail the spread of the disease. Data were collected from the surveillance system and analysed by time, place and person. Rectal swab samples were tested by standard culture methods and real-time polymerase chain reaction to determine the etiology of the outbreak. Laboratory analysis at two independent institutions established that the outbreak was caused by Shigella sp., with one strain further characterized as Shigella flexneri serotype 2. Approximately 1200 suspected cases of shigellosis were reported in a two-month period from two townships in Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea. The outbreak resulted in at least five deaths, all in young children. This outbreak of shigellosis highlights the threat of enteric diseases to vulnerable populations such as internally displaced persons in Papua New Guinea, as has been observed in other global settings.

A large outbreak of shigellosis commencing in an internally displaced population, Papua New Guinea, 2013

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Edwin Benny

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate a large outbreak of shigellosis in Papua New Guinea that began in a camp for internally displaced persons before spreading throughout the general community. Methods: Outbreak mitigation strategies were implemented in the affected area to curtail the spread of the disease. Data were collected from the surveillance system and analysed by time, place and person. Rectal swab samples were tested by standard culture methods and real-time polymerase chain reaction to determine the etiology of the outbreak. Results: Laboratory analysis at two independent institutions established that the outbreak was caused by Shigella sp., with one strain further characterized as Shigella flexneri serotype 2. Approximately 1200 suspected cases of shigellosis were reported in a two-month period from two townships in Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea. The outbreak resulted in at least five deaths, all in young children. Discussion: This outbreak of shigellosis highlights the threat of enteric diseases to vulnerable populations such as internally displaced persons in Papua New Guinea, as has been observed in other global settings.

Spatio-temporal epidemiology of the cholera outbreak in Papua New Guinea, 2009-2011.

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Horwood, Paul F; Karl, Stephan; Mueller, Ivo; Jonduo, Marinjho H; Pavlin, Boris I; Dagina, Rosheila; Ropa, Berry; Bieb, Sibauk; Rosewell, Alexander; Umezaki, Masahiro; Siba, Peter M; Greenhill, Andrew R

2014-08-20

Cholera continues to be a devastating disease in many developing countries where inadequate safe water supply and poor sanitation facilitate spread. From July 2009 until late 2011 Papua New Guinea experienced the first outbreak of cholera recorded in the country, resulting in >15,500 cases and >500 deaths. Using the national cholera database, we analysed the spatio-temporal distribution and clustering of the Papua New Guinea cholera outbreak. The Kulldorff space-time permutation scan statistic, contained in the software package SatScan v9.2 was used to describe the first 8 weeks of the outbreak in Morobe Province before cholera cases spread throughout other regions of the country. Data were aggregated at the provincial level to describe the spread of the disease to other affected provinces. Spatio-temporal and cluster analyses revealed that the outbreak was characterized by three distinct phases punctuated by explosive propagation of cases when the outbreak spread to a new region. The lack of road networks across most of Papua New Guinea is likely to have had a major influence on the slow spread of the disease during this outbreak. Identification of high risk areas and the likely mode of spread can guide government health authorities to formulate public health strategies to mitigate the spread of the disease through education campaigns, vaccination, increased surveillance in targeted areas and interventions to improve water, sanitation and hygiene.

New and noteworthy bird records from the Mt. Wilhelm elevational gradient, Papua New Guinea

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Marki, Petter Zahl; Sam, Katerina; Koane, Bonny

2016-01-01

The elevational gradient of Mt. Wilhelm, the highest peak in Papua New Guinea, represents one of the best-surveyed elevational gradients in the Indo-Pacific region. Based on field work undertaken in 2013 and 2015, we report range extensions, new elevational records and add 24 species to the list...

Professional Learning for Cultural Mathematics in Papua New Guinea's Elementary Schools

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Owens, Kay; Edmonds-Wathen, Cris; Kravia, Geori; Sakopa, Priscilla

2014-01-01

A design of principles for teacher professional learning was developed to improve the teaching of "Cultural Mathematics" in elementary schools in Papua New Guinea. The design's appropriateness for PNG elementary schools is the focus of the research implemented through week-long workshops using technology enhancement. Implementation has…

Integrated nutrient management research with sweet potato in Papua New Guinea

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hartemink, A.E.

2003-01-01

This paper summarizes a series of field experiments that investigated the effects of organic and inorganic nutrients on sweet potato tuber yield in the humid lowlands of Papua New Guinea. In the first experiment, plots were planted with Piper aduncum, Gliricidia sepium and Imperata cylindrica, which

Prevalence and Correlates of HIV Infection Among Sex Workers in Papua New Guinea: First Results from the Papua New Guinea and Australia Sexual Health Improvement Project (PASHIP).

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Wand, Handan; Siba, Peter

2015-12-01

The primary objective of this study was to estimate the individual and combined impacts of socio-demographic and sexual behaviours on HIV diagnosis among 523 female sex workers who participated in the Papua New Guinea and Australia Sexual Health Improvement Project. Logistic regression models were used to identify the factors associated with HIV positivity. We estimated their population level impacts in order to quantify the proportion of HIV seropositivity is attributed to these factors. Less than 40 % of women consented to get tested for HIV. HIV prevalence was 7 % (95 % CI 4-11 %); lack of education and knowledge/awareness of HIV accounted for ~70 % of the HIV diagnoses. A major obstacle is lack of interest for testing. Our study underscored the major challenges in this culturally, linguistically heterogeneous country. The epidemic in Papua New Guinea requires targeted prevention interventions among those at highest risk of acquiring or transmitting infection.

General health workers' description of mental health problems and treatment approaches used in Papua New Guinea.

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Koka, Betty E; Deane, Frank P; Lyons, Geoffrey Cb; Lambert, Gordon

2014-11-01

Papua New Guinea is a developing country with limited resources for specialist mental health services. Little is known about the mental health and treatment services of Papua New Guinea. The aim of this study was to clarify the presenting mental health problems encountered by Papua New Guinean health workers and the common treatment approaches used. A total of 203 Papua New Guinean health workers completed a retrospective quantitative survey about their three most recent mental health patients. The survey asked about presenting symptomatology, diagnoses (including culture-bound diagnoses) and treatment approaches. The major presenting mental health problems for males included schizophrenia, substance use disorder, sorcery and spirit possession. Depression was the most common diagnoses for women, followed by sorcery and somatisation. Over 65% of patients were prescribed psychotropic medication, over 50% received some form of psychological intervention and 28% were receiving traditional treatments. Somatic symptoms are common among both male and female Papua New Guineans; however, males may be more likely to present with psychotic symptoms and females with mood-related problems. Schizophrenia and depression are commonly identified with substance use disorder more problematic among males. Culture-specific explanations and treatment are commonly used. © The Author(s) 2013.

High Levels of Transmitted HIV Drug Resistance in a Study in Papua New Guinea.

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Lavu, Evelyn; Kave, Ellan; Mosoro, Euodia; Markby, Jessica; Aleksic, Eman; Gare, Janet; Elsum, Imogen A; Nano, Gideon; Kaima, Petronia; Dala, Nick; Gurung, Anup; Bertagnolio, Silvia; Crowe, Suzanne M; Myatt, Mark; Hearps, Anna C; Jordan, Michael R

2017-01-01

Papua New Guinea is a Pacific Island nation of 7.3 million people with an estimated HIV prevalence of 0.8%. ART initiation and monitoring are guided by clinical staging and CD4 cell counts, when available. Little is known about levels of transmitted HIV drug resistance in recently infected individuals in Papua New Guinea. Surveillance of transmitted HIV drug resistance in a total of 123 individuals recently infected with HIV and aged less than 30 years was implemented in Port Moresby (n = 62) and Mount Hagen (n = 61) during the period May 2013-April 2014. HIV drug resistance testing was performed using dried blood spots. Transmitted HIV drug resistance was defined by the presence of one or more drug resistance mutations as defined by the World Health Organization surveillance drug resistance mutations list. The prevalence of non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor transmitted HIV drug resistance was 16.1% (95% CI 8.8%-27.4%) and 8.2% (95% CI 3.2%-18.2%) in Port Moresby and Mount Hagen, respectively. The prevalence of nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor transmitted HIV drug resistance was 3.2% (95% CI 0.2%-11.7%) and 3.3% (95% CI 0.2%-11.8%) in Port Moresby and Mount Hagen, respectively. No protease inhibitor transmitted HIV drug resistance was observed. The level of non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor drug resistance in antiretroviral drug naïve individuals recently infected with HIV in Port Moresby is amongst the highest reported globally. This alarming level of transmitted HIV drug resistance in a young sexually active population threatens to limit the on-going effective use of NNRTIs as a component of first-line ART in Papua New Guinea. To support the choice of nationally recommended first-line antiretroviral therapy, representative surveillance of HIV drug resistance among antiretroviral therapy initiators in Papua New Guinea should be urgently implemented.

The Portable Sawmill and Other Challenges to REDD+ in Papua New Guinea

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dalsgaard, Steffen; Pedersen, Marianne

The future for REDD+ in Papua New Guinea (PNG) seems uncertain in these days. Logging companies are accessing much land via a controversial legal framework (Special Agricultural Business Lease), while conservation-oriented NGOs are struggling to find schemes to stop the deforestation. After the f......', where landowners log their own trees may paradoxically be the biggest challenge to conservation in PNG rather than its last hope.......The future for REDD+ in Papua New Guinea (PNG) seems uncertain in these days. Logging companies are accessing much land via a controversial legal framework (Special Agricultural Business Lease), while conservation-oriented NGOs are struggling to find schemes to stop the deforestation. After...... the failure of voluntary carbon trade due largely to scams, REDD+ has been their new darling. However, there are currently only a few pilot projects mainly in areas, without large-scale logging. This paper argues that to understand the possibility for successfully implementing REDD+, one must look...

The invasive shrub Piper aduncum in Papua New Guinea: a review

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hartemink, A.E.

2010-01-01

HARTEMINK AE. 2010. The invasive shrub Piper aduneum in Papua New Guinea: a review. Piper aduncum is a shrub native to Central America. It is found in most Central and South American countries and also in the Caribbean and southern Florida (USA). In Asia and the Pacific, P aduncum occurs in

An Assessment of Language Needs for Technical Communication in a Multilingual Speech Community: Implications for Teaching LSP in Papua New Guinea.

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Moody, James

A survey of 98 Papua New Guinea technical university graduates in the applied sciences, engineering fields, and forestry investigated their language skill use and language needs in the workplace. Results indicate that, as in Papua New Guinea society in general, English and Tok Pisin are the two most important languages for technical communication…

Associations of Socioeconomic Status with Diet and Physical Activity in Migrant Bougainvilleans in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

Vengiau, Gwendalyn; Umezaki, Masahiro; Phuanukoonnon, Suparat; Siba, Peter; Watanabe, Chiho

2014-01-01

Urban migrants in Papua New Guinea have undergone a nutritional transition. The present study investigated associations of socioeconomic status with dietary and physical activity patterns among migrant Bougainvilleans from Nassioi territory in the capital city of Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. All adults Naasioi migrants residing in Port Moresby were identified (N = 185) and 70 were included. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire was used to evaluate physical activity, and dietary patterns were assessed by per-week consumption frequency of food items. Principal component analysis was applied to produce a composite score for socioeconomic status. Least square regression analysis indicated that socioeconomic status was positively correlated with consumption of a traditional diet (p = .03) and negatively with walking-related physical activity (p = .02), but it was not correlated with MET-minutes of moderate/vigorous activity. Different patterns of nutritional transition occur among migrants in urban Papua New Guinea, depending on socioeconomic status.

Situation Reports--Barbados, Canada, Papua and New Guinea, St. Vincent, Surinam.

Science.gov (United States)

International Planned Parenthood Federation, London (England).

Data relating to population and family planning in six countries are presented in these situation reports. Countries included are Barbados, Canada, Papua and New Guinea, St. Vincent, and Surinam. Information is provided in the following areas where appropriate and if it is available: (1) statistics on population, birth and death rates, G. N. P.,…

The effectiveness of school educating program for betel quid chewing: A pilot study in Papua New Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Gene; Hsieh, Ming-Yu; Chen, Andy Wei-Ge; Kao, Nina Hsiao-Ling; Chen, Mu-Kuan

2018-04-01

To investigate the effectiveness of educating program among primary and secondary school students in Papua New Guinea, where has the highest incidence of oral cancer all over the world. A cross-sectional school based survey was arranged in primary and secondary school in Papua New Guinea in June, 2015. A self-administrated questionnaire was administered before and after education done by health experts from Taiwan. The subjects were chosen by random. The schools provided the students we educated and did the questionnaires on. Ninety five primary school students and 55 secondary school students in Papua New Guinea participated in the study. Before education, both groups lacked the knowledge that betel quid is harmful to health and had no motivation to quit betel quid consumption with the average score 4.580 out of the total score of 8 for primary school students, and the average score of 4.600 out of the total score of 8 for secondary school students. After education, improvements were noted in knowledge of betel quid among both groups, and reached the statistical significance for secondary school students (mean difference 0.700 ± 0.277, 95% CI 0.164-1.248, p-value = 0.018). A great achievement was gained by a short time of education. To prevent the incidence and mortality of oral cancer in Papua New Guinea, education programs should be arranged aggressively and effectively. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Taiwan LLC.

Practice and problems in radiation protection in medical institutions in Papua New Guinea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patel, I.C.

1984-01-01

Sources of ionizing radiations employed in medical centres in Papua New Guinea are outlined and the present practice in radiation protection is discussed. Steps being taken or proposed to improve the standard of radiological protection are also considered

Maintenance of a reliable laboratory service for tuberculosis intervention in Papua New Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

Makaen, Johnson; Omena, Mathew

2015-01-01

The reemergence of tuberculosis, including multidrug-resistant strains, in Papua New Guinea highlights the never ending nature of the antituberculosis (anti-TB) campaign in that country and warrants the need for constant vigilance against the condition. Through surveillance, early detection, and management, the spread and incidence of TB can be kept in check. To maintain successful TB control programs, the government and partners committed to this campaign need to overhaul essential aspects of laboratory services. Clinical laboratories play a critical role in diagnostics; their functions cannot be substituted nor relegated. It is time to end neglect of these services in Papua New Guinea and to arm the laboratories in that country with full financial and logistical support so that they can lead the campaign against TB. Copyright© by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP).

Grammar of Kove: An Austronesian Language of the West New Britain Province, Papua New Guinea

Science.gov (United States)

Sato, Hiroko

2013-01-01

This dissertation is a descriptive grammar of Kove, an Austronesian language spoken in the West New Britain Province of Papua New Guinea. Kove is primarily spoken in 18 villages, including some on the small islands north of New Britain. There are about 9,000 people living in the area, but many are not fluent speakers of Kove. The dissertation…

The invasion of Piper aduncum in Papua New Guinea: friend or foe?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hartemink, A.E.

2002-01-01

About 75% of the land mass of Papua New Guinea is covered by primary forest which is assumed to have a high biodiversity. Overall there has been little decrease in the area under primary forest although some has resulted from logging activities and expansion of plantation agriculture. Shifting

Non-tuberculous mycobacteria: baseline data from three sites in Papua New Guinea, 2010–2012

Science.gov (United States)

Ley, Serej; Carter, Robyn; Millan, Korai; Phuanukoonnon, Suparat; Pandey, Sushil; Coulter, Christopher; Siba, Peter

2015-01-01

Objective To determine the proportion of non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) in samples of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) cases from Papua New Guinea who were diagnosed using acid-fast microscopy. Methods As part of a case detection study for TB, conducted in three provincial hospitals in Papua New Guinea, sputum samples of suspected tuberculous cases aged 15 years or older were collected from November 2010 to July 2012. Mycobacterial species isolated from sputum and grown in culture were examined to distinguish between NTM and the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC). Results NTM were detected in 4% (9/225) of sputum samples grown in culture. Five (2.2%) of them were identified as NTM only and four (1.8%) were identified as mixed cultures containing both MTBC and NTM. Four different NTM species were identified; M. fortuitum, M. intracellulare, M. terrae and M. avium. Discussion This is the first report from Papua New Guinea identifying NTM in three different locations. As NTM cannot be distinguished from M. tuberculosis through smear microscopy, the presence of NTM can lead to a false-positive diagnosis of tuberculosis. The prevalence of NTM should be determined and a diagnostic algorithm developed to confirm acid-fast bacilli in a smear as M. tuberculosis. PMID:26798558

Management and utilization of forest resources in Papua New Guinea

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P.B.L. Srivastava

1992-01-01

Papua New Guinea, with an area of about 46.7 million ha and population of 3.7 million, is blessed with a large natural forest resource. Over 80 percent of the land is covered with forests of various types, ranging from swamp and lowland rain forests in coastal plains to alpine vegetation and moss forests in the highlands, most of which are owned by the people. About 15...

A Collaborative Governance Approach to Improving Tertiary Education in Papua New Guinea

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Eldridge, Kaye; Larry, Lisa; Baird, Jeanette; Kavanamur, David

2018-01-01

Tertiary education in Papua New Guinea (PNG) is in a critical state, as the sector struggles to address increased demand for student places with severely curtailed capacity. Recent thinking about improving public services in PNG has emphasized "whole of sector" or collaborative governance. Such an approach in tertiary education has the…

Welding in the highlands of Papua New Guinea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dinon, Mike; Mendez, Alfredo; Ward, Jason

2007-01-01

This paper gives examples of the qualification of welding procedures intended for use in the highlands of Papua New Guinea. Two examples are given of welding procedures which required the development of a unique approach in each case after an early attempt using inherited standard procedures failed. The main conclusions are the requirement for caution when converting ASMEIX welding procedures for use with AS 2885.2, the requirement under the Australian Code to 'design out' the risk of hydrogen assisted cold cracking, and the importance of choosing an upper-end carbon equivalent when welding high carbon equivalent fittings

Helicopter-supported drilling operation in Papua New Guinea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wagner, E.R.; Juneau, M.S.

1991-01-01

This paper reports on drilling cost per foot of Chevron's helilift drilling operation in the remote Southern Highlands of Papua New Guinea, reduced from 1360 to 267 S/ft (4462 to 876$/m) during the period from 1985 to 1989. The operation provides many challenges, as it is thousands of miles from major oil-field supply centers. This requires advanced will-planning and logistical management of drilling materials so that they arrive at the drilling rig in a timely manner. The wells are also drilled into structurally complex geology without the aid of seismic data which can lead to unexpected results

The Inclusion of Inclusive Education in International Development: Lessons from Papua New Guinea

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Le Fanu, Guy

2013-01-01

A new "inclusive" curriculum has been introduced in Papua New Guinea, with significant levels of support from a bilateral development agency. The curriculum is inclusive in the sense that it is designed to meet the diverse, complex, and ever-changing needs of students. Research indicates the curriculum has been shaped by various…

Rich Country, Poor People: the challenges of providing psychiatric services in the public and the private sectors in Papua New Guinea.

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Muga, Florence

2015-12-01

To describe some of the challenges in the provision of psychiatric services in Papua New Guinea. Many of the challenges faced when providing mental health care are not clinical in nature, but rather a combination of social, cultural, economic and infrastructural factors that hinder the adequate provision of, and access to, psychiatric services in Papua New Guinea. © The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2015.

Reducing Maternal Mortality in Papua New Guinea: Contextualizing Access to Safe Surgery and Anesthesia.

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Dennis, Alicia T

2018-01-01

Papua New Guinea has one of the world's highest maternal mortality rates with approximately 215 women dying per 100,000 live births. The sustainable development goals outline key priority areas for achieving a reduction in maternal mortality including a focus on universal health coverage with safe surgery and anesthesia for all pregnant women. This narrative review addresses the issue of reducing maternal mortality in Papua New Guinea by contextualizing the need for safe obstetric surgery and anesthesia within a structure of enabling environments at key times in a woman's life. The 3 pillars of enabling environments are as follows: a stable humanitarian government; a safe, secure, and clean environment; and a strong health system. Key times, and their associated specific issues, in a woman's life include prepregnancy, antenatal, birth and the postpartum period, childhood, adolescence and young womanhood, and the postchildbearing years.

Josephine's journey: Gender-based violence and Marian devotion in urban Papua New Guinea

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hermkens, A.K.

2008-01-01

This article deals with how, in the urban setting of Madang, Papua New Guinea, Marian devotion is deployed in response to domestic and gender-based violence. While providing insight into the lived religious experiences of Catholic women living in Madang, this article shows how Mary empowers her

Invasion of Piper aduncum in the shifting cultivation systems of Papua New Guinea: Foreword by David Pimentel

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Hartemink, A.E.

2006-01-01

Piper aduncum, a shrub native to Central America, arrived in Papua New Guinea before the mid-1930s possibly from West Papua. From the 1970s it started to dominate the secondary fallow vegetation in many parts of the humid lowlands. It invaded grassland areas and it also appeared in the highlands up

Indications for Caesarean sections in a rural hospital in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea.

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Mark, Terence B; Radcliffe, Jim; Laman, Moses

2014-07-01

We retrospectively documented indications for Caesarean sections in a rural district level hospital in the highlands of Papua New Guinea. Over a 53-month study period, 745 Caesarean sections were performed. Prolonged labour, previous history of Caesarean section, cephalopelvic disproportion, malpresentation and fetal distress accounted for over 88% of Caesarean sections performed. In older mothers (aged >30 years), antepartum haemorrhage (Fisher exact test, P = 0.05) and multiple indications (P = 0.001) were leading reasons for Caesarean sections while cephalopelvic disproportion (P = 0.005) was the leading indication in younger mothers. Further prospective studies incorporating perinatal and maternal mortality rates are required to optimise the value of Caesarean sections at district level hospitals in Papua New Guinea. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Growth and breast-milk intake in Papua New Guinea

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Coward, W.A.

2000-01-01

The purpose of this work is to show what is possible if lactation performance and growth are measured in the context of the WHO Growth Reference Study. The fact is that a piece of work very similar to that which could be reasonably proposed for the present study was done in the 1980's in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and reading Alison Orr-Ewing's thesis it is interesting to find the statement 'The apparent adequacy of mean nutrient intakes up to 6 months and the small and late effect of morbidity on weight gain observed in this study, both substantiate the suggestion that the growth faltering relative to international standards which occurs from 3-5 months is probably largely due to the inappropriate nature of the standards'. This sort of finding was emerging from many research centres at that time (see for example Whitehead and Paul, in my own department) and provided the impetus to develop new standards for growth such as in the WHO Growth Reference Programme. At the same sort of time too, both myself and Dr Peter Heywood, then at the Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research were attending one of the first meetings for nutritionists held at IAEA in Vienna. There is thus a certain satisfaction that can be derived from the appropriateness of describing the work at this meeting but it must be tinged with regret that it has taken nearly 20 years to achieve it. The published work from PNG deals only with lactation but the present report will contain some unpublished material on growth and morbidity

Josephine’s journey: Gender-based violence and Marian devotion in urban Papua New Guinea

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hermkens, A.K.

2008-01-01

This article deals with how, in the urban setting of Madang, Papua New Guinea, Marian devotion is deployed in response to domestic and gender-based violence. While providing insight into the lived religious experiences of Catholic women living in Madang, this article shows how Mary empowers her

Evaluating the Professional Learning for "Cultural Mathematics" in Papua New Guinea's Elementary Schools

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Bino, Vagi; Sakopa, Priscilla; Tau, Kila; Kull, Martha

2014-01-01

Qualitative and quantitative data are both being used to evaluate a large project in remote areas of Papua New Guinea. Results from teacher and student questionnaires are yet to be evaluated. The responses from teachers participating in the project workshops are reported here to be extremely positive towards the content and delivery of the…

Three cases of neonatal tetanus in Papua New Guinea lead to development of national action plan for maternal and neonatal tetanus elimination.

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Datta, Siddharta Sankar; Barnabas, Roland; Sitther, Adeline; Guarenti, Laura; Toikilik, Steven; Kariwiga, Grace; Sui, Gerard Pai

2013-01-01

Maternal or neonatal tetanus causes deaths primarily in Asia and Africa and is usually the result of poor hygiene during delivery. In 2011, three neonatal tetanus cases were investigated in Papua New Guinea, and all three cases were delivered at home by untrained assistants. The babies were normal at birth but subsequently developed spasms. A neonatal tetanus case must be viewed as a sentinel event indicating a failure of public health services including immunization, antenatal care and delivery care. The confirmation of these cases led to the drafting of the Papua New Guinea National Action Plan for Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus Elimination. This included three rounds of a tetanus toxoid supplementary immunization campaign targeting women of childbearing age (WBCA) and strengthening of other clean delivery practices. The first immunization round was conducted in April and May 2012, targeting 1.6 million WBCA and achieved coverage of 77%. The government of Papua New Guinea should ensure detailed investigation of all neonatal tetanus cases reported in the health information system and perform subprovincial analysis of tetanus toxoid coverage following completion of all three immunization rounds. Efforts also should be made to strengthen clean delivery practices to help eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus in Papua New Guinea.

Three cases of neonatal tetanus in Papua New Guinea lead to development of national action plan for maternal and neonatal tetanus elimination

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grace Kariwiga

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Maternal or neonatal tetanus causes deaths primarily in Asia and Africa and is usually the result of poor hygiene during delivery. In 2011, three neonatal tetanus cases were investigated in Papua New Guinea, and all three cases were delivered at home by untrained assistants. The babies were normal at birth but subsequently developed spasms. A neonatal tetanus case must be viewed as a sentinel event indicating a failure of public health services including immunization, antenatal care and delivery care. The confirmation of these cases led to the drafting of the Papua New Guinea National Action Plan for Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus Elimination. This included three rounds of a tetanus toxoid supplementary immunization campaign targeting women of childbearing age (WBCA and strengthening of other clean delivery practices. The first immunization round was conducted in April and May 2012, targeting 1.6 million WBCA and achieved coverage of 77%. The government of Papua New Guinea should ensure detailed investigation of all neonatal tetanus cases reported in the health information system and perform sub-provincial analysis of tetanus toxoid coverage following completion of all three immunization rounds. Efforts also should be made to strengthen clean delivery practices to help eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus in Papua New Guinea.

Modeling the response of the geothermal system at Lihir Island, Papua New Guinea to mine dewatering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Menzies, A.J. [GeothermEx, Inc., Richmond, CA (United States); Forth, J.L. [Lihir Management Company, Brisbane (Australia)

1995-03-01

Lihir Gold, Ltd., with RTZ Corporation, Niugini Mining Ltd. and the Government of Papua New Guinea as major shareholders, plans to mine two contiguous gold orebodies located in the Luise Caldera, Lihir Island, Papua New Guinea. Niugini Mining Ltd. first discovered the deposit, which is believed to be the largest undeveloped gold deposit in the world, in 1982 and detailed exploration was later conducted by Kennecott Corporation (an RTZ subsidiary) who also prepared the plan for mining the deposit. The gold was deposited in the caldera breccias by rising hot fluids from a still active geothermal system to form the orebody which is to be mined in a 2 km x 1.5 km open pit that will ultimately reach a depth of about 220 m below sea level.

Elementary Teacher Education in Papua New Guinea: Towards a Culturally Connected Perspective of Teaching

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Hahambu, Casper; Brownlee, Joanne M.; Petriwskyj, E. Anne

2012-01-01

Global and national agendas for quality education have led to reforms in Papua New Guinea's (PNG) elementary education, but criticism of the learner-centred Western pedagogies has emerged. One key influence on quality teacher education relates to perspectives of teaching. Existing research shows teachers' beliefs and perceptions of teaching…

Galeus corriganae sp. nov., a new species of deepwater catshark (Carcharhiniformes: Pentanchidae) from Papua New Guinea.

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White, William T; Mana, Ralph R; Naylor, Gavin J P

2016-12-06

A new species of catshark, provisionally placed in the genus Galeus, is described from Papua New Guinea based on 7 specimens collected during recent deepwater surveys of the region. The new species, Galeus corriganae, is closest to G. priapus from New Caledonia and G. gracilis from northwestern Australia but differs in several morphological characters. A reclassification of the catshark groups is required to revise the familial and generic arrangement of the group.

League Bilong Laif: Rugby, Education and Sport-for-Development Partnerships in Papua New Guinea

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Sherry, Emma; Schulenkorf, Nico

2016-01-01

League Bilong Laif (LBL) is a sport-for-development (SFD) programme that was established in 2013 as a three-way partnership between the Australian Government, the Papua New Guinea (PNG) Government (Department of Education) and the Australian Rugby League Commission (National Rugby League). As a contribution to addressing low rates of school…

The organisation and management of curriculum development in Papua New Guinea

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Crossley, Michael

1994-01-01

This article develops a critical analysis of the international transfer of strategies for curriculum change with reference to an historical review of the Papua New Guinean experience. The research documents how international trends have — for better or worse —played a part in shaping the school curriculum and its organisational and administrative structures in this developing country. While much of lasting benefit has been achieved, it is argued that differing contextual factors are often given insufficient attention when educational ideas cross national boundaries. Relationships between the nature and control of the school curriculum and the nature and distribution of power and influence within, and across, societies are also identified as central to an understanding of the debate. In the light of this analysis, the implications of the economic pre-occupations of the 1990s and renewed international interest in modes of centralized curriculum control, are examined for Papua New Guinea and for developing countries in general.

Recognizing spontaneous facial expressions of emotion in a small-scale society of Papua New Guinea.

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Crivelli, Carlos; Russell, James A; Jarillo, Sergio; Fernández-Dols, José-Miguel

2017-03-01

We report 2 studies on how residents of Papua New Guinea interpret facial expressions produced spontaneously by other residents of Papua New Guinea. Members of a small-scale indigenous society, Trobrianders (Milne Bay Province; N = 32, 14 to 17 years) were shown 5 facial expressions spontaneously produced by members of another small-scale indigenous society, Fore (Eastern Highlands Province) that Ekman had photographed, labeled, and published in The Face of Man (1980), each as an expression of a basic emotion: happiness, sadness, anger, surprise, and disgust. Trobrianders were asked to use any word they wanted to describe how each person shown felt and to provide valence and arousal ratings. Other Trobrianders (N = 24, 12 to 14 years) were shown the same photographs but asked to choose their response from a short list. In both studies, agreement with Ekman's predicted labels was low: 0% to 16% and 13% to 38% of observers, respectively. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Molecular phylogeny of Burkholderia pseudomallei from a remote region of Papua New Guinea.

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Anthony Baker

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The island of New Guinea is located midway between the world's two major melioidosis endemic regions of Australia and Southeast Asia. Previous studies in Papua New Guinea have demonstrated autochthonous melioidosis in Balimo, Western province. In contrast to other regions of endemicity, isolates recovered from both environmental and clinical sources demonstrate narrow genetic diversity over large spatial and temporal scales. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We employed molecular typing techniques to determine the phylogenetic relationships of these isolates to each other and to others worldwide to aid in understanding the origins of the Papua New Guinean isolates. Multi-locus sequence typing of the 39 isolates resolved three unique sequence types. Phylogenetic reconstruction and Structure analysis determined that all isolates were genetically closer to those from Australia than those from Southeast Asia. Gene cluster analysis however, identified a Yersinia-like fimbrial gene cluster predominantly found among Burkholderia pseudomallei derived from Southeast Asia. Higher resolution VNTR typing and phylogenetic reconstruction of the Balimo isolates resolved 24 genotypes with long branch lengths. These findings are congruent with long term persistence in the region and a high level of environmental stability. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Given that anthropogenic influence has been hypothesized as a mechanism for the dispersal of B. pseudomallei, these findings correlate with limited movement of the indigenous people in the region. The palaeogeographical and anthropogenic history of Australasia and the results from this study indicate that New Guinea is an important region for the further study of B. pseudomallei origins and dissemination.

Caregivers' acceptance of using artesunate suppositories for treating childhood malaria in Papua New Guinea.

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Hinton, Rachael L; Auwun, Alma; Pongua, Grace; Oa, Olive; Davis, Timothy M E; Karunajeewa, Harin A; Reeder, John C

2007-04-01

Community-based interventions using artemisinin-derived suppositories may potentially reduce malaria-related childhood mortality. However, their sociocultural acceptability is unknown in Papua New Guinea and a formal examination of caregiver's attitudes to rectal administration was needed to inform effective deployment strategies. Caregivers (n = 131) of children with uncomplicated malaria were questioned on their prior experience with, and attitudes to, rectal administration and then offered artesunate suppositories as treatment of their child. The 29% who refused this alternative were further questioned to determine their reasons for this refusal. Lack of spousal approval and fear of side effects were the most common reasons for refusal. Sixty-six percent of caregivers agreed to self-administer suppositories, which were perceived as effective (99%), safe (96%), and fast-acting (91%), but problematic to administer to a struggling child (56%). Shame, embarrassment, and hygiene were not significant concerns. Acceptability of rectal administration should be relatively high in Papua New Guinea. However, deployment must be accompanied by health education that addresses the practical aspects of administration, is appropriate for the illiterate, and is directed at fathers as well as mothers.

Teaching the teachers of teaching : tertiary teacher education in Papua New Guinea

OpenAIRE

McLaughlin, Glenn Denis

1991-01-01

This thesis is centred upon the development, implementation and evaluation of the Bachelor of Education (Tertiary) BEd T. program at the University of Papua New Guinea, which aims to promote quality teacher educators. The program has its in rationale cognitive development theory, research on approaches to learning and the literature concerning adult and teacher development in the Melanesian context. The theoretical position adopted is that teacher development is a form of adult development...

Refugees in Papua New Guinea: government response and assistance, 1984-1988.

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Preston, R

1992-01-01

The refugee situation after the 1984 movement from Indonesia is examined in terms of policy implications and assistance as well as the welfare and education of refugees. Information was collected from government sources and documents and from households in camps and communities over a 3-month period and was published in a government report in February, 1988. This article provides a review of the border issues, resistance and exodus, reactions within Papua New Guinea, 1984-85 border crossings, social and demographic refugee profiles, government response, UN involvement, border refugee camp conditions, repatriation and relocation, reasons for the exodus, and relocation to and conditions in East Awin and the implications. This exodus from West Papua New Guinea (a region now called Irian Jaya) after Indonesia's take over in 1962 represents a unique situation, which also has lessons for other asylum seekers looking for refuge status in friendly neighboring countries. International agreements, such as the Geneva Convention and Protocol, can disrupt social networks and households when the relocation they permit is implemented. Full economic and social participation is hampered by a low quality provision of education and social services. The gain is in removing "destabilizing threats to the host state and society," at the expense of the economic and residential security of the migrants. Humanitarianism hides inequalities; internationalism, in this case, confirmed Indonesian sovereignty and large scale economic exploitation. An estimated 300,000 Melanesians have died since the take over, which amounts to 30% of the total population in 1970. Persecution was the reason for migration to Papua New Guinea; migration numbers are not accurate and range from the official 2000-3000 to 12,000 in 1984. Reactions to the migration have been mixed, and fear of the military might of Indonesia is real. The government was not prepared to cope with the scale of migration and had no plans for

Mitochondrial genome sequences reveal deep divergences among Anopheles punctulatus sibling species in Papua New Guinea

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Logue Kyle

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Members of the Anopheles punctulatus group (AP group are the primary vectors of human malaria in Papua New Guinea. The AP group includes 13 sibling species, most of them morphologically indistinguishable. Understanding why only certain species are able to transmit malaria requires a better comprehension of their evolutionary history. In particular, understanding relationships and divergence times among Anopheles species may enable assessing how malaria-related traits (e.g. blood feeding behaviours, vector competence have evolved. Methods DNA sequences of 14 mitochondrial (mt genomes from five AP sibling species and two species of the Anopheles dirus complex of Southeast Asia were sequenced. DNA sequences from all concatenated protein coding genes (10,770 bp were then analysed using a Bayesian approach to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships and date the divergence of the AP sibling species. Results Phylogenetic reconstruction using the concatenated DNA sequence of all mitochondrial protein coding genes indicates that the ancestors of the AP group arrived in Papua New Guinea 25 to 54 million years ago and rapidly diverged to form the current sibling species. Conclusion Through evaluation of newly described mt genome sequences, this study has revealed a divergence among members of the AP group in Papua New Guinea that would significantly predate the arrival of humans in this region, 50 thousand years ago. The divergence observed among the mtDNA sequences studied here may have resulted from reproductive isolation during historical changes in sea-level through glacial minima and maxima. This leads to a hypothesis that the AP sibling species have evolved independently for potentially thousands of generations. This suggests that the evolution of many phenotypes, such as insecticide resistance will arise independently in each of the AP sibling species studied here.

National Profiles in Technical and Vocational Education in Asia and the Pacific: Papua New Guinea.

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United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Bangkok (Thailand). Principal Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific.

One of a series of studies on the development of technical and vocational education in the member states of UNESCO, this report profiles the educational system in Papua New Guinea. The four parts of the document provide information about the following: the geography, the history, and the economy of the country; the educational system; technical…

Time trend of malaria in relation to climate variability in Papua New Guinea

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Kolam, Joel; Inape, Kasis

2016-01-01

Objectives This study was conducted to describe the regional malaria incidence in relation to the geographic and climatic conditions and describe the effect of altitude on the expansion of malaria over the last decade in Papua New Guinea. Methods Malaria incidence was estimated in five provinces from 1996 to 2008 using national health surveillance data. Time trend of malaria incidence was compared with rainfall and minimum/maximum temperature. In the Eastern Highland Province, time trend of malaria incidence over the study period was stratified by altitude. Spatio-temporal pattern of malaria was analyzed. Results Nationwide, malaria incidence was stationary. Regionally, the incidence increased markedly in the highland region (292.0/100000/yr, p =0.021), and remained stationary in the other regions. Seasonality of the malaria incidence was related with rainfall. Decreasing incidence of malaria was associated with decreasing rainfall in the southern coastal region, whereas it was not evident in the northern coastal region. In the Eastern Highland Province, malaria incidence increased in areas below 1700 m, with the rate of increase being steeper at higher altitudes. Conclusions Increasing trend of malaria incidence was prominent in the highland region of Papua New Guinea, while long-term trend was dependent upon baseline level of rainfall in coastal regions. PMID:26987606

Time trend of malaria in relation to climate variability in Papua New Guinea.

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Park, Jae-Won; Cheong, Hae-Kwan; Honda, Yasushi; Ha, Mina; Kim, Ho; Kolam, Joel; Inape, Kasis; Mueller, Ivo

2016-01-01

This study was conducted to describe the regional malaria incidence in relation to the geographic and climatic conditions and describe the effect of altitude on the expansion of malaria over the last decade in Papua New Guinea. Malaria incidence was estimated in five provinces from 1996 to 2008 using national health surveillance data. Time trend of malaria incidence was compared with rainfall and minimum/maximum temperature. In the Eastern Highland Province, time trend of malaria incidence over the study period was stratified by altitude. Spatio-temporal pattern of malaria was analyzed. Nationwide, malaria incidence was stationary. Regionally, the incidence increased markedly in the highland region (292.0/100000/yr, p =0.021), and remained stationary in the other regions. Seasonality of the malaria incidence was related with rainfall. Decreasing incidence of malaria was associated with decreasing rainfall in the southern coastal region, whereas it was not evident in the northern coastal region. In the Eastern Highland Province, malaria incidence increased in areas below 1700 m, with the rate of increase being steeper at higher altitudes. Increasing trend of malaria incidence was prominent in the highland region of Papua New Guinea, while long-term trend was dependent upon baseline level of rainfall in coastal regions.

Time trend of malaria in relation to climate variability in Papua New Guinea

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Jae-Won Park

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Objectives This study was conducted to describe the regional malaria incidence in relation to the geographic and climatic conditions and describe the effect of altitude on the expansion of malaria over the last decade in Papua New Guinea. Methods Malaria incidence was estimated in five provinces from 1996 to 2008 using national health surveillance data. Time trend of malaria incidence was compared with rainfall and minimum/maximum temperature. In the Eastern Highland Province, time trend of malaria incidence over the study period was stratified by altitude. Spatio-temporal pattern of malaria was analyzed. Results Nationwide, malaria incidence was stationary. Regionally, the incidence increased markedly in the highland region (292.0/100000/yr, p =0.021, and remained stationary in the other regions. Seasonality of the malaria incidence was related with rainfall. Decreasing incidence of malaria was associated with decreasing rainfall in the southern coastal region, whereas it was not evident in the northern coastal region. In the Eastern Highland Province, malaria incidence increased in areas below 1700 m, with the rate of increase being steeper at higher altitudes. Conclusions Increasing trend of malaria incidence was prominent in the highland region of Papua New Guinea, while long-term trend was dependent upon baseline level of rainfall in coastal regions.

Integrated package approach in delivering interventions during immunisation campaigns in a complex environment in Papua New Guinea: a case study.

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Vince, John David; Datta, Siddhartha Sankar; Toikilik, Steven; Lagani, William

2014-08-06

Papua New Guinea's difficult and varied topography, poor transport infrastructure, changing dynamics of population and economy in recent times and understaffed and poorly financed health service present major challenges for successful delivery of vaccination and other preventative health interventions to both the rural majority and urban populations, thereby posing risks for vaccine preventable disease outbreaks in the country. The country has struggled to meet the vaccination coverage targets required for the eradication of poliomyelitis and elimination of measles. Escalation of inter and intra country migration resulting from major industrial developments, particularly in extraction industries, has substantially increased the risk of infectious disease importation. This case study documents the evolution of immunisation programmes since the introduction of supplementary immunisation activities (SIAs). Single antigen SIAs have advantages and disadvantages. In situations in which the delivery of preventative health interventions is difficult, it is likely that the cost benefit is greater for multiple than for single intervention. The lessons learned from the conduct of single antigen SIAs can be effectively used for programmes delivering multiple SIA antigens, routine immunisations, and other health interventions. This paper describes a successful and cost effective multiple intervention programme in Papua New Guinea. The review of the last SIA in Papua New Guinea showed relatively high coverage of all the interventions and demonstrated the operational feasibility of delivering multiple interventions in resource constrained settings. Studies in other developing countries such as Lesotho and Ethiopia have also successfully integrated health interventions with SIA. In settings such as Papua New Guinea there is a strong case for integrating supplementary immunisation activity with routine immunisation and other health interventions through a comprehensive outreach

Learning to Lead: A Social Justice Perspective on Understanding Elementary Teacher Leadership in Papua New Guinea

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Brownlee, Joanne; Scholes, Laura; Farrell, Ann; Davis, Julie; Cook, Donna

2012-01-01

Leadership in elementary education is currently recognized as a political imperative in Papua New Guinea (PNG), as the nation develops strategies towards equitable access to schooling. One recent initiative aimed at building educational leadership was an intensive Australian Leadership Award Fellowship (ALAF) program funded by AusAID, involving a…

Energy and the rural sector in Papua New Guinea

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Woodward, J L

1977-03-15

Energy in a dispersed form and at a low cost is needed if it is to have a significant effect in Papua, New Guinea. Appropriate application of energy at an intermediate-technology level would involve local residents in the construction and operation of solar and wind systems, inexpensive water systems, and a waste-fueled power system. The region's primary resource, manpower, must be utilized to overcome the disadvantages of poverty and a difficult terrain. Wood is the principal fuel and is burned directly as well as converted to producer gas. A review of the village's resources and potential for development concludes that medium-scale projects are feasible if the people are given guidance to help them develop technical and mechanical competence. 7 references. (DCK)

Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources of Papua-New Guinea, Eastern Indonesia, and East Timor, 2011

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Schenk, Christopher J.; Brownfield, Michael E.; Charpentier, Ronald R.; Cook, Troy A.; Klett, Timothy R.; Pitman, Janet K.; Pollastro, Richard M.

2012-01-01

Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated means of 5.8 billion barrels of oil and 115 trillion cubic feet of undiscovered natural gas in five geologic provinces in the areas of Papua New Guinea, eastern Indonesia, and East Timor.

On the move: migration, urbanization and development in Papua New Guinea.

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Walsh, A C

1987-03-01

"Migration and urbanization data from Papua New Guinea's first truly national census in 1980 are considered against a backdrop of spatial and social inequalities. Source and destination factors affecting migration flows and destinations are found to relate to population density, availability of rural wages, ease of access, destination wage-earning opportunities, historical linkages and present day developments. Short-distance migration differs from longer-distance migration; many migrants are short-term, and possibly circular, migrants. Migration and urbanization are considered part of the same process of developmental change." A section is included on earlier censuses and surveys, data reliability, and related problems.

Gastrointestinal helminths (Cestoda, Chabertiidae and Heligmonellidae) of Pogonomys loriae and Pogonomys macrourus (Rodentia: Muridae) from Papua Indonesia and Papua New Guinea with the description of a new genus and two new species.

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Smales, L R

2014-11-28

Pieces of cestode, not indentified further, and 12 species of nematode including 1 new genus, 3 new species and 7 putative new species from the Families Chabertiidae and Heligmonellidae were collected from the digestive tracts of 16 Pogonomys loriae and 19 P. macrurous (Murinae: Hydromyini) from Papua, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. The chabertiid Cyclodontostomum purvisi and the heligmonellid Odilia mackerrasae have been described previously from endemic murids. Hasanuddinia pogonomyos n. sp. can be distinguished from its congeners by the number of ridges in the synlophe, length of spicules and having a vagina with a dorsal diverticulum. Odilia dividua n. sp. is larger than its congeners, has a longer oesophagus, relatively shorter spicules and larger eggs. Pogonomystrongylus domaensis n. gen., n. sp. differs from all other genera in the Heligmonellidae in the characters of the synlophe, 7-10 ridges oriented sub frontally with a single left ventral ridge hypertrophied. Species richness of the nematode assemblages of P. loriae and P. macrourus are comparable to those of Abeomelomys sevia, Chiruromys vates and Coccymys rummleri when numbers of hosts examined are considered. Species composition was distinctive with 12, including the 7 putative species, of 14 species presently known only from species of Pogonomys. Similarities between the nematode fauna of endemic rodent hosts from Indonesia and Papua New Guinea were noted.

Place-Based Picture Books as an Adult Learning Tool: Supporting Agricultural Learning in Papua New Guinea

Science.gov (United States)

Simoncini, Kym; Pamphilon, Barbara; Mikhailovich, Katja

2017-01-01

This article describes the rationale, development, and outcomes of two place-based, dual-language picture books with agricultural messages for women farmers and their families in Papua New Guinea. The purpose of the books was to disseminate better agricultural and livelihood practices to women farmers with low literacy. The books were designed and…

Source-to-Sink constraints on tectonic and sedimentary evolution of the Central Range, Cenderawasih Bay (Indonesia) and Gulf of Papua (Papua New Guinea)

Science.gov (United States)

Babault, J.; Viaplana-Muzas, M.; Legrand, X.; Van Den Driessche, J.; González-Quijano, M.; Mudd, S. M.; Kergaravat, C.; Ringenbach, J. C.; Callot, J. P.; Vetel, W.; Dhont, D.

2017-12-01

The island of Papua New Guinea is the result of continent-arc collision that began building the island's Central Range during the late Miocene. The tectono-sedimentary evolution of the Cenderawasih Bay, in the northwestern part of the island of Papua New Guinea (Indonesia), which links the Kepala Burung block to the Central Range is still poorly understood. Previous studies have shown that this bay contains a thick (> 8 km) sequence of undated sediments. Hypothesis claim that the embayment resulted from a 3 Ma aperture created by anticlockwise rotation of the Kepala Burung block with respect to the northern rim of the Australian plate, or from the southwest drift of a slice of volcanics/oceanic crust between 8 and 6 Ma. Using a source-to-sink approach, based on i) a geomorphologic analysis of the drainage network dynamics, ii) a reassessment of available thermochronological data, and iii) seismic lines interpretation, we suggest that sediments started to accumulate in the Cenderawasih Bay and onshore in the Waipoga Basin in the late Miocene since the beginning of the Central Range building at 12 Ma, resulting in sediment accumulation of up to 12200 m. At first order, we predict that infilling is mainly composed of siliciclastics sourced in the graphite-bearing Ruffaer Metamorphic Belt and its equivalent in the Weyland Overthrust. From the unroofing paths in the Central Range we deduce two rates of solid phase accumulation (SPAR) since 12 Ma, the first one at a mean SPAR ranging between 0.12-0.25 mm/a with a maximum SPAR of 0.23-0.58 mm/a, and the second during the last 3 Ma, at a mean SPAR ranging between 0.93-1.62 mm/a and with a maximum SPAR between 2.13-3.17 mm/a, i.e., 6700-10000 m of Plio-Pleistocene sediment accumulation. Local transtensional tectonics may explain these unusually high rates of sedimentation in an overall sinistral oblique convergence setting. We further extended this approach to the Gulf of Papua (Papua New Guinea), a foreland basin developed

A Design of a 345-kV Electric Power Transmission Line Interlinking Ramu and Rouna Grids in Papua New Guinea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sakato Francis

2017-01-01

Full Text Available According to PNG Power Limited (PPL, Papua New Guinea’s peak power demand is expected to increase from 210 MW in 2012 to 347 MW in 2026. Under the current state of the power sector in Papua New Guinea (PNG, it is critical to implement measures to cope with the increasing power demand to promote investment, economic growth, and ultimately to achieve poverty reduction through economic growth. One of the solutions identified to improve the reliability of PNG power systems and thus to meet the demand is to interconnect the major grids in the country so that the loads could be shared among them. This project embarks in designing a 345-kV electric power transmission line to interlink the Ramu and Rouna power grids of Papua New Guinea. The design is done by analysing all the necessary aspects of the transmission lines with in-depth calculations performed using MATHCAD software. This design is the basis for extra-high voltage (EHV transmission network in anticipation for the power generation and demand growth in PNG.

Mobile phone-based syndromic surveillance system, Papua New Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosewell, Alexander; Ropa, Berry; Randall, Heather; Dagina, Rosheila; Hurim, Samuel; Bieb, Sibauk; Datta, Siddhartha; Ramamurthy, Sundar; Mola, Glen; Zwi, Anthony B; Ray, Pradeep; MacIntyre, C Raina

2013-11-01

The health care system in Papua New Guinea is fragile, and surveillance systems infrequently meet international standards. To strengthen outbreak identification, health authorities piloted a mobile phone-based syndromic surveillance system and used established frameworks to evaluate whether the system was meeting objectives. Stakeholder experience was investigated by using standardized questionnaires and focus groups. Nine sites reported data that included 7 outbreaks and 92 cases of acute watery diarrhea. The new system was more timely (2.4 vs. 84 days), complete (70% vs. 40%), and sensitive (95% vs. 26%) than existing systems. The system was simple, stable, useful, and acceptable; however, feedback and subnational involvement were weak. A simple syndromic surveillance system implemented in a fragile state enabled more timely, complete, and sensitive data reporting for disease risk assessment. Feedback and provincial involvement require improvement. Use of mobile phone technology might improve the timeliness and efficiency of public health surveillance.

Childbirth in a rural highlands community in Papua New Guinea: a descriptive study.

Science.gov (United States)

Vallely, Lisa M; Homiehombo, Primrose; Kelly-Hanku, Angela; Vallely, Andrew; Homer, Caroline S E; Whittaker, Andrea

2015-03-01

to explore men's and women's experiences, beliefs and practices surrounding childbirth in a rural highlands community in Papua New Guinea. a qualitative study comprising focus group discussions, key informant and in depth interviews. the study was undertaken in a rural community in Eastern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea. 51 women and 26 men participated in 11 focus group discussions. Key informant and in depth interviews were undertaken with 21 women and five men. both women and men recognised the importance of health facility births, linking village births with maternal and newborn deaths. Despite this, many women chose to give birth in the community in circumstances influenced by cultural and customary beliefs and practices. Women giving birth in the community frequently gave birth in an isolated location. Traditional beliefs surrounding reasons for difficult births, including spiritual beliefs were reported along with the use of traditional methods used to help prolonged and difficult births. while the importance of health facility births is recognised in this rural community many women continue to give birth in the village. Identifying and understanding local customs, beliefs and practices, particularly those that may be harmful to women and their newborn infants, is critical to the development of locally-appropriate community-based strategies for improving maternal and infant health in rural communities in PNG and other resource-limited, high burden settings. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

On Training in Language Documentation and Capacity Building in Papua New Guinea: A Response to Bird et al.

Science.gov (United States)

Brooks, Joseph D.

2015-01-01

In a recent article, Bird et al. (2013) discuss a workshop held at the University of Goroka in Papua New Guinea (PNG) in 2012. The workshop was intended to offer a new methodological framework for language documentation and capacity building that streamlines the documentation process and accelerates the global effort to document endangered…

Status of Radiotherapy around the World: Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. Chapter 25.8

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koh, Eng-Siew; Hanna, T.P.; Barton, M.B.

2017-01-01

Australia has a population of over 22 million and New Zealand 4 million people. Both are classified as high income countries. In 2007, there were over 100 000 new cases of cancer diagnosed in Australia (excluding basal and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin), with the most commonly diagnosed cancers being prostate, bowel, breast, melanoma of the skin and lung cancer. The incidence profiles are similar in New Zealand. In both countries, lung cancer accounted for the most cancer deaths in 2008 (19%), followed by colorectal, prostate and breast cancers. In Australia, the age standardized death rate per 100 000 population due to cancer is 140.8 for men and 92.9 for women. The relative survival rate for cancer patients in Australia is among the best in an international comparison of six developed nations. Radiotherapy services across Australia and New Zealand are predominantly outpatient based and provided in public sector specialist cancer care facilities. According to the IAEA’s DIRAC database, there are currently 69 radiotherapy centres in Australia and eight in New Zealand. Megavoltage linacs for standard 3-D external beam radiotherapy, brachytherapy, as well as stereotactic radiotherapy for both cranial and extracranial applications are available in selected large metropolitan based centres. Across Australia and New Zealand, a wide range of current imaging technologies, including CT, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and positron emission tomography, are available for incorporation into radiation treatment planning. IMRT was first introduced around 2001 for head and neck cancers and is now available in most radiotherapy centres for selected tumour sites and clinical indications. Papua New Guinea, classified in the low and middle income group, has a current population of over 6.8 million people dispersed over 600 islands. Registrations at the National Cancer Registry do not document the true burden of cancer in Papua New Guinea. It is estimated that there are

Etmopterus samadiae n. sp., a new lanternshark (Squaliformes: Etmopteridae) from Papua New Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

White, William T; Ebert, David A; Mana, Ralph R; Corrigan, Shannon

2017-03-20

A new species of lanternshark, Etmopterus samadiae (Squaliformes: Etmopteridae), is described from off northern Papua New Guinea, in the western Central Pacific Ocean. The new species resembles other members of the "Etmopterus lucifer" clade in having linear rows of dermal denticles and most closely resembles E. brachyurus from the western North Pacific. The new species occurs along insular slopes between 340 and 785 m depth. The new species can be distinguished from other members of the E. lucifer clade by a combination of characteristics, including length of anterior flank branch markings being slightly shorter than its posterior branch, a longer caudal base marking, and irregular and variable number of black, horizontal, dash-like marks on sides of body. Molecular analysis based on the NADH2 marker further supports the distinction of E. samadiae from other members of the E. lucifer clade.

The Failure of Progressive Classroom Reform: Lessons from the Curriculum Reform Implementation Project in Papua New Guinea

Science.gov (United States)

Guthrie, Gerard

2012-01-01

Progressive education has been an article of educational faith in Papua New Guinea during the last 50 years but the best available evidence indicates that major reforms to formalistic curriculum and teaching in primary and secondary classrooms have failed during this period despite large-scale professional, administrative and financial support. In…

Valuing Indigenous Knowledge in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea: A Model for Agricultural and Environmental Education

Science.gov (United States)

Radcliffe, Chris; Parissi, Cesidio; Raman, Anantanarayanan

2016-01-01

Current methods of agricultural and environmental education for indigenous farmers in Papua New Guinea (PNG) fail to provide high level engagement. Indigenous knowledge (IK) forms the basis of natural resource management, agriculture and health of farmers in PNG, yet its value to agricultural and environmental education in PNG is rarely…

Mobile Phone–based Syndromic Surveillance System, Papua New Guinea

Science.gov (United States)

Ropa, Berry; Randall, Heather; Dagina, Rosheila; Hurim, Samuel; Bieb, Sibauk; Datta, Siddhartha; Ramamurthy, Sundar; Mola, Glen; Zwi, Anthony B.; Ray, Pradeep; MacIntyre, C. Raina

2013-01-01

The health care system in Papua New Guinea is fragile, and surveillance systems infrequently meet international standards. To strengthen outbreak identification, health authorities piloted a mobile phone–based syndromic surveillance system and used established frameworks to evaluate whether the system was meeting objectives. Stakeholder experience was investigated by using standardized questionnaires and focus groups. Nine sites reported data that included 7 outbreaks and 92 cases of acute watery diarrhea. The new system was more timely (2.4 vs. 84 days), complete (70% vs. 40%), and sensitive (95% vs. 26%) than existing systems. The system was simple, stable, useful, and acceptable; however, feedback and subnational involvement were weak. A simple syndromic surveillance system implemented in a fragile state enabled more timely, complete, and sensitive data reporting for disease risk assessment. Feedback and provincial involvement require improvement. Use of mobile phone technology might improve the timeliness and efficiency of public health surveillance. PMID:24188144

A new species of Rhododendron from New Guinea (Ericaceae)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kores, Paul

1978-01-01

The Star Mountains of New Guinea are situated at the geographic center of the Island of New Guinea extending on both sides of the Indonesian-Papua New Guinea border. Access to these mountains from either side of the border which divides the island is relatively difficult and as a result few

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Concerning Malaria in Pregnancy: Results from a Qualitative Study in Madang, Papua New Guinea

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Andrew, E.V.W.; Pell, C.; Angwin, A.; Auwun, A.; Daniels, J.; Mueller, I.; Phuanukoonnon, S.; Pool, R.

2015-01-01

Background Malaria is the leading cause of illness and death in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Infection during pregnancy with falciparum or vivax malaria, as occurs in PNG, has health implications for mother and child, causing complications such as maternal anemia, low birth weight and miscarriage. This

A High Burden of Asymptomatic Gastrointestinal Infections in Traditional Communities in Papua New Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

Horwood, Paul F; Soli, Kevin W; Maure, Tobias; Naito, Yuichi I; Morita, Ayako; Natsuhara, Kazumi; Tadokoro, Kiyoshi; Baba, Jun; Odani, Shingo; Tomitsuka, Eriko; Igai, Katsura; Larkins, Jo-Ann; Siba, Peter M; Pomat, William; McBryde, Emma S; Umezaki, Masahiro; Greenhill, Andrew R

2017-12-01

Stool samples were collected from 148 healthy adults living a traditional subsistence lifestyle in Papua New Guinea and screened for enteric pathogens using real-time RT-PCR/PCR assays. Enteric pathogens were detected in a high proportion (41%) of individuals. Clear differences were observed in the detection of pathogens between highland and lowland communities. In particular, there was a marked difference in detection rates of norovirus GII (20% and 0%, respectively) and Shigella sp. (15% and 0%, respectively). Analysis of the relationship between enteric pathogen carriage and microbial community composition of participants, using box plots to compare specific normal flora population numbers, did not suggest that gut microbial composition was directly associated with pathogen carriage. This study suggests that enteric pathogens are common in healthy individuals in Papua New Guinean highland communities, presumably acting as a reservoir of infection and thus contributing to a high burden of gastrointestinal illnesses.

Efficiency of the Foreign Exchange Market of Papua New Guinea During the Recent Float

OpenAIRE

Guneratne Banda Wickremasinghe

2004-01-01

This paper examines the validity of the efficient market hypothesis (EMH) for the foreign exchange market of Papua New Guinea (PNG) using data on spot exchange rates for four major foreign currencies during the recent float. The unit root test results indicate that all the four exchange rates are random walks supporting the weak-form of the EMH. However, the Johansen multivariate cointegration test, the Granger causality test and variance decomposition analysis provide evidence that there are...

"Symmetrical" hermit crabs of the family Pylochelidae (Crustacea: Decapoda: Anomura) collected by the "BIOPAPUA" and "PAPUA NIUGINI" expeditions in the Papua New Guinea, with descriptions of two new species.

Science.gov (United States)

Komai, Tomoyuki; Chan, Tin-Yam

2016-03-09

Collections made during the recent expeditions to Papua New Guinea ("BIOPAPUA", 2010; "PAPUA NIUGINI", 2012) yielded a total of 12 species from the "symmetrical" hermit crab family Pylochelidae, including two new to science: Bathycheles incisus (Forest, 1987), B. integer (Forest, 1987), Cheiroplatea laticauda Boas, 1926, C. pumicicola Forest, 1987, C. rotundioculus n. sp., Pylocheles mortensenii Boas, 1926, and Xylocheles macrops (Forest, 1987) (Pylochelinae); Parapylocheles scorpio (Alcock, 1894), Trizocheles manningi Forest, 1987, T. moosai Forest, 1987, T. sakaii Forest, 1987, and T. spinidigitus n. sp. (Trizochelinae). Affinities of the two new species are discussed. Parapylocheles scorpio, Trizocheles manningi and T. sakaii are recorded from the South Pacific for the first time. Revised identification keys to species of Cheiroplatea and Trizocheles are provided.

Phylogeny and population genetic structure of ant genus Acropyga (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Papua New Guinea

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Janda, Milan; Matos Maravi, Pavel F.; Borovanská, Michaela; Zima, Jan; Youngerman, E.; Pierce, N. E.

2016-01-01

Roč. 30, č. 1 (2016), s. 28-40 ISSN 1445-5226 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP505/12/2467 Grant - others:Marie Curie Fellowship(CZ) PIOFGA2009-25448; Operational Program Research and Development for Innovations(CZ) CZ.1.05/3.2.00/08.0144 Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : Acropyga * Hymenoptera * Papua New Guinea Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 2.172, year: 2016

Sweet potato yields and nutrient dynamics after short-term fallows in the humid lowlands of Papua New Guinea

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hartemink, A.E.

2003-01-01

Shifting cultivation is common in the humid lowlands of Papua New Guinea but little is known about the effect of different fallows on sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) yield and nutrient flows and pools in these systems. An experiment was conducted in which two woody fallow species (Piper aduncum and

The burden of presumed tuberculosis in hospitalized children in a resource-limited setting in Papua New Guinea: a prospective observational study.

Science.gov (United States)

Watch, Villa; Aipit, Jimmy; Kote-Yarong, Tina; Rero, Allanie; Bolnga, John W; Lufele, Elvin; Laman, Moses

2017-11-01

In Papua New Guinea, TB is considered to be a major public health problem, but little is known about the prevalence and prognosis of presumed TB in children. As part of a prospective hospital-based surveillance on the northern coast of mainland Papua New Guinea, the authors investigated the admission prevalence and case fatality rate associated with presumed TB over a 6-year period (2011-2016). All children admitted who were diagnosed with TB were followed-up until discharge or death. Of 8992 paediatric admissions, 734 patients (8.2%) were diagnosed with presumed TB and there were 825 deaths, with TB accounting for 102 (12.4%). Extrapulmonary TB was the final diagnosis in 384 admissions {prevalence 4.3% [384/8992 (95% CI 3.9-4.7)]} with a case fatality rate of 21.4% [82/384 (95% CI 17.4-25.9)]. TB meningitis, disseminated TB and pericardial TB had high case fatality rates of 29.0% (53/183), 28.9% (11/38) and 25% (4/16), respectively. Severe malnutrition was more common in patients with pulmonary compared with extrapulmonary TB (25.4% vs 15.6%; pPapua New Guinea. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Language Use and the Instructional Strategies of Grade 3 Teachers to Support "Bridging" in Papua New Guinea

Science.gov (United States)

Franken, Margaret; August, Matilda

2011-01-01

For over a decade, the Department of Education in Papua New Guinea (PNG) has adopted vernacular education as a way of ensuring that the educational experiences of children in schools draw on the cultural and linguistic knowledge they bring to the classroom. In PNG, there are many potential vernaculars--apart from the local languages, there are Tok…

Research Challenges and Gaps in Malaria Knowledge in Papua New Guinea

Science.gov (United States)

Kazura, James W.; Siba, Peter M.; Betuela, Inoni; Mueller, Ivo

2011-01-01

Taking into consideration the relative number of people living in Papua New Guinea the burden of malaria in this country is among the highest in Asia and the Pacific region. This article summarizes the research questions and challenges being undertaken by the Southwest Pacific International Center of Excellence for Malaria Research in the context of the epidemiology, transmission and pathogenesis of Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax at the present time and the recent past. It is hoped that the research accomplished and local infrastructure strengthened by this effort will help inform regional and national policy with regard to the control and ultimately elimination of malaria in this region of the world. PMID:21896268

Leaf litter decomposition of Piper aduncum, Gliricidia sepium and Imperata cylindrica in the humid lowlands of Papua New Guinea

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hartemink, A.E.; O'Sullivan, J.N.

2001-01-01

No information is available on the decomposition and nutrient release pattern of Piper aduncum and Imperata cylindrica despite their importance in shifting cultivation systems of Papua New Guinea and other tropical regions. We conducted a litter bag study (24 weeks) on a Typic Eutropepts in the

Colonialism, Education and Social Change in the British Empire: The Cases of Australia, Papua New Guinea and Ireland

Science.gov (United States)

O'Donoghue, Tom

2009-01-01

This paper focuses on the history of relations between colonialism, schooling and social change in Australia, Papua New Guinea and Ireland, countries that were once part of the British Empire. It indicates that responses to schooling ranged from acceptance and tolerance, to modification and rejection, depending on the country, the issue, and the…

Laing Island, Papua New Guinea Fossil and Living Coral Isotope (delta 18O) Data for 130,000 years BP to Present

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Results of analysis of cores collected from 'fossil' massive Porites corals exposed in the raised reefs of the Huon Peninsula, Papua New Guinea (see below for age...

Madang Lagoon, Papua New Guinea Fossil and Living Coral Isotope (delta 18O) Data for 130,000 years BP to Present

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Results of analysis of cores collected from 'fossil' massive Porites corals exposed in the raised reefs of the Huon Peninsula, Papua New Guinea (see below for age...

Madang Terrace, Papua New Guinea Fossil and Living Coral Isotope (delta 18O) Data for 130,000 years BP to Present

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Results of analysis of cores collected from 'fossil' massive Porites corals exposed in the raised reefs of the Huon Peninsula, Papua New Guinea (see below for age...

Laing Terrace, Papua New Guinea Fossil and Living Coral Isotope (delta 18O) Data for 130,000 years BP to Present

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Results of analysis of cores collected from 'fossil' massive Porites corals exposed in the raised reefs of the Huon Peninsula, Papua New Guinea (see below for age...

Huon Peninsula, Papua New Guinea Fossil and Living Coral Isotope (delta 18O) Data for 130,000 years BP to Present

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Results of analysis of cores collected from 'fossil' massive Porites corals exposed in the raised reefs of the Huon Peninsula, Papua New Guinea (see below for age...

Aquarium Trade Supply-Chain Losses of Marine Invertebrates Originating from Papua New Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

Militz, Thane A; Kinch, Jeff; Southgate, Paul C

2018-04-01

A major difficulty in managing live organism wildlife trade is often the reliance on trade data to monitor exploitation of wild populations. Harvested organisms that die or are discarded before a point of sale are regularly not reported. For the global marine aquarium trade, identifying supply-chain losses is necessary to more accurately assess exploitation from trade data. We examined quality control rejections and mortality of marine invertebrates (Asteroidea, Gastropoda, Malacostraca, Ophiuroidea) moving through the Papua New Guinea marine aquarium supply-chain, from fisher to importer. Utilizing catch invoices and exporter mortality records we determined that, over a 160 day period, 38.6% of the total invertebrate catch (n = 13,299 individuals) was lost before export. Supply-chain losses were divided among invertebrates rejected in the quality control process (11.5%) and mortality of the accepted catch in transit to, and during holding at, an export facility (30.6%). A further 0.3% died during international transit to importers. We quantified supply-chain losses for the ten most fished species which accounted for 96.4% of the catch. Quality control rejections (n = 1533) were primarily explained by rejections of oversized invertebrates (83.2% of rejections). We suggest that enforceable size limits on species prone to size-based rejections and elimination of village-based holding of invertebrates would reduce losses along the Papua New Guinea supply-chain. This case study underscores that low mortality during international transit may mask large losses along supply-chains prior to export and exemplifies the limitations of trade data to accurately monitor exploitation.

Aquarium Trade Supply-Chain Losses of Marine Invertebrates Originating from Papua New Guinea

Science.gov (United States)

Militz, Thane A.; Kinch, Jeff; Southgate, Paul C.

2018-04-01

A major difficulty in managing live organism wildlife trade is often the reliance on trade data to monitor exploitation of wild populations. Harvested organisms that die or are discarded before a point of sale are regularly not reported. For the global marine aquarium trade, identifying supply-chain losses is necessary to more accurately assess exploitation from trade data. We examined quality control rejections and mortality of marine invertebrates (Asteroidea, Gastropoda, Malacostraca, Ophiuroidea) moving through the Papua New Guinea marine aquarium supply-chain, from fisher to importer. Utilizing catch invoices and exporter mortality records we determined that, over a 160 day period, 38.6% of the total invertebrate catch ( n = 13,299 individuals) was lost before export. Supply-chain losses were divided among invertebrates rejected in the quality control process (11.5%) and mortality of the accepted catch in transit to, and during holding at, an export facility (30.6%). A further 0.3% died during international transit to importers. We quantified supply-chain losses for the ten most fished species which accounted for 96.4% of the catch. Quality control rejections ( n = 1533) were primarily explained by rejections of oversized invertebrates (83.2% of rejections). We suggest that enforceable size limits on species prone to size-based rejections and elimination of village-based holding of invertebrates would reduce losses along the Papua New Guinea supply-chain. This case study underscores that low mortality during international transit may mask large losses along supply-chains prior to export and exemplifies the limitations of trade data to accurately monitor exploitation.

Expert Opinion to Identify High-Risk Entry Routes of Canine Rabies into Papua New Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

Brookes, V J; Ward, M P

2017-03-01

The proximity of Papua New Guinea (PNG) to canine rabies-endemic countries in South-East Asia presents a risk of incursion of this disease into PNG and the rest of the Oceanic region. The objective of this study was to identify the highest risk routes for entry of dogs - associated with movement of people - into PNG from canine rabies-endemic countries. A structured, in-country expert-elicitation workshop was used, and 20 entry routes were identified. The highest risk routes were three land routes from Papua, Indonesia (hunters, traditional border crossers and unregulated, unchecked 'shopper-crossers') and two sea routes (fishing and logging). These results will be used to direct more detailed risk assessments to develop surveillance strategies and incursion response plans. © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Morphological variation and host range of two Ganoderma species from Papua New Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

Pilotti, Carmel A; Sanderson, Frank R; Aitken, Elizabeth A B; Armstrong, Wendy

2004-08-01

Two species of Ganoderma belonging to different subgenera which cause disease on oil palms in PNG are identified by basidiome morphology and the morphology of their basidiospores. The names G. boninense and G. tornatum have been applied. Significant pleiomorphy was observed in basidiome characters amongst the specimens examined. This variation in most instances did not correlate well with host or host status. Spore morphology appeared uniform within a species and spore indices varied only slightly. G. tornatum was found to have a broad host range whereas G. boninense appears to be restricted to palms in Papua New Guinea.

At Risk: The Relationship between Experiences of Child Sexual Abuse and Women's HIV Status in Papua New Guinea

Science.gov (United States)

Lewis, Ione R.

2012-01-01

Child sexual abuse in Papua New Guinea is a human rights issue as well as an indicator of HIV risk in women. This study aimed to develop knowledge about the link between violence experienced by women and their HIV status. The study used a mixed method approach to collect quantitative and qualitative data through structured interviews with a sample…

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Concerning Malaria in Pregnancy: Results from a Qualitative Study in Madang, Papua New Guinea

OpenAIRE

Andrew, E.V.W.; Pell, C.; Angwin, A.; Auwun, A.; Daniels, J.; Mueller, I.; Phuanukoonnon, S.; Pool, R.

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Malaria is the leading cause of illness and death in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Infection during pregnancy with falciparum or vivax malaria, as occurs in PNG, has health implications for mother and child, causing complications such as maternal anemia, low birth weight and miscarriage. This article explores knowledge, attitudes and practices concerning malaria during pregn...

Huon Terrace IIIb, Papua New Guinea Fossil and Living Coral Isotope (delta 18O) Data for 130,000 years BP to Present

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Results of analysis of cores collected from 'fossil' massive Porites corals exposed in the raised reefs of the Huon Peninsula, Papua New Guinea (see below for age...

Huon Terrace V, Papua New Guinea Fossil and Living Coral Isotope (delta 18O) Data for 130,000 years BP to Present

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Results of analysis of cores collected from 'fossil' massive Porites corals exposed in the raised reefs of the Huon Peninsula, Papua New Guinea (see below for age...

The Social Cost of Acting "Extra": Students' Moral Judgements of Self, Social Relations, and Academic Success in Papua New Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

Demerath, Peter

2000-01-01

Investigated how high school students in Papua New Guinea responded to rising educational credentialism and unemployment by drawing on elements of their traditional egalitarian village identity to make moral judgements about appropriate selves and futures. Interview and observation data indicated that students referred to specific western…

Characteristics and damage investigation of the 1998 Papua New Guinea earthquake tsunami

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsuyama, Masashi

1998-01-01

On 17 July, 1998, an earthquake with moment magnitude Mw 7.1 (estimated by Harvard Univ.) occurred at 18:49 (local time) on the north west part of Papua New Guinea. Several minutes after the main shock, huge tsunami attacked the north coast of Sissano and Malol, where the coast is composed of straight beach with white sand, and about 7,000 people had lived in high floor wooden houses. Due to the tsunami, more than 2,000 people were killed. To investigate damage by the tsunami, a survey team of seven members was organized in Japan. The author took part in the survey team, which was headed by Prof. Kawata, of Kyoto University. We stayed in the Papua New Guinea from 30th July through 10th August 1998 to investigate the maximum water level, to interview the people about the phenomena caused by the earthquake and the tsunami, and to set three seismographs. These results imply that: (1) By main shock, an earthquake intensity of 6 on the Richter scale was felt in Sissano and Malol. In the coast area near Sissano and Malol, liquefaction took place. (2) More than 2,000 people were killed mainly due to the tsunami. (3) The maximum water level of the tsunami was about 15 m. (4) It seems that the tsunami caused not only by crustal movement, but also by other factors. This is suggested by the fact that the measured maximum water level was beyond 10 times larger than the estimated one, which was calculated by numerical simulation based on known fault parameters. It is highly probable that a submarine landslide was one of main factors which amplified the tsunami. (author)

Factors contributing to low participation in mammography screening in Papua New Guinea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pape, R.; Spuur, K.M.; Umo, P.

2016-01-01

Aim: The aim of this paper is to describe the current state of mammography screening services in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and to document factors thought to contribute to low participation in the free mammography screening service at the Pacific International Hospital (PIH), Port Moresby. Method: Women attending for mammography screening at PIH between August 2006 and July 2010 were invited to complete a survey investigating environmental, political, social, financial, cultural and health factors thought to be contributing to low participation in the mammography screening service. Ethics approval and permission to collect data was granted through the University of Papua New Guinea, School of Medicine and Health Sciences Research and Ethics Committee and by the Medical Director and Chief Operating Officer of PIH. Results: The reasons for low participation were found to be multifactorial; difficult environmental factors 42.86%; financial dependency factors 40.54%; cultural factors related to exposing the body 50.03%, social factors (sexual harassment) 77.6%, political factors 4.29% and health factors including poor health 54.54%. Conclusion: The study demonstrated that in this snapshot of PNG women, the low participation rate in the free mammography screening program at PIH was influenced by various interrelated factors inherent in both the PNG environment and culture, in particular lack of transport infrastructure, financial burden and sexual harassment. As low participation directly impacts upon the high breast cancer mortality in PNG women, a more comprehensive study of the women of PNG is required to validate this research. - Highlights: • Snap shot of issues surrounding low participation in the free screening program. • Geography and poor transport infrastructure made participation almost impossible. • Lack of funds for transport by either road or air deterred participation. • Sexual harassment was the main social factor that deterred access.

Using soundscapes to detect variable degrees of human influence on tropical forests in Papua New Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

Burivalova, Zuzana; Towsey, Michael; Boucher, Tim; Truskinger, Anthony; Apelis, Cosmas; Roe, Paul; Game, Edward T

2018-02-01

There is global concern about tropical forest degradation, in part, because of the associated loss of biodiversity. Communities and indigenous people play a fundamental role in tropical forest management and are often efficient at preventing forest degradation. However, monitoring changes in biodiversity due to degradation, especially at a scale appropriate to local tropical forest management, is plagued by difficulties, including the need for expert training, inconsistencies across observers, and lack of baseline or reference data. We used a new biodiversity remote-sensing technology, the recording of soundscapes, to test whether the acoustic saturation of a tropical forest in Papua New Guinea decreases as land-use intensity by the communities that manage the forest increases. We sampled soundscapes continuously for 24 hours at 34 sites in different land-use zones of 3 communities. Land-use zones where forest cover was fully retained had significantly higher soundscape saturation during peak acoustic activity times (i.e., dawn and dusk chorus) compared with land-use types with fragmented forest cover. We conclude that, in Papua New Guinea, the relatively simple measure of soundscape saturation may provide a cheap, objective, reproducible, and effective tool for monitoring tropical forest deviation from an intact state, particularly if it is used to detect the presence of intact dawn and dusk choruses. © 2017 The Authors. Conservation Biology published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society for Conservation Biology.

Critical interactions between Global Fund-supported programmes and health systems: a case study in Papua New Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

Rudge, James W; Phuanakoonon, Suparat; Nema, K Henry; Mounier-Jack, Sandra; Coker, Richard

2010-11-01

In Papua New Guinea, investment by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (the Global Fund) has played an important role in scaling up the response to HIV and tuberculosis (TB). As part of a series of case studies on how Global Fund-supported programmes interact with national health systems, we assessed the nature and extent of integration of the Global Fund portfolios within the national HIV and TB programmes, the integration of the HIV and TB programmes within the general health system, and system-wide effects of Global Fund support in Papua New Guinea. The study relied on a literature review and 30 interviews with key stakeholders using the Systemic Rapid Assessment Toolkit and thematic analysis. Global Fund-supported activities were found to be largely integrated, or at least coordinated, with the national HIV and TB programmes. However, this has reinforced the vertical nature of these programmes with respect to the general health system, with parallel systems established to meet the demands of programme scale-up and the performance-based nature of Global Fund investment in the weak health system context of Papua New Guinea. The more parallel functions include monitoring and evaluation, and procurement and supply chain systems, while human resources and infrastructure for service delivery are increasingly integrated at more local levels. Positive synergies of Global Fund support include engagement of civil-society partners, and a reliable supply of high-quality drugs which may have increased patient confidence in the health system. However, the severely limited and overburdened pool of human resources has been skewed towards the three diseases, both at management and service delivery levels. There is also concern surrounding the sustainability of the disease programmes, given their dependence on donors. Increasing Global Fund attention towards health system strengthening was viewed positively, but should acknowledge that system changes are slow

Soil seed banks and growth rates of an invasive species, Piper aduncum, in the lowlands of Papua New Guinea

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rogers, H.R.; Hartemink, A.E.

2000-01-01

Secondary fallow vegetation in parts of the Papua New Guinea lowlands is dominated by the shrub Piper aduncum L. that originates from South America. Here we report on its seed bank, growth rate and biomass accumulation. P. aduncum accounted for 69 % (408 m[minus sign]2) of the seed bank in the

Factors affecting attendance at and timing of formal antenatal care: Results from a qualitative study in Madang, Papua New Guinea

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Andrew, E.V.W.; Pell, C.; Angwin, A.; Auwun, A.; Daniels, J.; Mueller, I.; Phuanukoonnon, S.; Pool, R.

2014-01-01

Background: Appropriate antenatal care (ANC) is key for the health of mother and child. However, in Papua New Guinea (PNG), only a third of women receive any ANC during pregnancy. Drawing on qualitative research, this paper explores the influences on ANC attendance and timing of first visit in the

Prioritizing Surgical Care on National Health Agendas: A Qualitative Case Study of Papua New Guinea, Uganda, and Sierra Leone.

Science.gov (United States)

Dare, Anna J; Lee, Katherine C; Bleicher, Josh; Elobu, Alex E; Kamara, Thaim B; Liko, Osborne; Luboga, Samuel; Danlop, Akule; Kune, Gabriel; Hagander, Lars; Leather, Andrew J M; Yamey, Gavin

2016-05-01

Little is known about the social and political factors that influence priority setting for different health services in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), yet these factors are integral to understanding how national health agendas are established. We investigated factors that facilitate or prevent surgical care from being prioritized in LMICs. We undertook country case studies in Papua New Guinea, Uganda, and Sierra Leone, using a qualitative process-tracing method. We conducted 74 semi-structured interviews with stakeholders involved in health agenda setting and surgical care in these countries. Interviews were triangulated with published academic literature, country reports, national health plans, and policies. Data were analyzed using a conceptual framework based on four components (actor power, ideas, political contexts, issue characteristics) to assess national factors influencing priority for surgery. Political priority for surgical care in the three countries varies. Priority was highest in Papua New Guinea, where surgical care is firmly embedded within national health plans and receives significant domestic and international resources, and much lower in Uganda and Sierra Leone. Factors influencing whether surgical care was prioritized were the degree of sustained and effective domestic advocacy by the local surgical community, the national political and economic environment in which health policy setting occurs, and the influence of international actors, particularly donors, on national agenda setting. The results from Papua New Guinea show that a strong surgical community can generate priority from the ground up, even where other factors are unfavorable. National health agenda setting is a complex social and political process. To embed surgical care within national health policy, sustained advocacy efforts, effective framing of the problem and solutions, and country-specific data are required. Political, technical, and financial support from

Prioritizing Surgical Care on National Health Agendas: A Qualitative Case Study of Papua New Guinea, Uganda, and Sierra Leone.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna J Dare

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Little is known about the social and political factors that influence priority setting for different health services in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs, yet these factors are integral to understanding how national health agendas are established. We investigated factors that facilitate or prevent surgical care from being prioritized in LMICs.We undertook country case studies in Papua New Guinea, Uganda, and Sierra Leone, using a qualitative process-tracing method. We conducted 74 semi-structured interviews with stakeholders involved in health agenda setting and surgical care in these countries. Interviews were triangulated with published academic literature, country reports, national health plans, and policies. Data were analyzed using a conceptual framework based on four components (actor power, ideas, political contexts, issue characteristics to assess national factors influencing priority for surgery. Political priority for surgical care in the three countries varies. Priority was highest in Papua New Guinea, where surgical care is firmly embedded within national health plans and receives significant domestic and international resources, and much lower in Uganda and Sierra Leone. Factors influencing whether surgical care was prioritized were the degree of sustained and effective domestic advocacy by the local surgical community, the national political and economic environment in which health policy setting occurs, and the influence of international actors, particularly donors, on national agenda setting. The results from Papua New Guinea show that a strong surgical community can generate priority from the ground up, even where other factors are unfavorable.National health agenda setting is a complex social and political process. To embed surgical care within national health policy, sustained advocacy efforts, effective framing of the problem and solutions, and country-specific data are required. Political, technical, and financial

Prioritizing Surgical Care on National Health Agendas: A Qualitative Case Study of Papua New Guinea, Uganda, and Sierra Leone

Science.gov (United States)

Dare, Anna J.; Lee, Katherine C.; Bleicher, Josh; Elobu, Alex E.; Kamara, Thaim B.; Liko, Osborne; Luboga, Samuel; Danlop, Akule; Kune, Gabriel; Hagander, Lars; Leather, Andrew J. M.; Yamey, Gavin

2016-01-01

Background Little is known about the social and political factors that influence priority setting for different health services in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), yet these factors are integral to understanding how national health agendas are established. We investigated factors that facilitate or prevent surgical care from being prioritized in LMICs. Methods and Findings We undertook country case studies in Papua New Guinea, Uganda, and Sierra Leone, using a qualitative process-tracing method. We conducted 74 semi-structured interviews with stakeholders involved in health agenda setting and surgical care in these countries. Interviews were triangulated with published academic literature, country reports, national health plans, and policies. Data were analyzed using a conceptual framework based on four components (actor power, ideas, political contexts, issue characteristics) to assess national factors influencing priority for surgery. Political priority for surgical care in the three countries varies. Priority was highest in Papua New Guinea, where surgical care is firmly embedded within national health plans and receives significant domestic and international resources, and much lower in Uganda and Sierra Leone. Factors influencing whether surgical care was prioritized were the degree of sustained and effective domestic advocacy by the local surgical community, the national political and economic environment in which health policy setting occurs, and the influence of international actors, particularly donors, on national agenda setting. The results from Papua New Guinea show that a strong surgical community can generate priority from the ground up, even where other factors are unfavorable. Conclusions National health agenda setting is a complex social and political process. To embed surgical care within national health policy, sustained advocacy efforts, effective framing of the problem and solutions, and country-specific data are required. Political

Health promotion and empowerment in Henganofi District, Papua New Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

Barcham, Richard; Silas, Esther; Irie, Jesse

2016-01-01

Evidence shows that the government of Papua New Guinea is failing to provide basic services in health to the majority of its people. Local non-government organisations (NGOs), partnered with international NGOs, are attempting to fill this gap. With limited resources, these small Indigenous organisations must focus much of their effort on training that supports self-reliance as the main strategy for communities to improve their quality of life. This project explored the training content and methodology of Touching The Untouchables (TTU), a small Indigenous NGO based in Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province, that has trained a network of village volunteers in health promotion and safe motherhood.Village life imposes multiple demands, from self-sufficiency in food to maintaining law and order. There are established attitudes about power and dependence, referred to as 'cargo thinking'. Cargo thinking stands as a barrier to the necessity of self-reliance, and requires training strategies that seek to empower participants to create change from their own initiative. Empowerment is understood as oriented towards individual people taking collective action to improve their circumstances by rectifying disparities in social power and control. To achieve self-reliance, empowerment is necessarily operational on the levels of person, community and society.In addition to being operational on all three levels of empowerment, the training content and methodology adopted and developed by TTU demonstrate that empowering practice in training employs approaches to knowledge that are evidence-based, reflexive, contextual and skill-based. Creating knowledge that is reflexive and exploring knowledge about the broader context uses special kinds of communicative tools that facilitate discussion on history, society and political economy. Furthermore, training methodologies that are oriented to empowerment create settings that require the use of all three types of communication required for

Huon Terrace IIa1, Papua New Guinea Fossil and Living Coral Isotope (delta 18O) Data for 130,000 years BP to Present

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Results of analysis of cores collected from 'fossil' massive Porites corals exposed in the raised reefs of the Huon Peninsula, Papua New Guinea (see below for age...

Huon Terrace VIIa3, Papua New Guinea Fossil and Living Coral Isotope (delta 18O) Data for 130,000 years BP to Present

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Results of analysis of cores collected from 'fossil' massive Porites corals exposed in the raised reefs of the Huon Peninsula, Papua New Guinea (see below for age...

Huon Terrace IIa3, Papua New Guinea Fossil and Living Coral Isotope (delta 18O) Data for 130,000 years BP to Present

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Results of analysis of cores collected from 'fossil' massive Porites corals exposed in the raised reefs of the Huon Peninsula, Papua New Guinea (see below for age...

Huon Terrace VIIa1, Papua New Guinea Fossil and Living Coral Isotope (delta 18O) Data for 130,000 years BP to Present

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Results of analysis of cores collected from 'fossil' massive Porites corals exposed in the raised reefs of the Huon Peninsula, Papua New Guinea (see below for age...

Huon Terrace VII1, Papua New Guinea Fossil and Living Coral Isotope (delta 18O) Data for 130,000 years BP to Present

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Results of analysis of cores collected from 'fossil' massive Porites corals exposed in the raised reefs of the Huon Peninsula, Papua New Guinea (see below for age...

Huon Terrace IIa2, Papua New Guinea Fossil and Living Coral Isotope (delta 18O) Data for 130,000 years BP to Present

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Results of analysis of cores collected from 'fossil' massive Porites corals exposed in the raised reefs of the Huon Peninsula, Papua New Guinea (see below for age...

Huon Terrace VII3, Papua New Guinea Fossil and Living Coral Isotope (delta 18O) Data for 130,000 years BP to Present

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Results of analysis of cores collected from 'fossil' massive Porites corals exposed in the raised reefs of the Huon Peninsula, Papua New Guinea (see below for age...

Huon Terrace VIIa2, Papua New Guinea Fossil and Living Coral Isotope (delta 18O) Data for 130,000 years BP to Present

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Results of analysis of cores collected from 'fossil' massive Porites corals exposed in the raised reefs of the Huon Peninsula, Papua New Guinea (see below for age...

The Papua New Guinea medical supply system - documenting opportunities and challenges to meet the Millennium Development Goals

OpenAIRE

Brown, Andrew N; Gilbert, Ben

2014-01-01

Objectives Limited human resources are widely recognised as an impediment to achieving the health-related Millennium Development Goals in Pacific Island Countries, with the availability of medical supplies and suitably trained health personnel crucial to ensuring a well-functioning medical supply chain. This paper presents our findings as we seek to answer the research question ?What factors influence the availability of medical supplies within the health facilities of Papua New Guinea?? Meth...

Piper (Piperaceae) in New Guinea: the climbing species

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gardner, R.O.

2012-01-01

Sixteen climbing Piper species are accepted for New Guinea. The three endemics, P. arfakianum, P. subcanirameum and P. versteegii, are fully described. Eight taxa of unclear circumscription are noted. A new variety of P. macropiper, endemic to Morobe Province of Papua New Guinea, is described. The

Low beta diversity of ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae and Platypodinae) in lowland rainforests of Papua New Guinea

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Hulcr, J.; Novotný, Vojtěch; Maurer, B. A.; Cognato, A. I.

2008-01-01

Roč. 117, č. 2 (2008), s. 214-222 ISSN 0030-1299 R&D Projects: GA ČR GD206/03/H034 Grant - others: National Science Foundation(US) PEET DEB-0328920; National Science Foundation(US) DEB-02-11591; National Geographic Society(US) 7922-05 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50070508 Keywords : beta diversity * rainforests * Papua New Guinea Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour Impact factor: 2.970, year: 2008

Artesunate Suppositories versus Intramuscular Artemether for Treatment of Severe Malaria in Children in Papua New Guinea

OpenAIRE

Karunajeewa, Harin A.; Reeder, John; Lorry, Kerry; Dabod, Elizah; Hamzah, Juliana; Page-Sharp, Madhu; Chiswell, Gregory M.; Ilett, Kenneth F.; Davis, Timothy M. E.

2006-01-01

Drug treatment of severe malaria must be rapidly effective. Suppositories may be valuable for childhood malaria when circumstances prevent oral or parenteral therapy. We compared artesunate suppositories (n = 41; 8 to 16 mg/kg of body weight at 0 and 12 h and then daily) with intramuscular (i.m.) artemether (n = 38; 3.2 mg/kg at 0 h and then 1.6 mg/kg daily) in an open-label, randomized trial with children with severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Parasite density a...

Tourism as science and science as tourism: environment, society, self, and other in Papua New Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

West, Paige

2008-08-01

The experience of villagers in Maimafu, in the Crater Mountain Wildlife Management Area of the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea, calls attention to two forms of social interaction between rural people and outsiders that have been little examined in the anthropological literature. One of these is scientific research and the other is scientific tourism, a form of ecotourism that is linked not to science but to self-fashioning and individual gain. Scientific tourists may be seeking an educational adventure that they can turn into symbolic capital on their return home, a way into the world of science, or an experience that can be turned into economic capital through publication in popular magazines. For both researchers and scientific journalists, New Guinea combines the exotic, the about-to-be-lost, the primitive, the untouched, and the spectacular and is therefore a powerful space for imaginary and representational practice.

Sustainability of Land Groups in Papua New Guinea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lepani Karigawa

2016-05-01

Full Text Available This paper consists of a review of existing literature relating to Incorporated Land Groups in Papua New Guinea (PNG, followed by a case study of two urban incorporated land groups (ILGs in the city of Lae. The paper is an attempt at assessing the sustainability of ILGs in the country. The challenges facing the ILGs have heightened public fears that the land groups may not be sustainable. Based on the argument in previous studies that the ILGs are not sustainable, the paper used primary data from two separate questionnaire surveys of randomly selected ILG landowners (including legal settlers and ILG stakeholders to investigate the problem. The combined sample size of 129 respondents (32.7% was representative of the total ILG population, while a total of 25 indicators were used to test the respondents’ perceptions regarding ILG sustainability. Findings reveal that only one of the indicators received the positive support of the stakeholders, while no indicator was supported by the landowners. This suggests that the ILGs in PNG are not sustainable legal entities. This dilemma is a consequence of the challenges facing the ILGs, including the issues of corruption in the Lands Department, illiteracy among landowners, poor publicity given to ILGs’ functions, and the dysfunctional ILG legal framework.

Cannibals and Orchids: Cannibalism and the Sensory Imagination of Papua New Guinea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ilaria Vanni

2011-11-01

Full Text Available This article examines Leona Miller’s book Cannibal and Orchids (1941 as an example of how place, in this case Papua New Guinea (PNG, is imagined according to a particular sensorium. It follows the ‘sensory turn in anthropology’ and the studies developed in the last two decades that take the senses as their object of enquiry. This body of theory is mobilised to analyse Miller’s biographical narrative recounting how PNG is imagined, represented and produced in terms of a disarray of the (Western senses, coalescing in the trope of cannibalism. This article argues that the experience of PNG as the place of otherness is narrated both in terms of the author’s sensory displacement and of the indigenous sensorium as abject.

First record of Cephenniitae in the Bismarck Archipelago, Papua New Guinea, with description of new species of Cephennodes and Cephennomicrus of Mussau and Manus Islands (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scydmaeninae).

Science.gov (United States)

Jałoszyński, Paweł

2017-05-17

The supertribe Cephenniitae and the tribe Cephenniini are for the first time recorded from the Bismarck Archipelago, Papua New Guinea. Cephennodes (s. str.) mussauinsularis sp. n. and Cephennomicrus manusianus sp. n. are described, based on specimens collected respectively on Mussau Island (New Ireland Province) and Manus Island (Manus Province).

Comparative mtDNA analyses of three sympatric macropodids from a conservation area on the Huon Peninsula, Papua New Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

McGreevy, Thomas J; Dabek, Lisa; Husband, Thomas P

2016-07-01

Matschie's tree kangaroo (Dendrolagus matschiei), New Guinea pademelon (Thylogale browni), and small dorcopsis (Dorcopsulus vanheurni) are sympatric macropodid taxa, of conservation concern, that inhabit the Yopno-Urawa-Som (YUS) Conservation Area on the Huon Peninsula, Papua New Guinea. We sequenced three partial mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genes from the three taxa to (i) investigate network structure; and (ii) identify conservation units within the YUS Conservation Area. All three taxa displayed a similar pattern in the spatial distribution of their mtDNA haplotypes and the Urawa and Som rivers on the Huon may have acted as a barrier to maternal gene flow. Matschie's tree kangaroo and New Guinea pademelon within the YUS Conservation Area should be managed as single conservation units because mtDNA nucleotides were not fixed for a given geographic area. However, two distinct conservation units were identified for small dorcopsis from the two different mountain ranges within the YUS Conservation Area.

Description of two new species of the Exocelina broschii-group from Papua New Guinea, with revision and key to all representatives of this species group (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae, Copelatinae).

Science.gov (United States)

Shaverdo, Helena; Sagata, Katayo; Balke, Michael

2016-01-01

Two new species of Exocelina Broun, 1886 from Papua New Guinea are described herein: Exocelina mondmillensis sp. n. and Exocelina pseudomarinae sp. n. They are placed into the Exocelina broschii-group based on the shovel/fork-like ventral sclerites of their median lobe. While the former has rather distinct combination of the morphological characters (inconspicuous dorsal punctation, thin apex of the median lobe and ventral sclerite of the median lobe with two tips of different length), the latter is very similar to already described species Exocelina marinae (Shaverdo, Sagata & Balke, 2005). All described species of the group are revised and a key to their identification is provided. Important diagnostic characters (habitus, color, protarsomeres 4-5, median lobes, and parameres) are illustrated. Data on the distribution of all species of the group are given showing that its representatives occur only in Papua New Guinea and most of them are widely distributed in it central part.

Medicinal plants of Papua New Guinea's Miu speaking population and a focus on their use of plant-slaked lime mixtures.

Science.gov (United States)

Prescott, Thomas A K; Briggs, Marie; Kiapranis, Robert; Simmonds, Monique S J

2015-11-04

Here we present the results of an ethnobotanical survey of the medicinal plants used by the Miu, a virtually unresearched ethnolinguistic group who live in the mountainous interior of Papua New Guinea's West New Britain Province. We compare the findings for those previously reported for the neighbouring inland Kaulong speaking population. Three species, Trema orientalis, Spondias dulcis and Ficus botryocarpa are used in combination with locally prepared slaked lime to produce intensely coloured mixtures which are applied to dermatological infections. Their effects on dermal fibroblast viability with and without slaked lime are examined. The sap of F. botryocarpa which is used to treat tropical ulcers was examined further with assays relevant to wound healing. Focus groups and semi-structured interviews were used to acquire information on the uses of plants, vouchers of which were collected and identified by comparison with authentic herbarium specimens. LC-MS and NMR were used to identify chemical components. Cell viability assays were used to examine the effects of added slaked lime on dermal fibroblasts. For the sap of F. botryocarpa, fibroblast stimulation assays and antibacterial growth inhibition with Bacillus subtilis were carried out. The survey identified 33 plants and one fungal species, and clear differences with the inland Kaulong group despite their close proximity. Added slaked lime does not greatly increase the cytotoxicity of plant material towards dermal fibroblasts. The sap of F. botryocarpa contains the alkaloid ficuseptine as a single major component and displays antibacterial activity. The results demonstrate the potential for variation in medicinal plant use amongst Papua New Guinea's numerous language groups. The addition of slaked lime to plant material does not appear to present a concern for wound healing in the amounts used. The sap of F. botryocarpa displays antibacterial activity at concentrations that would occur at the wound surface

Bringing Together Learning from Two Worlds: Lessons from a Gender-Inclusive Community Education Approach with Smallholder Farmers in Papua New Guinea

Science.gov (United States)

Pamphilon, Barbara; Mikhailovich, Katja

2017-01-01

Smallholder farmers are the backbone of food production in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Due to an increasing need to pay for schooling and health costs, many farming families are seeking ways to move from semi-subsistence farming to activities that generate more income. The long tradition of agricultural training in PNG to support the development of…

A new species of Spauligodon (Nematoda; Oxyuroidea; Pharyngodonidae) and other Nematodes in Cyrtodactylus epiroticus (Squamata; Gekkonidae) from Papua New Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

Bursey, Charles R; Goldberg, Stephen R; Kraus, Fred

2017-12-20

Spauligodon papuensis sp. nov. from the large intestines of Cyrtodactylus epiroticus (Gekkonidae) from Papua New Guinea is described and illustrated. Spauligodon papuensis sp. nov. represents the 54th species assigned to the genus and the second species from the Oceanic Region. The new species is separated from congeners by the unique combination of aspinose filamentous tail and no spicule in the male; and spinose filamentous tail, fusiform, flanged eggs, and postbulbar vulva in the female. Four additional species of nematodes were also found in C. epiroticus: mature specimens of Cosmocerca zugi, Falcaustra papuensis, Physalopteroides milnensis and larvae of Abbreviata sp.

Aristotle, alive and well in Papua New Guinea science classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Boeha, Beno B.

1990-09-01

National High School students from Papua New Guinea were interviewed about two situations; the results of their Aristotle-like views regarding `forced' and `natural' motion are presented and discussed. Twenty-one National High School Students were interviewed about two situations similarly used elsewhere (Osborne and Gibert 1979, 1980, Osborne 1980a) and the results of these Aristotle-like views possessed by students have been presented and discussed above. With each of the six summary statements some extracts have been provided from interviews conducted by the author with students who had come from various parts of Pupua New Guinea. Students' views have been compiled to give a composite picture of the Aristotle-like ideas. Some impression of the commonality of the ideas/beliefs has been provided by reference to the work of others who have reported similar tendencies in testing and interviewing physics students. Throughout the study, students' Aristotlean-like views have been given a respected status that reflects their widespread use, their internal coherence and their tenacity in the face of classroom teaching in a Pupua New Guinea National High School. In analysing individual interview transcripits, attempts were made to construct ideas/beliefs that can account for statements by each student in a manner that statements are consistent with each other. The assumption that all of a student's statements are logically compatible to a listener or reader is difficult to maintain. However, it is one that has to be made as a hypothesis to work with, otherwise it is too easy to discount sections of a student's discourse that seem inconsistent with understandable parts. The aims of this part of the study have been to provide science educationalists with a repertoire of common Aristolean-like beliefs which have persisted in students. These views differ in some ways from the orthodox physics views. By better understanding of the students' beliefs and commitments about

Understanding Learning and Teaching in Papua New Guinea: Elementary Teacher Trainers Engaged in Cultural Authorship in the Context of National Educational Reforms

Science.gov (United States)

Brownlee, Joanne M.; Farrell, Ann; Davis, Julie

2012-01-01

Over the last decade, Papua New Guinea (PNG) has pursued educational reform in elementary teacher education. Because elementary teachers and teacher education are central to the reform agenda, there is a need to gain empirical evidence about how PNG teacher trainers' understandings about learning and teaching impact on their practice. The study…

Sources and management of hazardous waste in Papua New Guinea

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Singh, K. [Univ. of Papua New Guinea (Papua New Guinea)

1996-12-31

Papua New Guinea (PNG) has considerable mineral wealth, especially in gold and copper. Large-scale mining takes place, and these activities are the source of most of PNG`s hazardous waste. Most people live in small farming communities throughout the region. Those living adjacent to mining areas have experienced some negative impacts from river ecosystem damage and erosion of their lands. Industry is centered mainly in urban areas and Generates waste composed of various products. Agricultural products, pesticide residues, and chemicals used for preserving timber and other forestry products also produce hazardous waste. Most municipal waste comes from domestic and commercial premises; it consists mainly of combustibles, noncombustibles, and other wastes. Hospitals generate pathogenic organisms, radioactive materials, and chemical and pharmaceutical laboratory waste. Little is known about the actual treatment of waste before disposal in PNG. Traditional low-cost waste disposal methods are usually practiced, such as use of landfills; storage in surface impoundments; and disposal in public sewers, rivers, and the sea. Indiscriminate burning of domestic waste in backyards is also commonly practiced in urban and rural areas. 10 refs., 4 tabs.

Investigating subduction reversal in Papua New Guinea from automatic analysis of seismicity recorded on a temporary local network

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Hicks, S. P.; Harmon, N.; Rychert, C.; Tharimena, S.; Bogiatzis, P.; Savage, B.; Shen, Y.; Baillard, C.

2017-12-01

The area of Papua New Guinea is one of the most seismically active regions on the planet. Seismicity in the region results from oblique convergence between the Pacific and India-Australia plates, with deformation occurring across a broad region involving several microplates. The region gives an excellent natural laboratory to test geodynamic models of subduction polarity reversal, microplate interaction, and to delineate the structure of subducting plates and relic structures at depth. However, a lack of permanent seismic stations means that routine earthquake locations for small to intermediate sized earthquakes have significant location errors. In 2014, we deployed a temporary network of eight broadband stations on islands in eastern Papua New Guinea to record ongoing seismic deformation. The network straddles a complex region where subduction of the Solomon plate occurs to the south and possible subduction of the Ontong-Java plateau occurs to the north. The stations were installed for 27 months. During the deployment period, there were 13 M>6.5 earthquakes in the area, including M7.5 doublet events in 2015, giving a rich seismic dataset. A high-quality catalogue of local events was formed by a multi-step process. Using the scanloc module of SeisComp3, we first detect P-onsets using a STA/LTA detection. Once clusters of P onsets are found, S-wave picks are incorporated based on a pre-defined window length of maximum S-P time. Groups of onsets are then associated to events, giving us a starting catalogue of 269 events (1765 P-onsets) with minimum magnitude of M 3.5. In a second step, we refine onset times using a Kurtosis picker to improve location accuracy. To form robust hypocentral locations using an appropriate structural model for the area and to constrain crust and mantle structure in the region, we derive a minimum 1-D velocity model using the VELEST program. We use a starting model from Abers et al. (1991) and we restrict our catalogue to events with an

Human immunodeficiency virus status disclosure and education for children and adolescents in Papua New Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

Orelly, Thyna; Welch, Henry; Machine, Edwin; Pameh, Wendy; Duke, Trevor

2018-02-13

How to provide human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disclosure and awareness for children and young people has not been studied in Papua New Guinea or Pacific Island countries. We aimed to determine the current practices of HIV disclosure and evaluate whether an incremental disclosure education model, as recommended by World Health Organization (WHO), would increase children's knowledge about their condition and improve adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART). We enrolled HIV-infected children on ART whose parents consented, and we identified whether they were aware that they were HIV positive or not. An incremental education model was used to teach the children about their illness and to disclose their HIV status if that was the parents' wishes. Knowledge of HIV and adherence to ART before and following education sessions was assessed. A total of 138 children HIV-positive children were recruited. Only 7% had previously been made aware of their HIV test results; the mean disclosure age was 12.7 years. By 10 years of age, 25 of 34 participants (74%) had not been told they had HIV. The common reasons caregivers gave for not disclosing were that the child was too young and the potential psychosocial impacts on the child and the family. Using an education model of HIV disclosure, children's knowledge of HIV increased significantly, and ART adherence, which was good at 95%, increased to 99% an average of 9 months after education. There is a low rate of disclosure for HIV-infected children in Papua New Guinea. This study underlines the importance and value of incorporating age-appropriate HIV education within HIV services. © 2018 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (The Royal Australasian College of Physicians).

A Possible Role for Rusa Deer (Cervus timorensis russa and Wild Pigs in Spread of Trypanosoma evansi from Indonesia to Papua New Guinea

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SA Reid

1999-03-01

Full Text Available Movement of transmigrants and livestock from western Indonesia to southeastern areas of Irian Jaya near the border with Papua New Guinea may pose a risk of introducing Trypanosoma evansi into Papua New Guinea via feral Rusa deer (Cervus timorensis russa and wild pigs which inhabit these areas in large numbers. Pilot experimental studies were conducted to observe infection in pigs and Rusa deer with a strain of T. evansi isolated in Indonesia. Parasitaemia and signs of clinical disease were monitored each second day for 120 days. Trypanosomes were observed in haematocrit tubes at the plasma-buffy coat interface of jugular blood of deer and pigs on 86% and 37% of sampling occasions respectively. Parasitaemia was at a high level in deer for 35% of the time but for only 11.5% of the time in pigs. Results indicate that both Rusa deer and pigs have a high tolerance for infection with T. evansi. The deer suffered mild anaemia evidenced by a 25% reduction in packed cell volume (PCV 14 days after infection which coincided with the initial peak in parasitaemia. However, PCV had returned to pre infection values by the end of the experiment. The pigs showed no change in PCV. There were no visual indications of disease in either species and appetite was not noticeably affected. It was concluded that both Rusa deer and pigs were capable reservoir hosts for T. evansi but that Rusa deer, with their more persistent higher levels of parasitaemia, have more potential to spread T. evansi into Papua New Guinea from West Irian than pigs.

Human polyomavirus JC variants in Papua New Guinea and Guam reflect ancient population settlement and viral evolution.

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Ryschkewitsch, C F; Friedlaender, J S; Mgone, C S; Jobes, D V; Agostini, H T; Chima, S C; Alpers, M P; Koki, G; Yanagihara, R; Stoner, G L

2000-07-01

The peopling of the Pacific was a complex sequence of events that is best reconstructed by reconciling insights from various disciplines. Here we analyze the human polyomavirus JC (JCV) in Highlanders of Papua New Guinea (PNG), in Austronesian-speaking Tolai people on the island of New Britain, and in nearby non-Austronesian-speaking Baining people. We also characterize JCV from the Chamorro of Guam, a Micronesian population. All JCV strains from PNG and Guam fall within the broad Asian group previously defined in the VP1 gene as Type 2 or Type 7, but the PNG strains were distinct from both genotypes. Among the Chamorro JCV samples, 8 strains (Guam-1) were like the Type 7 strains found in Southeast Asia, while nine strains (Guam-2) were distinct from both the mainland strains and most PNG strains. We identified three JCV variants within Papua New Guinea (PNG-1, PNG-2 and PNG-3), but none of the Southeast Asian (Type 7) strains. PNG-1 strains were present in all three populations (Highlanders and the Baining and Tolai of New Britain), but PNG-2 strains were restricted to the Highlanders. Their relative lack of DNA sequence variation suggests that they arose comparatively recently. The single PNG-3 strain, identified in an Austronesian-speaking Tolai individual, was closely related to the Chamorro variants (Guam-2), consistent with a common Austronesian ancestor. In PNG-2 variants a complex regulatory region mutation inserts a duplication into a nearby deletion, a change reminiscent of those seen in the brains of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy patients. This is the first instance of a complex JCV rearrangement circulating in a human population.

Nursing accounting competencies related to HIV in a Papua New Guinea context.

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Brown, Alistair M

2013-01-01

Nursing administration is an important part of the campaign to eliminate HIV across Papua New Guinea (PNG). This paper considers the critical importance of developing nursing leadership in effective accounting competencies in relation to HIV projects in PNG. The results of the study's textual analysis of audit reports of the Auditor General of PNG revealed a failure on the part of PNG's main health agencies involved with its national HIV program to provide competent financial reporting. In light of these results, this study shows how improving accounting and other financial competencies among nursing leaders would benefit the implementation of the PNG HIV national strategy. The findings of this study have implications not only for the internal control of HIV nursing competencies but also for nursing leadership related to HIV issues in a developing-country context. Copyright © 2013 Association of Nurses in AIDS Care. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Lymphatic filariasis in Papua New Guinea: distribution at district level and impact of mass drug administration, 1980 to 2011

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2013-01-01

Background Lymphatic filariasis (LF) caused by Wuchereria bancrofti is present at high prevalence in some parts of Papua New Guinea. However, there has been no rigorous data-based representative assessment of nationwide prevalence of LF. The LF programme has been daunted by the scope of the problem, and progress on mass drug administration (MDA) has been slow and lacking in resources. Methods A systematic literature review identified LF surveys in Papua New Guinea between 1980 and 2011. Results were extracted by location, time period and test used (blood slide, immunochromatographic test (ICT) or Og4C3 ELISA) and combined by district. Three criteria schemes based on the Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis guidelines, with modifications, were developed to classify and prioritize districts by prevalence level. Results of repeated surveys in the same sites were used to investigate the impact of MDA on LF prevalence over the time period. Results There were 312 distinct survey sites identified in 80 of the 89 districts over the 31-year period. The overall LF prevalence in the sites tested was estimated at 18.5 to 27.5% by blood slide for microfilariae (Mf), 10.1% to 12.9% by ICT and 45.4% to 48.8% by Og4C3. Biases in site selection towards areas with LF, and change in type of assay used, affected the prevalence estimates, but overall decline in prevalence over the time period was observed. Depending on the criteria used, 34 to 36 districts (population 2.7 to 2.9 million) were classed as high endemic (≥5% prevalence), 15 to 25 districts (1.7 to 1.9 million) as low endemic (Papua New Guinea enables better estimation of the national burden, identifies gaps in knowledge, quantifies and locates the population at risk, and can be used to predict the likely impact of MDA and/or vector control. Better targeting of districts by level of prevalence will strengthen the control programme, facilitate monitoring of the disease trend and increase the likelihood of

Transformations in Kinship, Land Rights and Social Boundaries among the Wampar in Papua New Guinea and the Generative Agency of Children of Interethnic Marriages

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Schworer, Doris Bacalzo

2012-01-01

Among the Wampar in Papua New Guinea, children are active participants in the dynamics of kinship and identity construction. This article explores the transformative capabilities of children of interethnic marriages, particularly those with non-Wampar fathers. It examines children's notions of belonging and rights through their practices and…

'We call it a virus but I want to say it's the devil inside': redemption, moral reform and relationships with God among people living with HIV in Papua New Guinea.

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Kelly-Hanku, Angela; Aggleton, Peter; Shih, Patti

2014-10-01

There is growing recognition of the importance of religion and religious beliefs as they relate to the experience of HIV, globally and in Papua New Guinea in particular. Based on 36 in-depth qualitative interviews conducted with people living with HIV receiving HIV antiretroviral therapy in 2008, this paper examines the cultural aetiology of HIV of in Papua New Guinea, the country with the highest reported burden of HIV in the Pacific. Narratives provided drew upon a largely moral framework, which viewed HIV acquisition as a consequence of moral failing and living an un-Christian life. This explanation for suffering viewed the individual as responsible for their condition in much the same way that neo-liberal biomedical discourses do. Moral reform and re-establishing a relationship with God were seen as key actions necessary to effect healing on the material body infected with HIV. Religious understandings of HIV drew upon a pre-existing cultural aetiology of dis-ease and misfortune widespread in Papua New Guinea. Understanding the centrality of Christianity to explanations of disease, and subsequently the actions necessary to bring about health, is essential in order to understand how people with HIV in receipt of antiretroviral therapies internalise biomedical perspectives and reconcile these with Christian beliefs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

International Uranium Resources Evaluation Project (IUREP) national favourability studies: Papua New Guinea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1977-08-01

No uranium mineralisation has been identified in Papua New Guinea; there has, however, been virtually no exploitation specifically for uranium. The extensive Mesozoic platform sediments overlying Palaeozoic metamorphic and Permian or Triassic granite basement appear to be the most prospective units for uranium. During the Triassic, fluviatile and marginal marine arkose, feldspathic and volcanic sandstone, and minor reffal limestone were deposited in downfaulted interior and marginal basins of the platform. Locally these sediments are underlain by dacitic volcanics. A new and more widespread phase of shallow marine, deltaic, and fluciatile sedimentation occurred during the Middle and at places also during the Early Jurassic. Arkose and feldspathic and quartzose sandstone are interbedded with a grade laterally into carbonaceous and pyritic shale, and siltstone. By the Late Jurassic the shales had transgressed over the coarse clastics, and marginal marine sandstone, siltstone, and mudstone with some coal beds had been deposited over the larger part of the platform. From Late Jurassic to Late Cretaceous, shales remain the dominant rock type but are intercalated with quartz-feldspar sandstone associated with marine regressions. The Jurassic and Cretaceous shales are source rocks for petroleum. During the Late Cretaceous the northeast part of the platform was uplifted and the Mesozoic cover partly eroded. Sedimentation of fine elastics continued over the edge of the platform and on the continental slope. The Mesozoic sandstones are potential host rocks to uranium mineralisation, particularly where they are interbedded with carbonaceous and pyritic shale. Their potential is enhanced where they are situated near petroleum reservoirs which could have provided hydrogen sulphide or hydrocarbons capable of precipitating uranium from circulating solutions by reduction. Triassic and Jurassic coarse clastics, which are restricted to a few areas, are considered to be the most

Rare earth element behaviour and hydrothermal alteration, Lihir Island, Papua New Guinea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lottermoser, B.G.

1990-01-01

This contribution documents extreme rare earth elements (REE) mobility associated with a currently active subaerial hydrothermal system on Lihir Island, Papua New Guinea, which is host to a large epithermal gold deposit. Instrumental thermal activation analysis for selected REE and for other trace elements has been performed at the Lucas Heights Research Laboratories in Sydney. Samples and standards were irradiated with thermal neutrons and subsequently counted on coaxial and planar detectors after several decay periods. The gamma-ray spectra were processed using FORTRAN data reduction program. The wide range of (La/Lu) c n, (La/Sm) c n and (Tb/Lu) c n ratios reflects a pronounced mobilisation and fractionation of REE during the hydrothermal process. It is estimated that the increasing fractionation of REE, and especially of 'light rare earth' (La to Sm), up the alteration sequence is the result of decreasing pH, temperature and alkalinity of the hydrothermal fluids with increasing alteration intensity. 15 refs., 2 figs

Women's asset ownership and children's nutritional status: Evidence from Papua New Guinea.

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van der Meulen Rodgers, Yana; Kassens, Alice Louise

2018-05-01

This study examines how women's asset ownership is associated with children's nutritional status in Papua New Guinea, a country with some of the most severe child malnutrition in the world. The 2009-2010 Household Income and Expenditure Survey is employed, but restricted to children under the age of 72 months living with married mothers, leaving a final analytic sample of 1651. Asset ownership is expected to strengthen mothers' income-generating capacity and their bargaining power within the home, which increases investments in children's health. Women's ownership of fishing and agricultural equipment (important for meeting subsistence needs and for generating cash earnings) appears to be driving most of the results. OLS regression results point to beneficial effects of maternal asset ownership for children's height-for-age, weight-for-height, and weight-for-age Z-scores, and results from detailed quantile regressions indicate that these effects occur at various parts of the distribution, especially for children's WAZ scores. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The timing of Late Pleistocene glaciation at Mount Wilhelm, Papua New Guinea

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Mills, Stephanie; Barrows, Timothy; Hope, Geoff; Pillans, Brad; Fifield, Keith

2016-04-01

The highlands of New Guinea were the most extensively glaciated area in the Asian tropical region during the Late Pleistocene. Evidence for glaciation is widespread on most of the mountain peaks above ~3500 m. Glacial landforms include both valley and ice cap forms, but the timing of glaciation remains constrained to only a few local areas. This paper focuses on Mount Wilhelm, which is situated in the central southern region of Papua New Guinea at 5.78°S and is the highest peak (4510 m a.s.l.) We focus on a south easterly valley (Pindaunde Valley) emanating from the peak, where large moraines indicate the maximum ice extent of a valley glacier ~5 km long. Within this extensive moraine complex, recessional moraines document the retreat of the glacier towards the summit region. In order to determine the timing of deglaciation, we collected samples for surface exposure dating using 36Cl and 10Be from diorite boulders positioned on moraine crests. The ages indicate that maximum ice extent was attained during the last glacial maximum (LGM) and that ice remained near its maximum extent until after 15 ka but persisted at higher elevations almost until the Holocene. These results are similar to those described from Mt Giluwe to the northwest of Mount Wilhelm, where an ice cap reached its maximum extent at the LGM and remained there for around 3-4,000 years. This indicates that full glacial conditions were only brief in this region of the tropics.

Vaccination and nutritional status of children in Karawari, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea.

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Samiak, Louis; Emeto, Theophilus I

2017-01-01

Delivery of health care services to rural and remote populations in Papua New Guinea (PNG) is problematic. This is mainly due to difficulties with transportation and communication. Hence, the children in this region of PNG are likely to be at risk of malnutrition compounded by inadequate vaccination that may predispose them to preventable diseases. This study was conducted to determine the vaccination and nutritional status of children less than 5 years old in the remote and rural Karawari area of PNG. 105 children were included in the study, of whom 55% were male and 45% female. The mean age of children included in the study was 32.6 months. Their age, height, and weight by gender was not significantly different. Overall, 85% of children had incomplete vaccination. However, children above the median age of 32 months (34%) were more likely to be fully vaccinated for their age, χ2 (1) = 23.294, p new facilities within the region, with adequately trained and compensated staff.

Measuring the Burden of Surgical Disease Averted by Emergency and Essential Surgical Care in a District Hospital in Papua New Guinea.

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Stokes, Matthew A R; Guest, Glenn D; Mamadi, Perista; Seta, Westin; Yaubihi, Noel; Karawiga, Grace; Naidi, Billy; Watters, David A K

2017-03-01

Timely access to emergency and essential surgical care (EESC) and anaesthesia in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) prevents premature death, minimises lifelong disability and reduces their economic impact on families and communities. Papua New Guinea is one of the poorest countries in the Pacific region, and provides much of its surgical care at a district hospital level. We aimed to evaluate the surgical capacity of a district hospital in PNG and estimate the effectiveness of surgical interventions provided. We performed a prospective study to calculate the number of DALYs averted for 465 patients treated with surgical care over a 3-month period (Sep-Nov 2013) in Alotau Hospital, Milne Bay Province, PNG (pop 210,000). Data were also collected on infrastructure, workforce, interventions provided and equipment available using the World Health Organization's Integrated Management of Emergency and Essential Surgical Care Toolkit, a survey to assess EESC and surgical capacity. We also performed a retrospective one-year audit of surgical, obstetric and anaesthetic care to provide context with regards to annual disease burden treated and surgical activity. EESC was provided by 11 Surgeons/Anaesthetists/Obstetricians (SAO) providers, equating to 5.7 per 100,000 population (including 4 nurse anaesthetists). They performed 783/100,000 procedures annually. Over the 3-month prospective study period, 4954 DALYs were averted by 465 surgical interventions, 52 % of which were elective. This equates to 18,330 DALYs averted annually or, approximately 18 % of the published but estimated disease burden in the Province in the 2013 Global Burden of Disease Study. The overall peri-operative mortality rate was 1.29 %, with 0.41 % for elective procedures and 2.25 % for emergencies. Much of the burden of surgical disease in Papua New Guinea presenting to Alotau General Hospital serving Milne Bay Province can be effectively treated by a small team providing emergency and

Persistence as the path from motivation to performance in the Papua New Guinea health sector.

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Elich, Luke

2009-01-01

This paper considers how the individual capacity states of motivation, confidence, skill and ability relate to performance, and identifies a crucial role for the discretionary behaviour of individuals: specifically, employee persistence and innovation. The study Understanding the people and performance link: unlocking the black box undertaken by Purcell and colleagues is relied upon in constructing a theoretical framework for the conceptual interrelationships between performance and the human-resource-mediating variables, which is then applied within the Papua New Guinea (PNG) health sector context. The study by Purcell and colleagues, which was informed by organizations with well-developed and functioning human resource policies and practices, is distinguished from the PNG health sector, where human resource frameworks are largely ineffective--yet it is determined that the importance of 'discretionary behaviour' relative to performance, whilst varied, is undiminished.

Mummy Restoration Project Among the Anga of Papua New Guinea.

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Beckett, Ronald G; Nelson, Andrew J

2015-06-01

We report on a unique Mummy restoration project among the anga of papua new guinea. Moimango was a village leader who had gone through the smoked body mummification process about 50 years ago. His smoked body has been displayed, alongside other ancestors, on a cliff niche gallery 308 m (1011 feet) above Koke Village. Although somewhat protected by an overhang, Moimango suffered a great deal of deterioration as he has been unprotected and exposed to the elements. The goals of our 2010 expedition to Koke Village was to assess the efficacy of restoration efforts applied to Moimango initiated by the authors and villagers of Koke in 2008. The restoration process used materials native to the local jungles. We examined Moimango for additional restoration challenges that may have arisen since the 2008 expedition. We discovered that many of the restoration techniques developed and applied in 2008 held up well. We found that the anatomical supports developed from native tapa and kumaka sap were still in place and effective, as well as our lichen eradication method of a suca slurry applied in 2008. Of particular importance was the stability of Moimago's head, which prior to restoration, was held in place by only the mummified muscle and integument of the lateral and posterior neck region. Endoscopic evaluation demonstrated disarticulated C1 and C2 vertebrae. New restoration challenges included construction of a new display chair, realignment and securing of the mandible, replacing and securing a loose tooth, repatching, and recoating with ritualistic red ochre clay. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A new species of velvet skate, Notoraja sereti n.sp. (Rajiformes: Arhynchobatidae) from Papua New Guinea.

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White, William T; Last, Peter R; Mana, Ralph R

2017-03-19

A new arhynchobatin skate, Notoraja sereti n. sp., is described based on three specimens collected from off Madang (Papua New Guinea) at depths of 800-980 m. This medium-size Notoraja skate shares with other velcro skates from the Western Pacific, N. alisae, N. fijiensis, N. inusitata and N. longiventralis, a ventral surface covering of fine denticles giving the skin a velvety feel. Notoraja sereti differs from all of these species in having a shorter snout (preorbital length 10.1-11.1 vs. 11.5-14.5% TL, prenasal length 8.2-8.9 vs, 9.8-12.1% TL), shorter head (dorsal head length 15.2-16.2 vs. 17.1-19.3% TL, ventral head length 21.6-22.9 vs. 22.9-25.9% TL), fewer pectoral-fin radials (total radials 58-60 vs. 61-74), and fewer vertebrae (predorsal diplospondylous centra 66-71 vs. 72-82, predorsal centra 90-95 vs. 98-107, total centra 126-131 vs. 135-152).

A taxonomic revision of the kalshoveni species-group of the genus Nemophora Hoffmannsegg (Lepidoptera, Adelidae), with descriptions of six new species from Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.

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Kozlov, Mikhail V

2016-11-10

A monophyletic group of seven externally similar, grey to light brown species of the genus Nemophora Hoffmannsegg from the islands of Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, recognised as the new kalshoveni species-group, is revised. All species of this group possess an oblique light stripe, which arises from the costal margin of the forewing at 0.7-0.8 of its length towards the middle of an external wing margin. The proboscis of these species is unusually thick due to a dense cover of raised dark brown and black scales. A key to the species based on external characters and on male genitalia is provided; new species are described from the Sangir (N. humerella sp. nov.) and New Guinea (N. agassizi sp. nov., N. bistrigata sp. nov., N. dohertyi sp. nov., N. toxopeusi sp. nov. and N. stenopterella sp. nov.).

A correlation of Sr isotope stratigraphy and foraminiferal biostratigraphy in tertiary limestones of Papua New Guinea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allan, T.L.; Trotter, J.A.; Whitford, D.J.; Korsch, M.J.

2000-01-01

Strontium isotopic and stratigraphic data collected from the Darai Limestone of Papua New Guinea clearly demonstrate a systematic relationship between bulk 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratio and index foraminiferal composition that closely reflects the relative stratigraphical range of the foraminifera in this region. A graphic correlation of stratigraphic, strontium isotopic and age ranges of the major index taxa permits direct evaluation of limestone age and isotopic composition in the Darai Limestone. The age of the Tf 1 /Tf 2 boundary (∼12.2 Ma) is significantly younger than the accepted estimate of ∼15.0 Ma (plankton Zone N9) and the Te/Tf boundary (∼20.3 Ma) is older than the generally accepted age of ∼l 8.5 Ma (plankton Zone N6)

Four New Species of Eimeria (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from Emoia spp. Skinks (Sauria: Scincidae), from Papua New Guinea and the Insular Pacific.

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McAllister, Chris T; Duszynski, Donald W; Austin, Christopher C; Fisher, Robert N

2017-02-01

Between September and November 1991, 54 adult skinks from 15 species were collected by hand or blowpipe from several localities on Rarotonga, Cook Islands, Ovalau Island, Fiji, and Papua New Guinea (PNG), and their feces were examined for coccidians. Species included 5 seaside skinks (Emoia atrocostata), 1 Pacific blue-tailed skink (Emoia caeroleocauda), 2 Fiji slender treeskinks (Emoia concolor), 15 white-bellied copper-striped skinks (Emoia cyanura), 1 Bulolo River forest skink (Emoia guttata), 6 dark-bellied copper-striped skinks (Emoia impar), 5 Papua five-striped skinks (Emoia jakati), 2 Papua slender treeskinks (Emoia kordoana), 3 Papua robust treeskinks (Emoia longicauda), 1 brown-backed forest skink (Emoia loveridgei), 3 Papua black-sided skinks (Emoia pallidiceps), 2 Papua white-spotted skinks (Emoia physicae), 2 Papua yellow-head skinks (Emoia popei), 1 Papua brown forest skink (Emoia submetallica), and 5 Fiji barred treeskinks (Emoia trossula) Species of Eimeria (Ei.) were detected from these Emoia (Em.) spp. and are described here as new. Oocysts of Eimeria iovai n. sp. from Em. pallidiceps from PNG were ellipsoidal with a bilayered wall (L × W) 26.5 × 18.1 μm, with a length/width ratio (L/W) of 1.1. Both micropyle and oocyst residuum were absent, but a fragmented polar granule was present. This eimerian also was found in Em. atrocostata from PNG. Oocysts of Eimeria kirkpatricki n. sp. from Em. atrocostata from PNG were ellipsoidal with a bilayered wall, 18.6 × 13.5 μm, L/W 1.4. A micropyle and oocyst residuum were absent, but a fragmented polar granule was present. This eimerian was also shared by Em. cyanura from the Cook Islands and Fiji, Em. impar from the Cook Islands, Em. loveridgei from PNG, Em. pallidiceps from PNG, Em. popei from PNG, and Em. submetallica from PNG. Oocysts of Eimeria stevejayuptoni n. sp. from Em. longicauda were subspheroidal to ellipsoidal with a bilayered wall, 18.7 × 16.6 μm, L/W 1.1. A micropyle and oocyst residuum

Characteristics of the Papua New Guinean dentition. I Shovel-shaped incisors and canines associated with lingual tubercles.

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Doran, G A

1977-10-01

The prevalence of shovel-shaped and lingual tubercles in maxillary incisors and canines in four groups of people in Papua New Guinea is reported. The shovel shape was not common among the people of Highland New Guinea but its presence in Papuans was comparable with that in Mongoloid races.

The gastrointestinal nematodes of Paramelomys lorentzii and Mammelomys spp. (Rodentia: Muridae) with descriptions of a new genus and three new species (Heligmonellidae) from Papua New Guinea and Indonesia.

Science.gov (United States)

Smales, Lesley R

2017-12-20

Unidentified cestodes and 14 species of nematode and larvae that could not be placed to family level, were collected from the digestive tracts of 27 individuals of Paramelomys lorentzii, four of Mammelomys lanosus and a single M. rattoides from Papua New Guinea and Papua Indonesia. Of these three were new species. Hughjonestrongylus woolleyae sp. nov. can be distinguished from its congeners in having up to 26 ridges in the synlophe and a dissymmetric dorsal ray. Parvinema bafunminensis gen. nov., sp. nov. can be distinguished from all other genera in the family by the combination of features in the synlophe; with a carene, up to 17 ridges, and the pattern of ridge sizes. Parvinema helgeni sp. nov. differs from P. bafunminensis in the length of the spicule and the number of eggs in the uterus. The nematode assemblage of P. lorentzii had similar species richness to, and was also dominated by heligmonellids, as that of Paramelomys rubex, although the two assemblages differed in species composition.

Association between sex inequality in animal protein intake and economic development in the Papua New Guinea highlands: The carbon and nitrogen isotopic composition of scalp hair and fingernail.

Science.gov (United States)

Umezaki, Masahiro; Naito, Yuichi I; Tsutaya, Takumi; Baba, Jun; Tadokoro, Kiyoshi; Odani, Shingo; Morita, Ayako; Natsuhara, Kazumi; Phuanukoonnon, Suparat; Vengiau, Gwendalyn; Siba, Peter M; Yoneda, Minoru

2016-01-01

People in the Papua New Guinea Highlands consume sweet potatoes as their dietary staple; consumption of animal protein is limited. In such societies with marginal protein intake, the intra-household allocation of animal protein in terms of sex or age is of importance. The objective of this study was to investigate how the allocation pattern of protein-rich foods by sex and age is associated with economic development in the Papua New Guinea Highlands. The carbon and nitrogen isotopic compositions of fingernails, collected in 1995 in two areas (Tari and Port Moresby [the national capital where Tari migrants resided]), and of scalp hair, collected in 2007, 2012, and 2013 in three areas of different degree of economic development (Levani, Tari, and Goroka) were analyzed. Analysis of fingernail samples showed that δ(15)N was lower in rural communities than in the urban migrant community, while a sex difference in δ(15)N (higher in males than in females) was found in the former but not in the latter community. Age was not associated with either δ(15)N or δ(13)C values. The analysis of scalp hair samples showed that δ(15)N values were lowest in Levani, the least developed area. Furthermore, there were statistically significant sex differences in δ(15)N values in Levani but not in Tari and Goroka. Age was not associated with either δ(15)N or δ(13)C values. The sex inequality in animal protein consumption seems to have decreased as the communities in the Papua New Guinea Highlands have experienced economic development. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Costs of Children: Perceptions of Australian and Papua New Guinean Students.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilks, Jeffrey; Callan, Victor J.

1984-01-01

Compared the perceptions of 281 Papua New Guinean students and 329 Australian students of the economic and psychological costs of having children. Australians gave high ratings to the importance of financial and emotional costs, while New Guinea students were more aware of overpopulation and restrictions on parents. (JAC)

Two new species of Isospora (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from skinks, Emoia spp. (Sauria: Scincidae), from Fiji and Papua New Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

McAllister, Chris T; Duszynski, Donald W; Fisher, Robert N

2013-08-01

Between September and October 1991 and again during September 1992, skinks (Emoia spp.) were collected from various localities on Fiji and Papua New Guinea (PNG) and examined for coccidians. One of 4 (25%) De Vis' emo skinks (Emoia pallidiceps) from PNG harbored an undescribed species of Isospora in its feces. Oocysts of Isospora grinbikpelapalai n. sp. were ellipsoidal to subspheroidal, 18.1 × 14.9 (17-20 × 14-16) μm, with a bilayered wall and a length/width index (L/W) of 1.2. Both micropyle and oocyst residuum were absent, but a prominent polar granule was present. Sporocysts were ovoidal, 10.7 × 7.6 (10-11 × 7-8) μm, with a L/W index of 1.4. Stieda and sub-Stieda bodies were present, but para-Stieda bodies were absent. The sporocyst residuum consisted of large scattered globules dispersed between sporozoites. Sporozoites were elongate with spheroidal anterior and posterior refractile bodies. Isospora grinbikpelapalai was also found in 1 of 2 (50%) Pope's emo skinks (Emoia popei) from PNG. One of 13 (8%) white-bellied copper-striped skinks (Emoia cyanura), from Fiji, was passing another undescribed species of Isospora in its feces. Oocysts of Isospora casei n. sp. were elongate, 31.8 × 21.3 (28-35 × 18-24) μm, with a bilayered wall and a L/W index of 1.5. Micropyle, oocyst residuum, and polar granule were all absent. Sporocysts were ovoidal, 15.3 × 10.6 (14-16 × 10-12) μm, with a L/W index of 1.4. Stieda and sub-Stieda bodies were present, but para-Stieda bodies were absent. The sporocyst residuum consisted of scattered globules among sporozoites or as a cluster surrounding sporozoites. Sporozoites were elongate with spheroidal anterior and posterior refractile bodies. Isospora casei was also found in 1 of 2 (50%) Fiji slender treeskinks (Emoia concolor) from Fiji. This represents the first report of coccidia from Emoia spp. and, to our knowledge, the initial documentation of reptilian coccidia from herpetofauna from Papua New Guinea.

An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used in the East Sepik province of Papua New Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

Koch, Michael; Kehop, Dickson Andrew; Kinminja, Boniface; Sabak, Malcolm; Wavimbukie, Graham; Barrows, Katherine M; Matainaho, Teatulohi K; Barrows, Louis R; Rai, Prem P

2015-11-14

Rapid modernization in the East Sepik (ES) Province of Papua New Guinea (PNG) is resulting in a decrease in individuals knowledgeable in medicinal plant use. Here we report a synthesis and comparison of traditional medicinal plant use from four ethnically distinct locations in the ES Province and furthermore compare them to two other previous reports of traditional plant use from different provinces of PNG. This manuscript is based on an annotated combination of four Traditional Medicines (TM) survey reports generated by University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) trainees. The surveys utilized a questionnaire titled "Information sheet on traditional herbal preparations and medicinal plants of PNG", administered in the context of the TM survey project which is supported by WHO, US NIH and PNG governmental health care initiatives and funding. Regional and transregional comparison of medicinal plant utilization was facilitated by using existing plant databases: the UPNG TM Database and the PNG Plant Database (PNG Plants) using Bayesian statistical analysis. Medicinal plant use between four distinct dialect study areas in the ES Province of PNG showed that only a small fraction of plants had shared use in each area, however usually utilizing different plant parts, being prepared differently and to treat different medical conditions. Several instances of previously unreported medicinal plants could be located. Medicinally under- and over-utilized plants were found both in the regional reports and in a transregional analysis, thus showing that these medicinal utilization frequencies differ between provinces. Documentation of consistent plant use argues for efficacy and is particularly important since established and effective herbal medicinal interventions are sorely needed in the rural areas of PNG, and unfortunately clinical validation for the same is often lacking. Despite the existence of a large corpus of medical annotation of plants for PNG, previously unknown medical

The socio-technical barriers to Solar Home Systems (SHS) in Papua New Guinea: 'Choosing pigs, prostitutes, and poker chips over panels'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sovacool, Benjamin K.; D'Agostino, Anthony L.; Jain Bambawale, Malavika

2011-01-01

This study explores the socio-technical barriers to Solar Home Systems (SHS) in Papua New Guinea. The authors collected primary data through semi-structured research interviews conducted over the course of February 2010-April 2010. Respondents included government officials, financiers, planners, commercial distributors and companies, teachers and rural villagers in addition to members of civil society, academics, consultants, and trainers. These interviews were supplemented with site visits to Port Moresby, Goroka, and Madang, and field research in the villages of Akameku, Asaroka, Lufa, Kundiawa, Okifa, Simbu, and Talidig. The study draws from these interviews and visits to discuss four types of barriers. Technical barriers relate to substandard equipment and logistical problems. Economic barriers include high rates of poverty, misconceptions about the role of currency, and lack of financing. Political barriers include poor institutional capacity and a government commitment to fossil-fueled grid electrification. Social barriers encompass unrealistic expectations about what SHS can provide along with jealousy, theft, vandalism, and unfamiliarity with solar technology. - Research highlights: → Solar Home Systems (SHS) are impeded by a collection of different barriers in Papua New Guinea. → Technical barriers relate to substandard equipment and logistical problems. → Economic barriers include high rates of poverty, misconceptions about the role of currency, and lack of financing.→ Political barriers include poor institutional capacity and a government commitment to fossil-fueled grid electrification. → Social barriers encompass unrealistic expectations about what SHS can provide along with jealousy, theft, vandalism, and unfamiliarity with solar technology.

Research partnerships with local communities: two case studies from Papua New Guinea and Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Almany, G. R.; Hamilton, R. J.; Williamson, D. H.; Evans, R. D.; Jones, G. P.; Matawai, M.; Potuku, T.; Rhodes, K. L.; Russ, G. R.; Sawynok, B.

2010-09-01

Partnerships between scientists and local communities can increase research capacity and data delivery while improving management effectiveness through enhanced community participation. To encourage such collaboration, this study demonstrates how these partnerships can be formed, drawing on two case studies in coral reef ecosystems in very different social settings (Papua New Guinea and Australia). In each case, steps towards successfully engaging communities in research were similar. These included: (1) early engagement by collaborating organizations to build trust, (2) ensuring scientific questions have direct relevance to the community, (3) providing appropriate incentives for participation, and (4) clear and open communication. Community participants engaged in a variety of research activities, including locating and capturing fishes, collecting and recording data (weight, length and sex), applying external tags, and removing otoliths (ear bones) for ageing and elemental analysis. Research partnerships with communities enhanced research capacity, reduced costs and, perhaps more importantly, improved the likelihood of long-term community support for marine protected areas (MPAs).

A case of ultrasound-guided prenatal diagnosis of prune belly syndrome in Papua New Guinea--implications for management.

Science.gov (United States)

Ome, Maria; Wangnapi, Regina; Hamura, Nancy; Umbers, Alexandra J; Siba, Peter; Laman, Moses; Bolnga, John; Rogerson, Sheryle; Unger, Holger W

2013-05-07

Prune belly syndrome is a rare congenital malformation of unknown aetiology and is characterised by abnormalities of the urinary tract, a deficiency of abdominal musculature and bilateral cryptorchidism in males. We report a case of prune belly syndrome from Papua New Guinea, which was suspected on pregnancy ultrasound scan and confirmed upon delivery. A 26-year-old married woman, Gravida 3 Para 2, presented to antenatal clinic in Madang, Papua New Guinea, at 21(+5) weeks' gestation by dates. She was well with no past medical or family history of note. She gave consent to participate in a clinical trial on prevention of malaria in pregnancy and underwent repeated ultrasound examinations which revealed a live fetus with persistent megacystis and anhydramnios. Both mother and clinicians agreed on conservative management of the congenital abnormality. The mother spontaneously delivered a male fetus weighing 2010 grams at 34 weeks' gestation with grossly abnormal genitalia including cryptorchidism, penile aplasia and an absent urethral meatus, absent abdominal muscles and hypoplastic lungs. The infant passed away two hours after delivery. This report discusses the implications of prenatal detection of severe congenital abnormalities in PNG. This first, formally reported, case of prune belly syndrome from a resource-limited setting in the Oceania region highlights the importance of identifying and documenting congenital abnormalities. Women undergoing antenatal ultrasound examinations must be carefully counseled on the purpose and the limitations of the scan. The increasing use of obstetric ultrasound in PNG will inevitably result in a rise in prenatal detection of congenital abnormalities. This will need to be met with adequate training, referral mechanisms and better knowledge of women's attitudes and beliefs on birth defects and ultrasound. National medicolegal guidance regarding induced abortion and resuscitation of a fetus with severe congenital abnormalities may

A new species of Eimeria Schneider, 1875 (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from Carlia spp. (Sauria: Scincidae) from Papua New Guinea

Science.gov (United States)

McAllister, Chris T.; Duszynski, Donald W.; Fisher, Robert N.; Austin, Christopher C.

2013-01-01

A new species of Eimeria Schneider, 1875 from rainbow skinks, Carlia ailanpalai Zug and Carlia eothen Zug is described from specimens collected in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Oöcysts of Eimeria zugi n. sp. from one of one (100%) C. eothen are ellipsoidal to cylindroidal, with a smooth, colourless, bi-layered wall, measure 25.1 × 15.5 μm and have a length/width ratio of 1.6. The micropyle and the oöcyst residuum are absent, but a polar granule is present. The sporocysts are ovoidal to ellipsoidal and 10.3 × 7.1 μm in size and do not contain Stieda, sub-Stieda or para-Stieda bodies; and the sporocyst residuum is composed of a compact mass of large globules. The sporozoites are elongate, 12.8 × 2.9 μm in size, and contain anterior and posterior refractile bodies with a nucleus between them. This is the ninth species of coccidium described from skinks from PNG, and the new species described herein is apparently endemic to the skink genus Carlia (Gray).

Risk factors for malaria and adverse birth outcomes in a prospective cohort of pregnant women resident in a high malaria transmission area of Papua New Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

Stanisic, Danielle I; Moore, Kerryn A; Baiwog, Francesca; Ura, Alice; Clapham, Caroline; King, Christopher L; Siba, Peter M; Beeson, James G; Mueller, Ivo; Fowkes, Freya J; Rogerson, Stephen J

2015-05-01

Low birth weight (LBW), anaemia and malaria are common in Papua New Guinean women. To identify risk factors for LBW, anaemia and preterm delivery (PTD), pregnant women recruited into a cohort study in Madang, Papua New Guinea, were followed to delivery. Of 470 women enrolled, delivery data were available for 328 (69.7%). By microscopy, 34.4% (113/328) of women had malaria parasitaemia at enrolment and 12.5% (41/328) at delivery; at each time point, PCR detected sub-microscopic parasitaemia in substantially more. Most infections were with Plasmodium falciparum; the remainder being predominantly P. vivax. Anaemia and smoking were associated with lower birth weight, and LBW (16.7%; 51/305) and PTD (21.8%; 63/290) were common. Histopathologically diagnosed chronic placental malaria was associated with LBW (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 3.3; p=0.048) and PTD (aOR 4.2; p=0.01). Lack of maternal education predisposed to PTD. Sub-microscopic parasitaemia at delivery appeared to increase the risk of LBW. Of the genetic polymorphisms, Southeast Asian ovalocytosis, α(+)-thalassaemia and complement receptor 1 (CR1) deficiency, a CR1 heterozygous genotype was associated with decreased risk of anaemia and substantial but non-significant effects were noted in other comparisons. In coastal Papua New Guinea, malaria and anaemia are important causes of adverse pregnancy outcomes. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A Neolithic expansion, but strong genetic structure, in the independent history of New Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

Bergström, Anders; Oppenheimer, Stephen J; Mentzer, Alexander J; Auckland, Kathryn; Robson, Kathryn; Attenborough, Robert; Alpers, Michael P; Koki, George; Pomat, William; Siba, Peter; Xue, Yali; Sandhu, Manjinder S; Tyler-Smith, Chris

2017-09-15

New Guinea shows human occupation since ~50 thousand years ago (ka), independent adoption of plant cultivation ~10 ka, and great cultural and linguistic diversity today. We performed genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphism genotyping on 381 individuals from 85 language groups in Papua New Guinea and find a sharp divide originating 10 to 20 ka between lowland and highland groups and a lack of non-New Guinean admixture in the latter. All highlanders share ancestry within the last 10 thousand years, with major population growth in the same period, suggesting population structure was reshaped following the Neolithic lifestyle transition. However, genetic differentiation between groups in Papua New Guinea is much stronger than in comparable regions in Eurasia, demonstrating that such a transition does not necessarily limit the genetic and linguistic diversity of human societies. Copyright © 2017, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Health information system strengthening and malaria elimination in Papua New Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosewell, Alexander; Makita, Leo; Muscatello, David; John, Lucy Ninmongo; Bieb, Sibauk; Hutton, Ross; Ramamurthy, Sundar; Shearman, Phil

2017-07-05

The objective of the study was to describe an m-health initiative to strengthen malaria surveillance in a 184-health facility, multi-province, project aimed at strengthening the National Health Information System (NHIS) in a country with fragmented malaria surveillance, striving towards enhanced control, pre-elimination. A remote-loading mobile application and secure online platform for health professionals was created to interface with the new system (eNHIS). A case-based malaria testing register was developed and integrated geo-coded households, villages and health facilities. A malaria programme management dashboard was created, with village-level malaria mapping tools, and statistical algorithms to identify malaria outbreaks. Since its inception in 2015, 160,750 malaria testing records, including village of residence, have been reported to the eNHIS. These case-based, geo-coded malaria data are 100% complete, with a median data entry delay of 9 days from the date of testing. The system maps malaria to the village level in near real-time as well as the availability of treatment and diagnostics to health facility level. Data aggregation, analysis, outbreak detection, and reporting are automated. The study demonstrates that using mobile technologies and GIS in the capture and reporting of NHIS data in Papua New Guinea provides timely, high quality, geo-coded, case-based malaria data required for malaria elimination. The health systems strengthening approach of integrating malaria information management into the eNHIS optimizes sustainability and provides enormous flexibility to cater for future malaria programme needs.

Late Pleistocene glaciation of the Mt Giluwe volcano, Papua New Guinea

Science.gov (United States)

Barrows, T.T.; Hope, G.S.; Prentice, M.L.; Fifield, L.K.; Tims, S.G.

2011-01-01

The Mt Giluwe shield volcano was the largest area glaciated in Papua New Guinea during the Pleistocene. Despite minimal cooling of the sea surface during the last glacial maximum, glaciers reached elevations as low as 3200 m. To investigate changes in the extent of ice through time we have re-mapped evidence for glaciation on the southwest flank of Mt Giluwe. We find that an ice cap has formed on the flanks of the mountain on at least three, and probably four, separate occasions. To constrain the ages of these glaciations we present 39 new cosmogenic 36Cl exposure ages complemented by new radiocarbon dates. Direct dating of the moraines identifies that the maximum extent of glaciation on the mountain was not during the last glacial maximum as previously thought. In conjunction with existing potassium/argon and radiocarbon dating, we recognise four distinct glacial periods between 293-306 ka (Gogon Glaciation), 136-158 ka (Mengane Glaciation), centred at 62 ka (Komia Glaciation) and from >20.3-11.5 ka (Tongo Glaciation). The temperature difference relative to the present during the Tongo Glaciation is likely to be of the order of at least 5 ??C which is a minimum difference for the previous glaciations. During the Tongo Glaciation, ice was briefly at its maximum for less than 1000 years, but stayed near maximum levels for nearly 4000 years, until about 15.4 ka. Over the next 4000 years there was more rapid retreat with ice free conditions by the early Holocene. ?? 2011 Elsevier Ltd.

Nematodes from the caecum and colon of Pogonomys (Muridae: Anisomyini) from Papua New Guinea with the descriptions of a new genus of Oxyuridae (Nematoda: Oxyurida) and a new species of Trichuridae (Nematoda: Enoplida).

Science.gov (United States)

Smales, L R

2013-01-10

Nematodes, comprising 2 species, a new genus from the family Syphaciidae and a new species from the family Trichuridae were collected from the lower digestive tracts of 4 species of Pogonomys; P. championi, Flannery (12 individuals), P. loriae, Thomas (14 individuals), P. macrourus, (Milne Edwards) (19 individuals) and P. sylvestris, Thomas (27 individuals) from Papua, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Pogonomicola rugala n. gen., n. sp. differs from all other genera in the Sypaciidae in having cervical alae with numerous folds and a single weakly defined mamelon. Trichuris germani n. sp. differs from all congeners, including the cosmopolitan T. muris, the only other trichurid reported from the region, by the lengths of the spicules and vagina, the ratio of anterior to posterior body length and the number of convolutions of the testis. The genus Pogonomys, with four species from four nematode families had a relatively rich helminth fauna in the lower digestive tract compared to other ansomyins studied. The Oxyuridae, with three genera comprising 5 species was the dominant group found in the lower digestive tract of the Anisomyini, indicating the possibility that the isolation of the old endemic rodents in New Guinea has been associated with a period of coevolution between anisomyin hosts and their syphaciine parasites.

A case of ultrasound-guided prenatal diagnosis of prune belly syndrome in Papua New Guinea – implications for management

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background Prune belly syndrome is a rare congenital malformation of unknown aetiology and is characterised by abnormalities of the urinary tract, a deficiency of abdominal musculature and bilateral cryptorchidism in males. We report a case of prune belly syndrome from Papua New Guinea, which was suspected on pregnancy ultrasound scan and confirmed upon delivery. Case presentation A 26-year-old married woman, Gravida 3 Para 2, presented to antenatal clinic in Madang, Papua New Guinea, at 21+5 weeks’ gestation by dates. She was well with no past medical or family history of note. She gave consent to participate in a clinical trial on prevention of malaria in pregnancy and underwent repeated ultrasound examinations which revealed a live fetus with persistent megacystis and anhydramnios. Both mother and clinicians agreed on conservative management of the congenital abnormality. The mother spontaneously delivered a male fetus weighing 2010 grams at 34 weeks’ gestation with grossly abnormal genitalia including cryptorchidism, penile aplasia and an absent urethral meatus, absent abdominal muscles and hypoplastic lungs. The infant passed away two hours after delivery. This report discusses the implications of prenatal detection of severe congenital abnormalities in PNG. Conclusion This first, formally reported, case of prune belly syndrome from a resource-limited setting in the Oceania region highlights the importance of identifying and documenting congenital abnormalities. Women undergoing antenatal ultrasound examinations must be carefully counseled on the purpose and the limitations of the scan. The increasing use of obstetric ultrasound in PNG will inevitably result in a rise in prenatal detection of congenital abnormalities. This will need to be met with adequate training, referral mechanisms and better knowledge of women’s attitudes and beliefs on birth defects and ultrasound. National medicolegal guidance regarding induced abortion and resuscitation of a

Herbivore damage increases avian and ant predation of caterpillars on trees along a complete elevational forest gradient in Papua New Guinea

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Sam, Kateřina; Koane, B.; Novotný, Vojtěch

2015-01-01

Roč. 38, č. 3 (2015), s. 293-300 ISSN 0906-7590 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA13-10486S; GA MŠk ME09082; GA ČR(CZ) GP14-32024P Grant - others:GA JU(CZ) 04-136/2010/P; GA JU(CZ) 156/2013/P; US National Science Foundation(US) DEB-0841885; European Social Fund(CZ) CZ.1.07/2.3.00/20.0064 Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : Papua New Guinea Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour Impact factor: 5.355, year: 2015 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ecog.00979/epdf

Two new species of Isospora (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from skinks Emoia spp. (Sauria: Scincidae), from Fiji and Papua New Guinea

Science.gov (United States)

McAllister, Chris T.; Duszynski, Donald W.; Fisher, Robert N.

2013-01-01

Between September and October 1991 and again during September 1992, skinks (Emoia spp.) were collected from various localities on Fiji and Papua New Guinea (PNG) and examined for coccidians. One of 4 (25%) De Vis' emo skinks (Emoia pallidiceps) from PNG harbored an undescribed species of Isospora in its feces. Oocysts of Isospora grinbikpelapalai n. sp. were ellipsoidal to subspheroidal, 18.1 × 14.9 (17–20 × 14–16) μm, with a bilayered wall and a length/width index (L/W) of 1.2. Both micropyle and oocyst residuum were absent, but a prominent polar granule was present. Sporocysts were ovoidal, 10.7 × 7.6 (10–11 × 7–8) μm, with a L/W index of 1.4. Stieda and sub-Stieda bodies were present, but para-Stieda bodies were absent. The sporocyst residuum consisted of large scattered globules dispersed between sporozoites. Sporozoites were elongate with spheroidal anterior and posterior refractile bodies. Isospora grinbikpelapalai was also found in 1 of 2 (50%) Pope's emo skinks (Emoia popei) from PNG. One of 13 (8%) white-bellied copper-striped skinks (Emoia cyanura), from Fiji, was passing another undescribed species of Isospora in its feces. Oocysts of Isospora casei n. sp. were elongate, 31.8 × 21.3 (28–35 × 18–24) μm, with a bilayered wall and a L/W index of 1.5. Micropyle, oocyst residuum, and polar granule were all absent. Sporocysts were ovoidal, 15.3 × 10.6 (14–16 × 10–12) μm, with a L/W index of 1.4. Stieda and sub-Stieda bodies were present, but para-Stieda bodies were absent. The sporocyst residuum consisted of scattered globules among sporozoites or as a cluster surrounding sporozoites. Sporozoites were elongate with spheroidal anterior and posterior refractile bodies. Isospora casei was also found in 1 of 2 (50%) Fiji slender treeskinks (Emoia concolor) from Fiji. This represents the first report of coccidia from Emoia spp. and, to our knowledge, the initial documentation of reptilian coccidia from herpetofauna from Papua New Guinea.

Ethnochemistry and Ethnomedicine of Ancient Papua New Guineans and Their Use in Motivating Students in Secondary Schools and Universities in PNG

Science.gov (United States)

Marasinghe, Basil

2016-01-01

For more than 50,000 years of Papua New Guinea's human history, Papua New Guineans have been making significant contributions to Science, particularly in the fields of Chemistry and Medicine. However, because of the absence of any written language for over 800 dialects, the information has not been recorded and the contributions of ancient Papua…

The socio-technical barriers to Solar Home Systems (SHS) in Papua New Guinea: 'Choosing pigs, prostitutes, and poker chips over panels'

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sovacool, Benjamin K., E-mail: bsovacool@nus.edu.s [Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore, 469C Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 259772 (Singapore); D' Agostino, Anthony L.; Jain Bambawale, Malavika [Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore, 469C Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 259772 (Singapore)

2011-03-15

This study explores the socio-technical barriers to Solar Home Systems (SHS) in Papua New Guinea. The authors collected primary data through semi-structured research interviews conducted over the course of February 2010-April 2010. Respondents included government officials, financiers, planners, commercial distributors and companies, teachers and rural villagers in addition to members of civil society, academics, consultants, and trainers. These interviews were supplemented with site visits to Port Moresby, Goroka, and Madang, and field research in the villages of Akameku, Asaroka, Lufa, Kundiawa, Okifa, Simbu, and Talidig. The study draws from these interviews and visits to discuss four types of barriers. Technical barriers relate to substandard equipment and logistical problems. Economic barriers include high rates of poverty, misconceptions about the role of currency, and lack of financing. Political barriers include poor institutional capacity and a government commitment to fossil-fueled grid electrification. Social barriers encompass unrealistic expectations about what SHS can provide along with jealousy, theft, vandalism, and unfamiliarity with solar technology. - Research highlights: {yields} Solar Home Systems (SHS) are impeded by a collection of different barriers in Papua New Guinea. {yields} Technical barriers relate to substandard equipment and logistical problems. {yields} Economic barriers include high rates of poverty, misconceptions about the role of currency, and lack of financing.{yields} Political barriers include poor institutional capacity and a government commitment to fossil-fueled grid electrification. {yields} Social barriers encompass unrealistic expectations about what SHS can provide along with jealousy, theft, vandalism, and unfamiliarity with solar technology.

Maternal health phone line: saving women in papua new Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

Watson, Amanda H A; Sabumei, Gaius; Mola, Glen; Iedema, Rick

2015-04-27

This paper presents the findings of a research project which has involved the establishment of a maternal health phone line in Milne Bay Province of Papua New Guinea (PNG). Mobile phones and landline phones are key information and communication technologies (ICTs). This research study uses the "ICTs for healthcare development" model to ascertain benefits and barriers to the successful implementation of the Childbirth Emergency Phone. PNG has a very high maternal mortality rate. The "three stages of delay" typology was developed by Thaddeus and Maine to determine factors that might delay provision of appropriate medical treatment and hence increase risk of maternal death. The "three stages of delay" typology has been utilised in various developing countries and also in the present study. Research undertaken has involved semi-structured interviews with health workers, both in rural settings and in the labour ward in Alotau. Additional data has been gathered through focus groups with health workers, analysis of notes made during phone calls, interviews with women and community leaders, observations and field visits. One hundred percent of interviewees (n = 42) said the project helped to solve communication barriers between rural health workers and Alotau Provincial Hospital. Specific examples in which the phone line has helped to create positive health outcomes will be outlined in the paper, drawn from research interviews. The Childbirth Emergency Phone project has shown itself to play a critical role in enabling healthcare workers to address life-threatening childbirth complications. The project shows potential for rollout across PNG; potentially reducing maternal morbidity and maternal mortality rates by overcoming communication challenges.

Factors affecting attendance at and timing of formal antenatal care: results from a qualitative study in Madang, Papua New Guinea.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Erin V W Andrew

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Appropriate antenatal care (ANC is key for the health of mother and child. However, in Papua New Guinea (PNG, only a third of women receive any ANC during pregnancy. Drawing on qualitative research, this paper explores the influences on ANC attendance and timing of first visit in the Madang region of Papua New Guinea. METHODS: Data were collected in three sites utilizing several qualitative methods: free-listing and sorting of terms and definitions, focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, observation in health care facilities and case studies of pregnant women. Respondents included pregnant women, their relatives, biomedical and traditional health providers, opinion leaders and community members. RESULTS: Although generally reported to be important, respondents' understanding of the procedures involved in ANC was limited. Factors influencing attendance fell into three main categories: accessibility, attitudes to ANC, and interpersonal issues. Although women saw accessibility (distance and cost as a barrier, those who lived close to health facilities and could easily afford ANC also demonstrated poor attendance. Attitudes were shaped by previous experiences of ANC, such as waiting times, quality of care, and perceptions of preventative care and medical interventions during pregnancy. Interpersonal factors included relationships with healthcare providers, pregnancy disclosure, and family conflict. A desire to avoid repeat clinic visits, ideas about the strength of the fetus and parity were particularly relevant to the timing of first ANC visit. CONCLUSIONS: This long-term in-depth study (the first of its kind in Madang, PNG shows how socio-cultural and economic factors influence ANC attendance. These factors must be addressed to encourage timely ANC visits: interventions could focus on ANC delivery in health facilities, for example, by addressing healthcare staff's attitudes towards pregnant women.

CCR2, CCR5, and CXCL12 variation and HIV/AIDS in Papua New Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

Mehlotra, Rajeev K; Hall, Noemi B; Bruse, Shannon E; John, Bangan; Zikursh, Melinda J Blood; Stein, Catherine M; Siba, Peter M; Zimmerman, Peter A

2015-12-01

Polymorphisms in chemokine receptors, serving as HIV co-receptors, and their ligands are among the well-known host genetic factors associated with susceptibility to HIV infection and/or disease progression. Papua New Guinea (PNG) has one of the highest adult HIV prevalences in the Asia-Pacific region. However, information regarding the distribution of polymorphisms in chemokine receptor (CCR5, CCR2) and chemokine (CXCL12) genes in PNG is very limited. In this study, we genotyped a total of nine CCR2-CCR5 polymorphisms, including CCR2 190G >A, CCR5 -2459G >A and Δ32, and CXCL12 801G >A in PNG (n=258), North America (n=184), and five countries in West Africa (n=178). Using this data, we determined previously characterized CCR5 haplotypes. In addition, based on the previously reported associations of CCR2 190, CCR5 -2459, CCR5 open reading frame, and CXCL12 801 genotypes with HIV acquisition and/or disease progression, we calculated composite full risk scores, considering both protective as well as susceptibility effects of the CXCL12 801 AA genotype. We observed a very high frequency of the CCR5 -2459A allele (0.98) in the PNG population, which together with the absence of Δ32 resulted in a very high frequency of the HHE haplotype (0.92). These frequencies were significantly higher than in any other population (all P-valuesnew insights regarding CCR5 variation in the PNG population, and suggest that the collective variation in CCR2, CCR5, and CXCL12 may increase the risk of HIV/AIDS in a large majority of Papua New Guineans. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Global health diplomacy, national integration, and regional development through the monitoring and evaluation of HIV/AIDS programs in Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, and Samoa.

Science.gov (United States)

Kevany, Sebastian; Gildea, Amy; Garae, Caleb; Moa, Serafi; Lautusi, Avaia

2015-04-27

The South Pacific countries of Vanuatu, Samoa, and Papua New Guinea have ascended rapidly up the development spectrum in recent years, refining an independent and post-colonial economic and political identity that enhances their recognition on the world stage. All three countries have overcome economic, political and public health challenges in order to stake their claim to sovereignty. In this regard, the contributions of national and international programs for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS, with specific reference to their monitoring and evaluation (M&E) aspects, have contributed not just to public health, but also to broader political and diplomatic goals such as 'nation-building'. This perspective describes the specific contributions of global health programs to the pursuit of national integration, development, and regional international relations, in Vanuatu, Samoa and Papua New Guinea, respectively, based on in-country M&E activities on behalf of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis (TB) and Malaria and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) during 2014 and 2015. Key findings include: (1) that global health programs contribute to non-health goals; (2) that HIV/AIDS programs promote international relations, decentralized development, and internal unity; (3) that arguments in favour of the maintenance and augmentation of global health funding may be enhanced on this basis; and (4) that "smart" global health approaches have been successful in South Pacific countries. © 2015 by Kerman University of Medical Sciences.

Life history of the silvertip shark Carcharhinus albimarginatus from Papua New Guinea

Science.gov (United States)

Smart, Jonathan J.; Chin, Andrew; Baje, Leontine; Tobin, Andrew J.; Simpfendorfer, Colin A.; White, William T.

2017-06-01

Growth and maturity of the silvertip shark Carcharhinus albimarginatus from Papua New Guinea were estimated to form the basis of future population assessments. Samples were collected from commercial longline vessels targeting sharks in the Bismarck and Solomon Seas. A total of 48 C. albimarginatus—28 males (95-219 cm total length, TL) and 20 females (116-250 cm TL)—provided data for the analyses. Employing back-calculation techniques accounted for missing juvenile length classes and supplemented the sample size. A multi-model framework incorporating the Akaike information criterion was used to estimate growth parameters. The von Bertalanffy growth function (VBGF) provided the best-fit growth estimates. Parameter estimates were L 0 = 72.1 cm TL, k = 0.04 yr-1 and L ∞ = 311.3 cm TL for males; and L 0 = 70.8 cm TL, k = 0.02 yr-1 and L ∞ = 497.9 cm TL for females. The biologically implausible L ∞ occurred for females as their growth did not asymptote; a typical trait of large shark species. The maximum age estimated from vertebral analysis was 18 yr for both sexes, while the calculated longevity from the VBGF parameters was 27.4 yr for males and 32.2 yr for females. Males matured at 174.7 cm TL and 10.5 yr old, while females matured at 208.9 cm TL and 14.8 yr old.

Maternal Health Phone Line: Saving Women in Papua New Guinea

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Amanda H.A. Watson

2015-04-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the findings of a research project which has involved the establishment of a maternal health phone line in Milne Bay Province of Papua New Guinea (PNG. Mobile phones and landline phones are key information and communication technologies (ICTs. This research study uses the “ICTs for healthcare development” model to ascertain benefits and barriers to the successful implementation of the Childbirth Emergency Phone. PNG has a very high maternal mortality rate. The “three stages of delay” typology was developed by Thaddeus and Maine to determine factors that might delay provision of appropriate medical treatment and hence increase risk of maternal death. The “three stages of delay” typology has been utilised in various developing countries and also in the present study. Research undertaken has involved semi-structured interviews with health workers, both in rural settings and in the labour ward in Alotau. Additional data has been gathered through focus groups with health workers, analysis of notes made during phone calls, interviews with women and community leaders, observations and field visits. One hundred percent of interviewees (n = 42 said the project helped to solve communication barriers between rural health workers and Alotau Provincial Hospital. Specific examples in which the phone line has helped to create positive health outcomes will be outlined in the paper, drawn from research interviews. The Childbirth Emergency Phone project has shown itself to play a critical role in enabling healthcare workers to address life-threatening childbirth complications. The project shows potential for rollout across PNG; potentially reducing maternal morbidity and maternal mortality rates by overcoming communication challenges.

Maternal Health Phone Line: Saving Women in Papua New Guinea

Science.gov (United States)

Watson, Amanda H.A.; Sabumei, Gaius; Mola, Glen; Iedema, Rick

2015-01-01

This paper presents the findings of a research project which has involved the establishment of a maternal health phone line in Milne Bay Province of Papua New Guinea (PNG). Mobile phones and landline phones are key information and communication technologies (ICTs). This research study uses the “ICTs for healthcare development” model to ascertain benefits and barriers to the successful implementation of the Childbirth Emergency Phone. PNG has a very high maternal mortality rate. The “three stages of delay” typology was developed by Thaddeus and Maine to determine factors that might delay provision of appropriate medical treatment and hence increase risk of maternal death. The “three stages of delay” typology has been utilised in various developing countries and also in the present study. Research undertaken has involved semi-structured interviews with health workers, both in rural settings and in the labour ward in Alotau. Additional data has been gathered through focus groups with health workers, analysis of notes made during phone calls, interviews with women and community leaders, observations and field visits. One hundred percent of interviewees (n = 42) said the project helped to solve communication barriers between rural health workers and Alotau Provincial Hospital. Specific examples in which the phone line has helped to create positive health outcomes will be outlined in the paper, drawn from research interviews. The Childbirth Emergency Phone project has shown itself to play a critical role in enabling healthcare workers to address life-threatening childbirth complications. The project shows potential for rollout across PNG; potentially reducing maternal morbidity and maternal mortality rates by overcoming communication challenges. PMID:25923199

Revison of the Euagathis species (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Agathidinae) from Wallacea and Papua

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Achterberg, van C.

2004-01-01

The species of the genus Euagathis Szépligeti, 1900 (Braconidae: Agathidinae) from Wallacea and Papua (including Northeast Australia and Solomon Islands) are revised and keyed. Thirty-three species are recognized, of which 11 are new: Euagathis brevitibialis spec. nov. from Papua New Guinea; E.

Population-Based Trachoma Mapping in Six Evaluation Units of Papua New Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

Ko, Robert; Macleod, Colin; Pahau, David; Sokana, Oliver; Keys, Drew; Burnett, Anthea; Willis, Rebecca; Wabulembo, Geoffrey; Garap, Jambi; Solomon, Anthony W

2016-01-01

We sought to determine the prevalence of trachomatous inflammation - follicular (TF) in children aged 1-9 years, and trachomatous trichiasis (TT) in those aged ≥15 years, in suspected trachoma-endemic areas of Papua New Guinea (PNG). We carried out six population-based prevalence surveys using the protocol developed as part of the Global Trachoma Mapping Project. A total of 19,013 individuals were sampled for inclusion, with 15,641 (82.3%) consenting to participate. Four evaluation units had prevalences of TF in children ≥10%, above which threshold the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends mass drug administration (MDA) of azithromycin for at least three years; Western Province (South Fly/Daru) 11.2% (95% confidence interval, CI, 6.9-17.0%), Southern Highlands (East) 12.2% (95% CI 9.6-15.0%), Southern Highlands (West) 11.7% (95% CI 8.5-15.3%), and West New Britain 11.4% (95% CI 8.7-13.9%). TF prevalence was 5.0-9.9% in Madang (9.4%, 95% CI 6.1-13.0%) and National Capital District (6.0%. 95% CI 3.2-9.1%) where consideration of a single round of MDA is warranted. Cases of TT were not found outside West New Britain, in which four cases were seen, generating an estimated population-level prevalence of TT in adults of 0.10% (95% CI 0.00-0.40%) for West New Britain, below the WHO elimination threshold of 0.2% of those aged ≥15 years. Trachoma is a public health issue in PNG. However, other than in West New Britain, there are few data to support the idea that trachoma is a cause of blindness in PNG. Further research is needed to understand the stimulus for the active trachoma phenotype in these populations.

Infection levels of gastrointestinal parasites in sheep and goats in Papua New Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

Koinari, M; Karl, S; Ryan, U; Lymbery, A J

2013-12-01

Gastrointestinal parasites of livestock cause diseases of important socio-economic concern worldwide. The present study investigated the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in sheep and goats in lowland and highland regions of Papua New Guinea (PNG). Faecal samples were collected from a total of 165 small ruminants (110 sheep and 55 goats) from February to April 2011. Analysis by a modified McMaster technique revealed that 128 animals (72% of sheep and 89% of goats) were infected with one or more species of gastrointestinal parasites. The gastrointestinal parasites found and their prevalences in sheep (S) and in goats (G) were as follows: strongyle 67.3% (S), 85.5% (G); Eimeria 17.3% (S), 16.4% (G); Strongyloides, 8.2% (S), 23.6% (G); Fasciola, 5.5% (S), 18.2% (G); Trichuris, 1.8% (S), 3.6% (G); and Nematodirus, 1.8% (S), 3.6% (G). Two additional genera were found in goats: Moniezia (9.1%) and Dictocaulus (3.6%). This is the first study to quantitatively examine the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in goats in PNG. The high rates of parasitism observed in the present study are likely to be associated with poor farming management practices, including lack of pasture recovery time, lack of parasite control measures and poor-quality feed.

Experiences of vision impairment in Papua New Guinea: implications for blindness prevention programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Burnett, Anthea; Yashadhana, Aryati; Cabrera Aguas, Maria; Hanni, Yvonne; Yu, Mitasha

2016-01-01

A person's capability to access services and achieve good eye health is influenced by their behaviours, perceptions, beliefs and experiences. As evidence from Papua New Guinea (PNG) about people's lived experience with vision impairment is limited, the purpose of the present study was to better understand the beliefs, perceptions and emotional responses to vision impairment in PNG. A qualitative study, using both purposive and convenience sampling, was undertaken to explore common beliefs and perceptions about vision impairment, as well as the emotional responses to vision impairment. In-depth interviews were undertaken with 51 adults from five provinces representing culturally and geographically diverse regions of PNG. Grounded theory was used to elicit key themes from interview data. Participants described activities of everyday life impacted by vision impairment and the related worry, sadness and social exclusion. Common beliefs about the causes of vision impairment were environmental stressors (sun, dust, dirt and smoke), ageing and sorcery. Findings provide insight into the unique social context in PNG and identify a number of programmatic and policy implications, such as the need for preventative eye health information and services, addressing persisting beliefs in sorcery when developing health information packages, and the importance of coordinating with counselling and well-being services for people experiencing vision impairment.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Papua New Guinea: a community nasal colonization prevalence study.

Science.gov (United States)

Laman, Moses; Greenhill, Andrew; Coombs, Geoffrey W; Robinson, Owen; Pearson, Julie; Davis, Timothy M E; Manning, Laurens

2017-08-01

There are few epidemiological data available to inform a national response to community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in Papua New Guinea (PNG). We performed a cross-sectional survey to determine the pattern of MRSA nasal colonization and the diversity of circulating MRSA clones among adults and adolescents in Madang Province, PNG. S. aureus nasal colonization was confirmed in 44 (17.1%) of 257 participants. Four (9.1%) isolates were methicillin resistant. Resistance to other antimicrobial agents was uncommon. Detailed molecular typing of three MRSA isolates demonstrated multiple MRSA clones in this community, of which two carried the Panton-Valentin leukocidin-associated virulence genes. MRSA is likely to account for a clinically important proportion of staphylococcal disease in PNG. There are multiple MRSA clones in PNG. Ongoing surveillance of community and invasive isolates is a critical component of an effective response to the challenge of community-acquired MRSA in this and many other resource-limited contexts. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Midwifery capacity building in Papua New Guinea: Key achievements and ways forward.

Science.gov (United States)

Dawson, Angela; Kililo, Mary; Geita, Lahui; Mola, Glen; Brodie, Pat M; Rumsey, Michele; Copeland, Felicity; Neill, Amanda; Homer, Caroline S E

2016-04-01

Papua New Guinea has some of the poorest health outcomes in the Asia-Pacific region. Maternal mortality is unacceptably high and there is a severe midwifery shortage requiring a quadrupling of the workforce. This paper outlines the findings of an evaluation of the Maternal Child Health Initiative (MCHI) (2012-2013) to determine key factors contributing to maternal health workforce strengthening. A descriptive mixed methods study was undertaken. Data were gathered through interviews, focus group discussions and surveys with clinicians, midwifery students and staff from nursing and midwifery schools and National Department of Health staff. Documentation from stakeholder meetings and regular site reports were reviewed. Each data set was analysed separately and meta-inferences were drawn across all data. Learning opportunities were found to have increased for midwifery educators and improvements were described in midwifery educators teaching capacity and student clinical education experience. There was an increase in the number of midwifery graduates and improvements were noted in the working environment and skills of clinical staff. Education challenges were described including the lack of clinical preceptoring and limited continuing education for clinical educators. Participants recommended increasing clinical education hours and extending the length of the midwifery program. Ongoing efforts to accredit the midwifery curricula and regulate midwifery graduates were noted. The MCHI has contributed to strengthening the midwifery workforce nationally. However, scaling-up and sustaining these achievements requires leadership and funding commitments from the midwifery schools and government alongside the accreditation of midwifery curricula and regulation of new graduates. Copyright © 2015 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A novel point-of-care testing strategy for sexually transmitted infections among pregnant women in high-burden settings: results of a feasibility study in Papua New Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

Badman, Steven G; Vallely, Lisa M; Toliman, Pamela; Kariwiga, Grace; Lote, Bomesina; Pomat, William; Holmer, Caroline; Guy, Rebecca; Luchters, Stanley; Morgan, Chris; Garland, Suzanne M; Tabrizi, Sepehr; Whiley, David; Rogerson, Stephen J; Mola, Glen; Wand, Handan; Donovan, Basil; Causer, Louise; Kaldor, John; Vallely, Andrew

2016-06-06

Sexually transmitted and genital infections in pregnancy are associated with an increased risk of adverse maternal and neonatal health outcomes. High prevalences of sexually transmitted infections have been identified among antenatal attenders in Papua New Guinea. Papua New Guinea has amongst the highest neonatal mortality rates worldwide, with preterm birth and low birth weight major contributors to neonatal mortality. The overall aim of our study was to determine if a novel point-of-care testing and treatment strategy for the sexually transmitted and genital infections Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG), Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) and Bacterial vaginosis (BV) in pregnancy is feasible in the high-burden, low-income setting of Papua New Guinea. Women attending their first antenatal clinic visit were invited to participate. CT/NG and TV were tested using the GeneXpert platform (Cepheid, USA), and BV tested using BVBlue (Gryphus Diagnostics, USA). Participants received same-day test results and antibiotic treatment as indicated. Routine antenatal care including HIV and syphilis screening were provided. Point-of-care testing was provided to 125/222 (56 %) of women attending routine antenatal care during the three-month study period. Among the 125 women enrolled, the prevalence of CT was 20.0 %; NG, 11.2 %; TV, 37.6 %; and BV, 17.6 %. Over half (67/125, 53.6 %) of women had one or more of these infections. Most women were asymptomatic (71.6 %; 47/67). Women aged 24 years and under were more likely to have one or more STI compared with older women (odds ratio 2.38; 95 % CI: 1.09, 5.21). Most women with an STI received treatment on the same day (83.6 %; 56/67). HIV prevalence was 1.6 % and active syphilis 4.0 %. Point-of-care STI testing and treatment using a combination of novel, newly-available assays was feasible during routine antenatal care in this setting. This strategy has not previously been evaluated in any setting and offers the

Replanting/underplanting strategy for old coconut plantations in Papua New Guinea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ollivier Jean

2001-11-01

Full Text Available In most producing countries, the population of coconut palms is growing old, and ways of replacing them are rarely implemented to ensure that production is maintained and the future of the industry and its profitability are safeguarded. Rehabilitating/replanting coconut plantations and adopting appropriate intercropping systems is one of the main challenges to be taken up for the future of coconut in the Asia-Pacific region. The example of Papua New Guinea (PNG reveals one of the lowest yields per hectare among the countries in the Asia-Pacific zone. Almost 106,000 ha were planted between 1910 and 1940, amounting to around 40% of the current coconut plantings, hence 80 to 100,000 ha can be expected to disappear in the next twenty years. Faced with this forecast, the PNG Cocoa and Coconut Research Institute (PNG CCRI launched several operations, beginning with the creation of a coconut research centre on the PNG mainland: examination of a replanting strategy for old coconut plantings, based on hybrid planting material, distribution of improved planting material through the creation of a seed garden, and development of a system for controlling pest populations in high-risk zones. The experiments set up at the station are designed to optimize the felling date for old coconut palms, by measuring the effects of competition with the underplanted hybrids, and to determine from an economic point of view the best strategy to be applied for implementing rehabilitation and/or replanting programmes in old coconut plantings. This paper describes the results of these operations.

High Levels of Genetic Diversity of Plasmodium falciparum Populations in Papua New Guinea despite Variable Infection Prevalence

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Barry, Alyssa E.; Schultz, Lee; Senn, Nicholas; Nale, Joe; Kiniboro, Benson; Siba, Peter M.; Mueller, Ivo; Reeder, John C.

2013-01-01

High levels of genetic diversity in Plasmodium falciparum populations are an obstacle to malaria control. Here, we investigate the relationship between local variation in malaria epidemiology and parasite genetic diversity in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Cross-sectional malaria surveys were performed in 14 villages spanning four distinct malaria-endemic areas on the north coast, including one area that was sampled during the dry season. High-resolution msp2 genotyping of 2,147 blood samples identified 761 P. falciparum infections containing a total of 1,392 clones whose genotypes were used to measure genetic diversity. Considerable variability in infection prevalence and mean multiplicity of infection was observed at all of the study sites, with the area sampled during the dry season showing particularly striking local variability. Genetic diversity was strongly associated with multiplicity of infection but not with infection prevalence. In highly endemic areas, differences in infection prevalence may not translate into a decrease in parasite population diversity. PMID:23400571

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR-based mapping of volcanic flows: Manam Island, Papua New Guinea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. K. Weissel

2004-01-01

Full Text Available We present new radar-based techniques for efficient identification of surface changes generated by lava and pyroclastic flows, and apply these to the 1996 eruption of Manam Volcano, Papua New Guinea. Polarimetric L- and P-band airborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR data, along with a C-band DEM, were acquired over the volcano on 17 November 1996 during a major eruption sequence. The L-band data are analyzed for dominant scattering mechanisms on a per pixel basis using radar target decomposition techniques. A classification method is presented, and when applied to the L-band polarimetry, it readily distinguishes bare surfaces from forest cover over Manam volcano. In particular, the classification scheme identifies a post-1992 lava flow in NE Valley of Manam Island as a mainly bare surface and the underlying 1992 flow units as mainly vegetated surfaces. The Smithsonian's Global Volcanism Network reports allow us to speculate whether the bare surface is a flow dating from October or November in the early part of the late-1996 eruption sequence. This work shows that fully polarimetric SAR is sensitive to scattering mechanism changes caused by volcanic resurfacing processes such as lava and pyroclastic flows. By extension, this technique should also prove useful in mapping debris flows, ash deposits and volcanic landslides associated with major eruptions.

Evidence of prehistoric Lapita diet at Watom Island, Papua New Guinea, using stable isotopes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leach, B F [Archaeozoology Laboratory, Museum of New Zealand, Wellington (New Zealand); Quinn, C J [178 Queen Street North, Dunedin (New Zealand); Lyon, G L [Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences Ltd., Lower Hutt (New Zealand); Haystead, A [Auckland Institute of Technology, Auckland (New Zealand); Myers, D B [Wellcome Medical Research Institute, Otago Medical School, Dunedin (New Zealand)

1998-07-01

Samples of human bone from six individuals from the Lapita burial ground at Reber-Rakival on Watom Island in New Britain were analysed for {delta}{sup 13}C, {delta}{sup 15}N, and {delta}{sup 34}/S. The mean values obtained were -18.1, 11.6 and 9.9 respectively. From existing knowledge of isotope values, calorific content and protein yields for the main Pacific food types, computer simulation was used to randomly generate a large number of possible food compositions, in order to find the type of diet which could have produced the isotope pattern at Watom. The simulation produced solutions which are within acceptable limits of the Watom isotope signature. The mean food composition per day was then estimated. This analysis shows that approximately 64% of the diet at Watom came from land-based foods and 36% from the sea. Plant foods contributed 53% per weight. It is notable that C4 plants were present in the diet. There are two possible sources of this - sugar cane, Saccharum officinarum, and/or a herbivore which browsed on the C4 grasslands of Papua New Guinea, such as Saccharum spontaneum (pit-pit) and Imperata cylindrica (kunai). Fish and land herbivores are the main sources of protein in the Watom diet, while plant foods contributed by far the most food energy. (author). 20 refs., 2 figs., 3 tabs.

Evidence of prehistoric Lapita diet at Watom Island, Papua New Guinea, using stable isotopes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leach, B.F.; Quinn, C.J.; Lyon, G.L.; Haystead, A.; Myers, D.B.

1998-01-01

Samples of human bone from six individuals from the Lapita burial ground at Reber-Rakival on Watom Island in New Britain were analysed for δ 13 C, δ 15 N, and δ 34 /S. The mean values obtained were -18.1, 11.6 and 9.9 respectively. From existing knowledge of isotope values, calorific content and protein yields for the main Pacific food types, computer simulation was used to randomly generate a large number of possible food compositions, in order to find the type of diet which could have produced the isotope pattern at Watom. The simulation produced solutions which are within acceptable limits of the Watom isotope signature. The mean food composition per day was then estimated. This analysis shows that approximately 64% of the diet at Watom came from land-based foods and 36% from the sea. Plant foods contributed 53% per weight. It is notable that C4 plants were present in the diet. There are two possible sources of this - sugar cane, Saccharum officinarum, and/or a herbivore which browsed on the C4 grasslands of Papua New Guinea, such as Saccharum spontaneum (pit-pit) and Imperata cylindrica (kunai). Fish and land herbivores are the main sources of protein in the Watom diet, while plant foods contributed by far the most food energy. (author). 20 refs., 2 figs., 3 tabs

Seeking treatment for symptomatic malaria in Papua New Guinea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Siba Peter

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Malaria places a significant burden on the limited resources of many low income countries. Knowing more about why and where people seek treatment will enable policy makers to better allocate the limited resources. This study aims to better understand what influences treatment-seeking behaviour for malaria in one such low-income country context, Papua New Guinea (PNG. Methods Two culturally, linguistically and demographically different regions in PNG were selected as study sites. A cross sectional household survey was undertaken in both sites resulting in the collection of data on 928 individuals who reported suffering from malaria in the previous four weeks. A probit model was then used to identify the factors determining whether or not people sought treatment for presumptive malaria. Multinomial logit models also assisted in identifying the factors that determined where people sought treatments. Results Results in this study build upon findings from other studies. For example, while distance in PNG has previously been seen as the primary factor in influencing whether any sort of treatment will be sought, in this study cultural influences and whether it was the first, second or even third treatment for a particular episode of malaria were also important. In addition, although formal health care facilities were the most popular treatment sources, it was also found that traditional healers were a common choice. In turn, the reasons why participants chose a particular type of treatment differed according to the whether they were seeking an initial or subsequent treatments. Conclusions Simply bringing health services closer to where people live may not always result in a greater use of formal health care facilities. Policy makers in PNG need to consider within-country variation in treatment-seeking behaviour, the important role of traditional healers and also ensure that the community fully understands the potential implications

Bio-mass stimulated absorption refrigerator for food storage in Papua New Guinea

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Uppal, A.H.; Komuna, K.K. (University of Technology, Papua (New Guinea). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering)

1992-01-01

A medium capacity (140 litre) water-ammonia absorption refrigerator, thermally stimulated by a charcoal-stove is being developed to store food in remote locations and island communities of Papua New Guinea. The paper describes a prototype charcoal or biomass-stove thermal refrigerator in which the absorption cycle and thermo-syphonic cycle of a heating liquid has been coupled in a novel and straight forward approach. The system consisted of a heat-exchanger, in the form of a jacket surrounding the generator tube of a water-ammonia absorption cycle refrigerator, and was connected in a close-pipe work loop to a heat exchanger placed in a charcoal-stove. A heat-transfer oil flowed due to thermo-syphonic forces between the heat exchanger and the jacket. According to initial tests it took 4 hours for the system to warm up, and took another 7 hours for water in the freezer cabinet to approach 0{sup o}C from an initial 25{sup o}C. The cooling capacity of the evaporator was roughly 70% of the cooling capacity of the original system with electric heating. For a twelve hour test the stove consumed 2.5 kg of charcoal with an air port opening between 3 to 5 millimeters. Preliminary estimates indicate that the described prototype absorption unit stimulated by the wood/coconut husk stove (rather than electricity/kerosene), when manufactured commercially will cost less than US 1500 dollars at 1991 prices. (Author).

Status and Conservation Possibilities of Papua New Guinea’s Terrestrial Mammals

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David Lopez Cornelio

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The status of Papua New Guinea’s terrestrial mammals is revised according to their geographical distribution,life history characteristics, and current conservation plans and legislation. Considering their uniqueness andthreatening factors, their appropriate management is critical to achieve sustainable development in the country.Concerning marsupial species no one has been yet domesticated, there is no organized breeding and theirnatural productivity is generally lower than ruminants. Their conservation status is related to their size assmaller species are usually more prolific, less conspicuous, and less preferred by hunters. Differences onevolutionary ecology between families are discussed, and recommendations are given for the assessment andfurther conservation of vulnerable species. Conservation programs must go alongside with rural livelihoodsimprovement through ecotourism, food security, and marketing of non timber forest products.Keywords: terrestrial mammal, marsupial spesies, conservation status, Papua New Guinea

Development of a Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) scheme for Treponema pallidum subsp. pertenue: Application to yaws in Lihir Island, Papua New Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

Godornes, Charmie; Giacani, Lorenzo; Barry, Alyssa E; Mitja, Oriol; Lukehart, Sheila A

2017-12-01

Yaws is a neglected tropical disease, caused by Treponema pallidum subsp. pertenue. The disease causes chronic lesions, primarily in young children living in remote villages in tropical climates. As part of a global yaws eradication campaign initiated by the World Health Organization, we sought to develop and evaluate a molecular typing method to distinguish different strains of T. pallidum subsp. pertenue for disease control and epidemiological purposes. Published genome sequences of strains of T. pallidum subsp. pertenue and pallidum were compared to identify polymorphic genetic loci among the strains. DNA from a number of existing historical Treponema isolates, as well as a subset of samples from yaws patients collected in Lihir Island, Papua New Guinea, were analyzed using these targets. From these data, three genes (tp0548, tp0136 and tp0326) were ultimately selected to give a high discriminating capability among the T. pallidum subsp. pertenue samples tested. Intragenic regions of these three target genes were then selected to enhance the discriminating capability of the typing scheme using short readily amplifiable loci. This 3-gene multilocus sequence typing (MLST) method was applied to existing historical human yaws strains, the Fribourg-Blanc simian isolate, and DNA from 194 lesion swabs from yaws patients on Lihir Island, Papua New Guinea. Among all samples tested, fourteen molecular types were identified, seven of which were found in patient samples and seven among historical isolates or DNA. Three types (JG8, TD6, and SE7) were predominant on Lihir Island. This MLST approach allows molecular typing and differentiation of yaws strains. This method could be a useful tool to complement epidemiological studies in regions where T. pallidum subsp. pertenue is prevalent with the overall goals of improving our understanding of yaws transmission dynamics and helping the yaws eradication campaign to succeed.

Development of a Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) scheme for Treponema pallidum subsp. pertenue: Application to yaws in Lihir Island, Papua New Guinea

Science.gov (United States)

Godornes, Charmie; Giacani, Lorenzo; Barry, Alyssa E.; Mitja, Oriol

2017-01-01

Background Yaws is a neglected tropical disease, caused by Treponema pallidum subsp. pertenue. The disease causes chronic lesions, primarily in young children living in remote villages in tropical climates. As part of a global yaws eradication campaign initiated by the World Health Organization, we sought to develop and evaluate a molecular typing method to distinguish different strains of T. pallidum subsp. pertenue for disease control and epidemiological purposes. Methods and principal findings Published genome sequences of strains of T. pallidum subsp. pertenue and pallidum were compared to identify polymorphic genetic loci among the strains. DNA from a number of existing historical Treponema isolates, as well as a subset of samples from yaws patients collected in Lihir Island, Papua New Guinea, were analyzed using these targets. From these data, three genes (tp0548, tp0136 and tp0326) were ultimately selected to give a high discriminating capability among the T. pallidum subsp. pertenue samples tested. Intragenic regions of these three target genes were then selected to enhance the discriminating capability of the typing scheme using short readily amplifiable loci. This 3-gene multilocus sequence typing (MLST) method was applied to existing historical human yaws strains, the Fribourg-Blanc simian isolate, and DNA from 194 lesion swabs from yaws patients on Lihir Island, Papua New Guinea. Among all samples tested, fourteen molecular types were identified, seven of which were found in patient samples and seven among historical isolates or DNA. Three types (JG8, TD6, and SE7) were predominant on Lihir Island. Conclusions This MLST approach allows molecular typing and differentiation of yaws strains. This method could be a useful tool to complement epidemiological studies in regions where T. pallidum subsp. pertenue is prevalent with the overall goals of improving our understanding of yaws transmission dynamics and helping the yaws eradication campaign to succeed

Multiplicity and diversity of Plasmodium vivax infections in a highly endemic region in Papua New Guinea.

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Cristian Koepfli

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Plasmodium vivax is highly endemic in the lowlands of Papua New Guinea and accounts for a large proportion of the malaria cases in children less than 5 years of age. We collected 2117 blood samples at 2-monthly intervals from a cohort of 268 children aged 1 to 4.5 years and estimated the diversity and multiplicity of P. vivax infection. All P. vivax clones were genotyped using the merozoite surface protein 1 F3 fragment (msp1F3 and the microsatellite MS16 as molecular markers. High diversity was observed with msp1F3 (H(E = 88.1% and MS16 (H(E = 97.8%. Of the 1162 P. vivax positive samples, 74% harbored multi-clone infections with a mean multiplicity of 2.7 (IQR = 1-3. The multiplicity of P. vivax infection increased slightly with age (P = 0.02, with the strongest increase in very young children. Intensified efforts to control malaria can benefit from knowledge of the diversity and MOI both for assessing the endemic situation and monitoring the effects of interventions.

Source properties of the 1998 July 17 Papua New Guinea tsunami based on tide gauge records

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Heidarzadeh, Mohammad; Satake, Kenji

2015-07-01

We analysed four newly retrieved tide gauge records of the 1998 July 17 Papua New Guinea (PNG) tsunami to study statistical and spectral properties of this tsunami. The four tide gauge records were from Lombrum (PNG), Rabaul (PNG), Malakal Island (Palau) and Yap Island (State of Yap) stations located 600-1450 km from the source. The tsunami registered a maximum trough-to-crest wave height of 3-9 cm at these gauges. Spectral analysis showed two dominant peaks at period bands of 2-4 and 6-20 min with a clear separation at the period of ˜5 min. We interpreted these peak periods as belonging to the landslide and earthquake sources of the PNG tsunami, respectively. Analysis of the tsunami waveforms revealed 12-17 min delay in landslide generation compared to the origin time of the main shock. Numerical simulations including this delay fairly reproduced the observed tide gauge records. This is the first direct evidence of the delayed landslide source of the 1998 PNG tsunami which was previously indirectly estimated from acoustic T-phase records.

Peat in the mountains of New Guinea

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G.S. Hope

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Peatlands are common in montane areas above 1,000 m in New Guinea and become extensive above 3,000 m in the subalpine zone. In the montane mires, swamp forests and grass or sedge fens predominate on swampy valley bottoms. These mires may be 4–8 m in depth and up to 30,000 years in age. In Papua New Guinea (PNG there is about 2,250 km2 of montane peatland, and Papua Province (the Indonesian western half of the island probably contains much more. Above 3,000 m, peat soils form under blanket bog on slopes as well as on valley floors. Vegetation types include cushion bog, grass bog and sedge fen. Typical peat depths are 0.5‒1 m on slopes, but valley floors and hollows contain up to 10 m of peat. The estimated total extent of mountain peatland is 14,800 km2 with 5,965 km2 in PNG and about 8,800 km2 in Papua Province. The stratigraphy, age structure and vegetation histories of 45 peatland or organic limnic sites above 750 m have been investigated since 1965. These record major vegetation shifts at 28,000, 17,000‒14,000 and 9,000 years ago and a variable history of human disturbance from 14,000 years ago with extensive clearance by the mid-Holocene at some sites. While montane peatlands were important agricultural centres in the Holocene, the introduction of new dryland crops has resulted in the abandonment of some peatlands in the last few centuries. Despite several decades of research, detailed knowledge of the mountain peatlands is poor and this is an obstacle to scientific management.

The impact of repeated rounds of mass drug administration with diethylcarbamazine plus albendazole on bancroftian filariasis in Papua New Guinea.

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Gary J Weil

Full Text Available This study employed various monitoring methods to assess the impact of repeated rounds of mass drug administration (MDA on bancroftian filariasis in Papua New Guinea, which has the largest filariasis problem in the Pacific region.Residents of rural villages near Madang were studied prior to and one year after each of three rounds of MDA with diethylcarbamazine plus albendazole administered per World Health Organization (WHO guidelines. The mean MDA compliance rate was 72.9%. Three rounds of MDA decreased microfilaremia rates (Mf, 1 ml night blood by filter from 18.6% pre-MDA to 1.3% after the third MDA (a 94% decrease. Mf clearance rates in infected persons were 71%, 90.7%, and 98.1% after 1, 2, and 3 rounds of MDA. Rates of filarial antigenemia assessed by card test (a marker for adult worm infection decreased from 47.5% to 17.1% (a 64% decrease after 3 rounds of MDA. The filarial antibody rate (IgG(4 antibodies to Bm14, an indicator of filarial infection status and/or exposure to mosquito-borne infective larvae decreased from 59.3% to 25.1% (a 54.6% decrease. Mf, antigen, and antibody rates decreased more rapidly in children <11 years of age (by 100%, 84.2%, and 76.8%, respectively relative to older individuals, perhaps reflecting their lighter infections and shorter durations of exposure/infection prior to MDA. Incidence rates for microfilaremia, filarial antigenemia, and antifilarial antibodies also decreased significantly after MDA. Filarial DNA rates in Anopheles punctulatus mosquitoes that had recently taken a blood meal decreased from 15.1% to 1.0% (a 92.3% decrease.MDA had dramatic effects on all filariasis parameters in the study area and also reduced incidence rates. Follow-up studies will be needed to determine whether residual infection rates in residents of these villages are sufficient to support sustained transmission by the An. punctulatus vector. Lymphatic filariasis elimination should be feasible in Papua New Guinea if MDA can

Palm oil and pyrantel as child nutrition mass interventions in Papua New Guinea.

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Pust, R E; Binns, C W; Weinhold, D W; Martin, J R

1985-03-01

Two mass interventions in the local low energy-density diet were evaluated for safety, acceptability and nutritional efficacy in a four-group matched study of 896 Papua New Guinea children aged 12-54 months. A single dose of 125 mg of pyrantel pamoate and an 800 mg supply of red palm oil were given monthly at the regular child health clinics. Both were safe and highly accepted. Children given palm oil gained more weight than controls (P less than .05) in the first three study months, confirming a pilot study. However, weight gain after one year was 94% of standard, with no differences in anthropometry, morbidity or mortality between groups. The lack of demonstrable differences at one year is attributed to secular improvement in control group nutrition and to diffusion of palm oil supplies within the family. While pyrantel was an effective antihelminthic, further study is needed to define the nutritional role of mass worm treatment. Palm oil was economical and culturally popular; thus it should be an ideal import substitution. It is clinically useful where diets are of low energy-density. However, any simultaneous demonstration of its nutritional safety, acceptability as a sustained mass intervention must be carried out in an area where major child growth deficits remain and expropriation of the oil by other household members can be controlled.

Doctors and retribution: the hospitalisation of compensation claims in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea.

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van Amstel, Hans; van der Geest, Sjaak

2004-11-01

The cultures in the Papua New Guinea Highlands are characterised by a tradition of retribution. Compensation is part of an elaborate system of exchanging gifts, goods and services. Compensation is paid to those who have suffered some kind of loss for which others are held responsible. Such incidents include death or injury caused by fighting, a road accident or domestic violence, theft, rape, gossip, and property damage. Fear of revenge is an important motive for paying compensation. The hospital has become an increasingly important institution for retribution. It provides medical reports to support compensation claims of physical damage in cases involving violence or an accident. Case material, collected by one of the authors who conducted fieldwork in a hospital in the Southern Highlands, shows that the hospital has established itself as an authoritative actor in the local compensation culture. Doctors spend about one afternoon per week writing medical reports for compensation claims. These reports have become an attractive extra source of income for the hospital. The article describes and analyses a number of cases to illustrate the hospital's role in the production and legitimisation of retribution.

Bringing ethnomathematics to elementary school teachers in Papua New Guinea: A design-based research project

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Kay Owens

2015-01-01

Full Text Available After 40 years of ethnomathematics research in Papua New Guinea and policies encouraging ethnomathematics in schools, it was time to look at professional learning for teachers so they could effectively implement the policies. Within a design-based research methodology, we designed a set of interlinked principles, tried them in several workshops for teachers, and revised the principles to take account of needs based on reflexivity and evaluations. We developed a manual to use in the workshops. We are continuing this research through several different phases, moving from direct delivery of the professional learning to teachers in various provinces and ecologies to delivery to trainers who then teach the teachers in three provinces, and finally by technology delivery. Early evaluation data suggest that the key principles showing the importance of culture, language and mathematical thinking in the teaching of early mathematics are sound. Workshops have been well received as teachers inquire into the mathematics of their own cultures. The need for a stronger understanding of early mathematics learning in general has been identified. The use of video of cultural practice and of young children learning to count and investigate has had a significant impact.

Bringing ethnomathematics to elementary school teachers in Papua New Guinea: A design-based research project

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kay Owens

2015-07-01

Full Text Available After 40 years of ethnomathematics research in Papua New Guinea and policies encouraging ethnomathematics in schools, it was time to look at professional learning for teachers so they could effectively implement the policies. Within a design-based research methodology, we designed a set of interlinked principles, tried them in several workshops for teachers, and revised the principles to take account of needs based on reflexivity and evaluations. We developed a manual to use in the workshops. We are continuing this research through several different phases, moving from direct delivery of the professional learning to teachers in various provinces and ecologies to delivery to trainers who then teach the teachers in three provinces, and finally by technology delivery. Early evaluation data suggest that the key principles showing the importance of culture, language and mathematical thinking in the teaching of early mathematics are sound. Workshops have been well received as teachers inquire into the mathematics of their own cultures. The need for a stronger understanding of early mathematics learning in general has been identified. The use of video of cultural practice and of young children learning to count and investigate has had a significant impact.

The Establishment and Development of Neurosurgery Services in Papua New Guinea.

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Kaptigau, W Matui; Rosenfeld, Jeffrey V; Kevau, Ikau; Watters, David A

2016-02-01

Papua New Guinea (PNG) is a developing Pacific Nation of 7.3 million people. Although neurosurgery training was introduced to PNG in the year 2000, it was in 2003 that a neurosurgery service was established. Prior to this time, neurosurgery in PNG was performed by general surgeons, with some assistance from visiting Australian neurosurgeons. Neurosurgical training was introduced to PNG in 2000. The model involved a further 3 years of training for a surgeon who had already completed 4 years of general surgical training. We aim to review the output, outcomes and impact achieved by training the first national neurosurgeon. The data on activity (output) and outcomes were collected prospectively from 2003–2012. Ongoing mentoring and continuing professional development were provided through annual neurosurgical visits from Australia. There were serious limitations in the provision of equipment, with a lack of computerized tomographic or MR imaging, and adjuvant oncological services. There were 1618 neurosurgery admissions, 1020 neurosurgical procedures with a 5.74 % overall mortality. Seventy percent of cases presented as emergencies. There were improved outcomes, particularly for head injuries, whilst hydrocephalus was managed with an acceptable morbidity and revision rate. The training of a neurosurgeon resulted in PNG patients receiving a better range of surgical services, with a lower mortality. The outcomes able to be delivered were limited by late presentations of patients and lack of resources including imaging. These themes are familiar to all low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and this may serve as a model for other LMIC neurosurgical services to adopt as they consider whether to establish and develop neurosurgical and other sub-specialist surgical services.

A new species of Eimeria Schneider, 1875 (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from the Solomon ground skink, Sphenomorphus solomonis (Boulenger) (Sauria: Scincidae) from Papua New Guinea

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McAllister, Chris T.; Duszynski, Donald W.; Fisher, Robert N.; Austin, Christopher C.

2014-01-01

Between September 1990 and November 1991, 19 Sphenomorphus spp. skinks, including nine S. jobiense, three S. simus, and seven Solomon ground skinks, S. solomonis (Boulenger), were collected from Madang and Morobe Provinces, Papua New Guinea (PNG), and examined for coccidia. A single S. solomonis was found to be infected with a new species of Eimeria Schneider, 1875. Oöcysts of Eimeria perkinsae n. sp. are ellipsoidal with a smooth, colourless, bi-layered wall, measure 18.6 × 14.7 μm, and have a length/width (L/W) ratio of 1.3; both micropyle and oöcyst residuum are absent, but a fragmented polar granule is present. Sporocysts are ovoidal, 8.9 × 6.4 μm, L/W 1.4; neither Stieda, sub-Stieda or para-Stieda bodies are present; a sporocyst residuum consisted of a loose cluster of granules dispersed between sporozoites. Sporozoites are comma-shaped with spheroidal anterior and posterior refractile bodies. This represents the first report of coccidia from this skink genus.

Polyphased rifting to post-breakup evolution of the Coral Sea region, Papua New Guinea

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Bulois, Cédric; Pubellier, Manuel; Chamot-Rooke, Nicolas; Delescluse, Matthias

2016-04-01

The Coral Sea Basin, offshore Papua New Guinea, is generally described as a rift propagator that opened through the Australian craton during the Late Cretaceous. Rifting was later followed by spreading activity during Palaeocene to lowermost Eocene times and basin inversion during the Cenozoic. Herein, we specifically describe the extensional structures and show that the area has actually a much longer history that dates back from the Late Palaeozoic. A special focus is made on the northern margin of the Coral Sea Basin along which subsurface and HD topographic data were recently acquired. Extension took place discontinuously from the Late Palaeozoic to the Lower Cenozoic through several rift megacycles that include extensional pulses and relaxation episodes. The first rift megacycle (R1), poorly documented, occurred during the Triassic along an old Permo-Triassic, NS-trending structural fabric. Evidence of Permo-Triassic features is principally observed in the western part of the Coral Sea near the Tasman Line, a major lithospheric discontinuity that marks the eastern limit of the underlying Australian craton in Papua New Guinea. This early Triassic framework was reactivated during a Jurassic rifting stage (R2), resulting in small (~10/20km) tilted basins bounded by major NS, NE-SW and EW normal faults. Extension formed a large basin, floored by oceanic crust that might have connected with the Tethys Ocean. The Owen Stanley Oceanic Basin containing deep-marine sediments now obducted in the Ocean Stanley Thrust Belt are likely to represent this oceanic terrane. Both R1 and R2 megacycles shaped the geometry of the Jurassic Australian margin. A third Cretaceous extensional megacycle (R3) only reactivated the largest faults, cutting through the midst of this early stretched continental margin. It formed wider, poorly tilted basins and terminated with the onset of the Coral Sea seafloor spreading from Danian to Ypresian times (61.8 to 53.4 Myr). Then, the overall

Alsophila weidenbrueckii (Cyatheaceae), a new scaly tree fern from Papua New Guinea

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Lehnert, M.

2016-01-01

The scaly tree fern Alsophila weidenbrueckii is described and illustrated as new to science. It occurs in the Bismarck range in north-eastern New Guinea at 1200–2100 m in evergreen wet mountain forest. The species reaches maturity at a comparatively old age and large size and regenerates only in

Population hemoglobin mean and anemia prevalence in Papua New Guinea: new metrics for defining malaria endemicity?

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Nicolas Senn

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The hypothesis is that hemoglobin-based metrics are useful tools for estimating malaria endemicity and for monitoring malaria control strategies. The aim of this study is to compare population hemoglobin mean and anemia prevalence to established indicators of malaria endemicity, including parasite rates, rates of enlarged spleens in children, and records of (presumptive malaria diagnosis among populations living with different levels of malaria transmission. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Convenience sample, multisite cross-sectional household surveys conducted in Papua New Guinea. Correlations (r(2 between population Hb mean and anemia prevalence and altitude, parasite rate, and spleen rate were investigated in children ages 2 to 10 years, and in the general population; 21,664 individuals from 156 different communities were surveyed. Altitude ranged from 5 to 2120 meters. In young children, correlations between altitude and parasite rate, population Hb mean, anemia prevalence, and spleen rate were high (r(2: -0.77, 0.73, -0.81, and -0.68; p1500 m (p<0.001. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: In PNG, where Plasmodium vivax accounts for an important part of all malaria infections, population hemoglobin mean and anemia prevalence correlate well with altitude, parasite, and spleen rates. Hb measurement is simple and affordable, and may be a useful new tool, alone or in association with other metrics, for estimating malaria endemicity and monitoring effectiveness of malaria control programs. Further prospective studies in areas with different malaria epidemiology and different factors contributing to the burden of anemia are warranted to investigate the usefulness of Hb metrics in monitoring malaria transmission intensity.

Isostatic anomaly characteristics and dynamic environment of New Britain Ocean trenches and neighboring Area in Papua New Guinea

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Yang, G.; Shen, C.; Wang, J.

2017-12-01

we calculated the Bouguer gravity anomaly and the Airy-Heiskanen isostatic anomaly in the New Britain ocean trenches and its surrounding areas of Papua New Guinea using the topography model and the gravity anomaly model from Scripps Institute of Oceanography, and analyzed the characteristics of isostatic anomaly and the earthquake dynamic environment of this region. The results show that there are obviously differences in the isostatic state between each block in the region, and the crustal tectonic movement is very intense in the regions with high positive or negative isostatic gravity anomalies; A number of sub-plates in this area is driven by the external tectonic action such as plate subduction and thrust of the Pacific plate, the Indian - Australian plate and the Eurasian plate. From the distribution of isostatic gravity anomaly, the tectonic action of anti-isostatic movement in this region is the main source of power; from the isostatic gravity and the spatial distribution of the earthquake, with the further contraction of the Indian-Australian plate, the southwestern part of the Solomon Haiya plate will become part of the Owen Stanley fold belt, the northern part will enter the lower part of the Bismarck plate, eastern part will enter the front of the Pacific plate, the huge earthquake will migrate to the north and east of the Solomon Haiya plate.

The paradoxes of gender mainstreaming in developing countries: The case of health care in Papua New Guinea.

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Lamprell, Gina; Greenfield, David; Braithwaite, Jeffrey

2015-01-01

Gender mainstreaming developed as the global strategy for gender equality nearly two decades ago. Since then it has faced criticism for its technocratic application, and its role in the de-politicisation and neutralisation of the women's movement in gender policy-making. In the health sector, this incongruity is exacerbated by a traditional bio-medical approach to women's issues. In this paper, we ask whether gender mainstreaming can be made to work in the health sectors of developing countries where these challenges, as well as women's poor health status, are further complicated by a raft of local traditional, cultural, political and socioeconomic barriers. To answer these questions, we present a case study of Papua New Guinea (PNG), one of the world's most disadvantaged and politically challenging countries. We review data on women's health in PNG and analyse PNG's aspirational and actual performance on gender mainstreaming, looking at: international commitments; political will and capacity; national policies and programmes; and the women's movement along with civil society's participation. We find numerous paradoxes between the aims of gender mainstreaming and the necessary conditions for its success.

Safety and therapeutic efficacy of artesunate suppositories for treatment of malaria in children in Papua New Guinea.

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Karunajeewa, Harin A; Kemiki, Adedayo; Alpers, Michael P; Lorry, Kerry; Batty, Kevin T; Ilett, Kenneth F; Davis, Timothy M

2003-03-01

Although suppositories of artemisinin derivatives may be a valuable option for treatment of malaria in children when circumstances prevent oral and parenteral therapy, few confirmatory data have been published. We assessed the safety and efficacy of rectal artesunate in 47 children ages 5 to 10 years with uncomplicated malaria acquired in a hyperendemic area of Papua New Guinea. Thirty were symptomatic and had Plasmodium falciparum parasitemia >2000/microl (Group 1), 12 had and either a parasitemia suppositories were well-tolerated. After 24 h only one child (from Group 1) had persistent parasitemia, and only one (from Group 3) had not defervesced. These two children received intramuscular quinine and recovered uneventfully. Three Group 2 children redeveloped fever and tachycardia at 24 h, but each responded to simple supportive measures and remained aparasitemic. Intrarectal artesunate is safe, effective initial treatment for uncomplicated malaria in children. A transient fever spike can sometimes occur after parasite clearance. We recommend that children with uncomplicated malaria receive two doses of > or =10 mg/kg rectal artesunate within the first 24 h.

Ensuring economic, health, and social well-being for Papua New Guinea through trade.

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Fa'alili-Fidow, Jacinta

2011-01-01

The impacts of trade liberalization and open markets on global, regional, and local economies are a key consideration for those involved in government, business, and financial sectors. However, their impacts on health and social well-being of populations are not well-evidenced acknowledged within the health sector, let alone the impact on developing countries. As free trade becomes an inevitable outcome for many developing nations, the full implications of trade on economies, environments, and population health needs to be better articulated in order to ensure fully informed trade negotiations that support equitable outcomes. This article takes a broad look at the key issues for Papua New Guinea (PNG) in trade and how these translate to discrepancies in economic, health, and social benefits for its population. Despite its active trading and high GDP, only 10% of the population experience better economic and social outcomes. The bulk of PNG's population lives in poverty, challenged by geographical, cultural, and political barriers to better income, education, and health. Progress needs to be made to minimize these barriers and to allow more of PNG's population to experience the economic benefits generated through trade activities. A balance needs to be maintained between the desire of developed countries to broaden their markets, and the efforts of developing countries to promote and protect the health and well-being of their populations through increasing participation in global markets. PACER Plus presents an opportunity for pursuing alternative models of trade agreements that support and develop Pacific health.

Pertussis outbreak in Papua New Guinea: the challenges of response in a remote geo-topographical setting

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William Lagani

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Introduction: A large outbreak of pertussis was detected during March 2011 in Goilala, a remote district of the Central Province in Papua New Guinea, characterized by rugged topography with no road access from the provincial headquarters. This outbreak investigation highlights the difficulties in reporting and responding to outbreaks in these settings.Method: The suspected pertussis cases, reported by health workers from the Ononge health centre area, were investigated and confirmed for the presence of Bordetella pertussis DNA using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR method.Results: There were 205 suspected pertussis cases, with a case-fatality rate (CFR of 3%. All cases were unvaccinated. The Central Province conducted a response vaccination programme providing 65% of children less than five years of age with diphtheria–pertussis-tetanus-HepB-Hib vaccine at a cost of US$ 12.62 per child.Discussion: The incurred cost of vaccination in response to this outbreak was much higher than the US$ 3.80 per child for routine outreach patrol. To prevent further outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases in these areas, local health centres must ensure routine vaccination is strengthened through the “Reaching Every District” initiative of the National Department of Health.

The Burden of Child Maltreatment Leading to Hospitalization in a Provincial Setting in Papua New Guinea.

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Rero, Allanie; Aipit, Jimmy; Yarong-Kote, Tina; Watch, Villa; Bolnga, John W; Vei, Robert; Morris, Marilyn; Lufele, Elvin; Laman, Moses

2016-08-01

Child maltreatment is prevalent globally. In Papua New Guinea (PNG), child maltreatment remains an under-reported problem. As part of a 10 month prospective observational study conducted at Modilon Hospital in PNG, we investigated the burden of child maltreatment in the form of sexual abuse, physical abuse and neglect, leading to hospitalization in children ≤14 years. Of 1061 screened admissions, 107 (10%) fulfilled the definition of child maltreatment. The in-hospital admission prevalence of sexual abuse was 5.7% [60 of 1061; 95% confidence interval (CI): 4.4-7.3]. Neglect accounted for 3.4% (36 of 1061; 95% CI: 2.4-4.7) of admissions, while physical abuse accounted for 1.0% (11 of 1061; 95% CI: 0.6-1.9). Mortality was highest in the neglected group, with severe acute malnutrition accounting for 89% of deaths. Improved awareness, establishment of appropriate channels for addressing child maltreatment and enforcement of child protection laws in PNG and other epidemiologically similar settings are urgently needed. © The Author [2016]. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

'Good culture, bad culture': polygyny, cultural change and structural drivers of HIV in Papua New Guinea.

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Shih, Patti; Worth, Heather; Travaglia, Joanne; Kelly-Hanku, Angela

2017-09-01

Culture is often problematised as a key structural driver of HIV transmission in Papua New Guinea. Official HIV programmes, as well as church teachings, tend to focus on customary marital practices of polygyny and bride price payments as 'harmful traditions'. This focus can oversimplify the effects of current and historical nuances of cultural, political and economic change on sexual concurrency and gender inequality. Community-based healthcare workers in Southern Highlands Province explain that customary marital practices are now highly reconfigured from their traditional forms. A recent mining boom has financially advantaged local and travelling men, who are driving an increase of sexual concurrency, transactional sex and inflation of bride price payments. Healthcare workers suggest that the erosion of important social relationships and kinship obligations by the expanding cash economy has caused an intensification of individual male power while enhancing the vulnerability of women. Yet without the means to challenge the effects of uneven economic development, healthcare workers are left to target 'culture' as the central influence on individual behaviours. A commitment to address structural inequality by political leadership and in HIV prevention programmes and a careful contextualisation of cultural change is needed.

Constructing low emitting power systems through grid extension in Papua New Guinea (PNG) with rural electrification

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nagai, Y. [Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, Ogimoto Lab. 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8505 (Japan); Yamamoto, H. [Department of Advanced Energy, The University of Tokyo, 5-4-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa-shi, Chiba-ken 277-8561 (Japan); Yamaji, K. [Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Systems, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656 (Japan)

2010-05-15

The effective rural electrification method varies with economic status and geographical location, and the benefits of decentralized generation differ for each energy system depending on its characteristics. This paper evaluates the most effective generation strategies with rural electrification in an optimized power system of Papua New Guinea (PNG) using a linear programming model. The energy system model developed for the study includes decentralized generation, centralized generation, and grid systems of electricity and gas with consideration for the current energy system and infrastructure. Two methods of rural electrification, decentralized generation and grid extension, are compared with and without the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). The results of simulations show that extending the power grid that allows economical generation such as coal-fired power and hydropower to supply rural electricity is a more cost effective way for rural electrification. Although grid extension is more capital intensive than decentralized generation, the former reduces the total system cost through reduction of the fossil fuel use. Extending the power grid is also effective at attracting CDM investments, since it makes the power system flexible and provides opportunities to advance low emitting energy such as hydropower. (author)

Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Seroprevalence among Children in Papua New Guinea, 2012–2013

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Kitau, Russel; Sankar Datta, Siddhartha; Patel, Minal K.; Hennessey, Karen; Wannemuehler, Kathleen; Sui, Gerard; Lagani, William

2015-01-01

Approximately 8% of the population in Papua New Guinea (PNG) has chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. To decrease the burden of chronic HBV infection, a national 3-dose infant hepatitis B vaccination program was implemented starting in 1989, with a birth dose (BD) added to the schedule in 1992. To assess the impact of the hepatitis B vaccination program, we conducted a serosurvey among children born after vaccine introduction. During 2012–2013, a cross-sectional stratified four-stage cluster survey was conducted to estimate hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) prevalence among children 4–6 years of age. We collected demographic data, vaccination history, and tested children for HBsAg. Of 2,133 participants, 2,130 children had vaccination data by either card or recall: 28% received a BD; 81% received ≥ 3 vaccine doses. Of 2,109 children providing a blood sample, 60 (2.3%) tested positive for HBsAg. This is the largest, most geographically diverse survey of hepatitis B vaccination and HBsAg seroprevalence done in PNG. Progress has been made in PNG toward the Western Pacific Regional goal to reduce the prevalence of chronic HBV infection to < 1% by 2017 among 5-year-old children. Vaccination efforts should be strengthened, including increasing BD coverage and completing the 3-dose series. PMID:25582692

Careful Words: Nursing, Language, and Emotion in Papua New Guinea.

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Andersen, Barbara

2017-01-01

Papua New Guinean nurses work in a sociomedical system in which cultural and linguistic diversity are matters of pressing concern. Using data drawn from ethnographic research with PNG nursing students, I show how nursing education socializes nurses to take stances toward language and communication that impact their care practices. I argue that nurses' use of language is shaped by their ethical commitments as educated Christians and indigenous concerns about the links between language, emotion, and health. In a resource-poor setting where health workers risk blame for structural inequalities, this "ethical metapragmatics" is an important but neglected facet of care work.

Four new species of coccidia (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from Owen Stanley Skinks, Papuascincus stanleyanus (Sauria: Scincidae), from Papua New Guinea

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McAllister, Chris T.; Duszynski, Donald W.; Fisher, Robert N.; Austin, Christopher C.

2014-01-01

Between September and November 1991, 12 Owen Stanley skinks, Papuascincus stanleyanus (Booulenger) were collected from various localities on Papua New Guinea and examined for coccidians. Six (50%) were found to harbour four eimerians that we describe here as new. Oocysts of Eimeria burseyi sp. n. were elongate to ellipsoidal with a bilayered wall and measured (length x width, L x W) 36.0 x 24.0 microm, with a L/W ratio of 1.5. Both micropyle and oocyst residuum were absent, but a polar granule was present. Oocysts of Eimeria goldbergi sp. n. were ellipsoidal, with a bilayered wall, and measured 21.4 x 16.1 microm; L/W ratio was 1.3. Both micropyle and oocyst residuum were absent, but a single or fragmented polar granule was present. Oocysts of Eimeria boulengeri sp. n. were spheroidal to slightly subspheroidal, with a thin, single-layered wall that readily collapses, and measured 16.0 microm, L/W ratio was 1.0. Both micropyle and oocyst residuum were absent, but usually one (sometimes two) polar granule(s) were present. Oocysts of Eimeria niuginiensis sp. n. were oblong to tapered with a bilayered wall, and measured 20.0 x 13.1 microm; L/W ratio was 1.5. A micropyle, oocyst residuum and polar granule were absent. To our knowledge, these represent the only coccidians ever described from P. stanleyanus.

Dengue viruses in Papua New Guinea: evidence of endemicity and phylogenetic variation, including the evolution of new genetic lineages.

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Moore, Peter R; van den Hurk, Andrew F; Mackenzie, John S; Pyke, Alyssa T

2017-12-20

Dengue is the most common cause of mosquito-borne viral disease in humans, and is endemic in more than 100 tropical and subtropical countries. Periodic outbreaks of dengue have been reported in Papua New Guinea (PNG), but there is only limited knowledge of its endemicity and disease burden. To help elucidate the status of the dengue viruses (DENVs) in PNG, we performed envelope (E) gene sequencing of DENV serotypes 1-4 (DENV 1-4) obtained from infected patients who traveled to Australia or from patients diagnosed during local DENV transmission events between 2001 and 2016. Phylogenetic analysis and comparison with globally available DENV sequences revealed new endemic PNG lineages for DENV 1-3 which have emerged within the last decade. We also identified another possible PNG lineage for DENV-4 from 2016. The DENV-1 and 3 PNG lineages were most closely related to recent lineages circulating on Pacific island nations while the DENV-2 lineage and putative DENV-4 PNG lineage were most similar to Indonesian sequences. This study has demonstrated for the first time the co-circulation of DENV 1-4 strains in PNG and provided molecular evidence of endemic DENV transmission. Our results provide an important platform for improved surveillance and monitoring of DENVs in PNG and broaden the global understanding of DENV genetic diversity.

Seroepidemiology of melioidosis in children from a remote region of Papua New Guinea.

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Diefenbach-Elstob, Tanya R; Graves, Patricia M; Burgess, Graham W; Pelowa, Daniel B; Warner, Jeffrey M

2015-09-01

The Balimo region in Papua New Guinea has previously been identified as melioidosis-endemic with a predilection for children. Where health resources are scarce, seroepidemiology can be used to assess exposure to Burkholderia pseudomallei and therefore risk of acquiring melioidosis. Logistic regression was used to determine associations between indirect haemagglutination assay (IHA) seroreactivity with environmental and demographic/cultural factors to aid in determining risk factors associated with exposure to B. pseudomallei in children. Of the 968 participants, 92.9% (899/968) were children, representing the majority of the community school population in the immediate Balimo region. Of these, 24.6% (221/899) were seropositive. Bathing in the lagoon (OR=2.679), drinking from the well or lagoon (OR=1.474), and being a member of the Siboko (OR=1.914) or Wagumisi (OR=1.942) clans were significantly associated with seropositivity. In the multivariate analysis, drinking from a well or lagoon (OR=1.713), and the Siboko (OR=2.341) and Wabadala (OR=2.022) clans were associated with seropositivity. This study in children supports observations that interactions with groundwater in this region are risk factors in acquiring melioidosis. Public health measures intended to limit this exposure may help reduce the risk of acquiring melioidosis in this remote community. Associations with clan structure may provide more cultural specific insights, however this requires further elucidation. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Persistent growth of a young andesite lava cone: Bagana volcano, Papua New Guinea

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Wadge, G.; McCormick Kilbride, B. T.; Edmonds, M.; Johnson, R. W.

2018-05-01

Bagana, an andesite lava cone on Bougainville Island, Papua New Guinea, is thought to be a very young central volcano. We have tested this idea by estimating the volumes of lava extruded over different time intervals (1-, 2-, 3-, 9-, 15-, 70-years) using digital elevation models (DEMs), mainly created from satellite data. Our results show that the long-term extrusion rate at Bagana, measured over years to decades, has remained at about 1.0 m3 s-1. We present models of the total edifice volume, and show that, if our measured extrusion rates are representative, the volcano could have been built in only 300 years. It could also possibly have been built at a slower rate during a longer, earlier period of growth. Six kilometres NNW of Bagana, an andesite-dacite volcano, Billy Mitchell, had a large, caldera-forming plinian eruption 437 years ago. We consider the possibility that, as a result of this eruption, the magma supply was diverted from Billy Mitchell to Bagana. It seems that Bagana is a rare example of a very youthful, polygenetic, andesite volcano. The characteristics of such a volcano, based on the example of Bagana, are: a preponderance of lava products over pyroclastic products, a high rate of lava extrusion maintained for decades, a very high rate of SO2 emission, evidence of magma batch fractionation and location in a trans-tensional setting at the end of an arc segment above a very steeply dipping and rapidly converging subduction zone.

The epidemiology of spinal cord injuries in Papua New Guinea.

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Gee, R W; Sinha, S N

1982-06-01

Thirty six patients with traumatic spinal cord injury were studied in Papua New Guinean hospitals. Road trauma and falls from trees each accounted for 1/3 of injuries. The mean age of patients, 80% of whom were male, was 26 years. Complications included pressure sores (69%), urinary tract infection (61%) and contractures (22%). Two thirds of patients failed to make any significant recovery and remained permanently in hospital. At present there are no special facilities for treating paraplegic patients in this country but as the number of cases is increasing it is recommended that major hospitals provide special units and a standard management protocol for these patients.

Survey of the capacity for essential surgery and anaesthesia services in Papua New Guinea

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Martin, Janet; Tau, Goa; Cherian, Meena Nathan; Vergel de Dios, Jennifer; Mills, David; Fitzpatrick, Jane; Adu-Krow, William; Cheng, Davy

2015-01-01

Objective To assess capacity to provide essential surgical services including emergency, obstetric and anaesthesia care in Papua New Guinea (PNG) in order to support planning for relevant post-2015 sustainable development goals for PNG. Design Cross-sectional survey. Setting Hospitals and health facilities in PNG. Participants 21 facilities including 3 national/provincial hospitals, 11 district/rural hospitals, and 7 health centres. Outcome measures The WHO Situational Analysis Tool to Assess Emergency and Essential Surgical Care (WHO-SAT) was used to measure each participating facility's capacity to deliver essential surgery and anaesthesia services, including 108 items related to relevant infrastructure, human resources, interventions and equipment. Results While major surgical procedures were provided at each hospital, fewer than 30% had uninterrupted access to oxygen, and 57% had uninterrupted access to resuscitation bag and mask. Most hospitals reported capacity to provide general anaesthesia, though few hospitals reported having at least one certified surgeon, obstetrician and anaesthesiologist. Access to anaesthetic machines, pulse oximetry and blood bank was severely limited. Many non-hospital health centres providing basic surgical procedures, but almost none had uninterrupted access to electricity, running water, oxygen and basic supplies for resuscitation, airway management and obstetric services. Conclusions Capacity for essential surgery and anaesthesia services is severely limited in PNG due to shortfalls in physical infrastructure, human resources, and basic equipment and supplies. Achieving post-2015 sustainable development goals, including universal healthcare, will require significant investment in surgery and anaesthesia capacity in PNG. PMID:26674504

The effect of Piper aduncum invasion on soil in tropical ecosystems of Papua New Guinea

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Kukla, Jaroslav; Frouz, Jan

2017-04-01

Piper aduncum is successful Neotropical invasive species in Papua New Guinea. Despite its interaction with aboveground part of ecosystem has been extensively studied little is known about its effect on soil. Here we report two studies, in first we compare soil chemistry and soil biota in sites invaded and non-invaded by P. aduncum near Wanang village. In other study we use benefit of previous experiment when P. aduncum was experimentally removed near Ohu village. Here we compare soil chemistry and chemistry of plant leaves growing in garden originating by slashing and burning two adjacent patches with and without P. aduncum. Soil under P. aduncum had significantly less phosphorus in 0-5 cm soil layer and less nitrates, nitrogen and carbon in 5-10 cm soil layer than soil in old gardens uninvaded by P. aduncum. P. aduncum soil also harbors fewer microfloras than uninvaded soil as shown by PLFA analysis. No difference was found in fauna communities. Gardens created on patches where old P. aduncum was removed did not differ in soil chemistry from plots which were overgrown by P. aduncum, but leaves of sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas) in gardens where P. aduncum was previously removed contained more nitrogen. Results suggest that P. aduncum invasion may affect some chemical and microbial properties in invaded soil. P. aduncum has negative effect on traditional shifting agriculture.

Physico-chemical analysis of traditional vegetal salts obtained from three provinces of Papua New Guinea

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Janarthanan Gopalakrishnan

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Objective: To determine the chemical constituents of the traditional vegetal salts and find out if they are safe to consume. Methods: Seven different salts have been obtained from three provinces, of which five belong to Morobe Province. The cations were determined using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy and anions using titrimetry, gravimetry and spectrophotometry. Others like solubility, electrical conductivity, pH, antimicrobial, Fourier transform infrared spectral and volatility studies have been carried out for these salts. Results: While few salts were found to be stable, others were deliquescent; and the colour varies from white to black through yellow and brown. It was found that the potassium ion was dominant while others including sodium and calcium were found in lower concentrations. For the first time, certain d-block metal concentrations were measured though most of them were found to be present at very low levels. Other parameters like volatility, solubility, electrical conductivity, antimicrobial and Fourier transform infrared spectral studies were carried out for the first time for these vegetal salts in Papua New Guinea. Conclusions: The salt’s deliquescence could be correlated to the presence of anions like carbonate, bicarbonate and hydroxide which strongly contribute towards it. Similarly, solubility and conductivity of the salts could be correlated well. The salts were found to be harmless for consumption, but for the high potassium content.

Equity and geography: the case of child mortality in Papua New Guinea.

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Anna E Bauze

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Recent assessments show continued decline in child mortality in Papua New Guinea (PNG, yet complete subnational analyses remain rare. This study aims to estimate under-five mortality in PNG at national and subnational levels to examine the importance of geographical inequities in health outcomes and track progress towards Millennium Development Goal (MDG 4. METHODOLOGY: We performed retrospective data validation of the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS 2006 using 2000 Census data, then applied advanced indirect methods to estimate under-five mortality rates between 1976 and 2000. FINDINGS: The DHS 2006 was found to be unreliable. Hence we used the 2000 Census to estimate under-five mortality rates at national and subnational levels. During the period under study, PNG experienced a slow reduction in national under-five mortality from approximately 103 to 78 deaths per 1,000 live births. Subnational analyses revealed significant disparities between rural and urban populations as well as inter- and intra-regional variations. Some of the provinces that performed the best (worst in terms of under-five mortality included the districts that performed worst (best, with district-level under-five mortality rates correlating strongly with poverty levels and access to services. CONCLUSIONS: The evidence from PNG demonstrates substantial within-province heterogeneity, suggesting that under-five mortality needs to be addressed at subnational levels. This is especially relevant in countries, like PNG, where responsibility for health services is devolved to provinces and districts. This study presents the first comprehensive estimates of under-five mortality at the district level for PNG. The results demonstrate that for countries that rely on few data sources even greater importance must be given to the quality of future population surveys and to the exploration of alternative options of birth and death surveillance.

Equity and geography: the case of child mortality in Papua New Guinea.

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Bauze, Anna E; Tran, Linda N; Nguyen, Kim-Huong; Firth, Sonja; Jimenez-Soto, Eliana; Dwyer-Lindgren, Laura; Hodge, Andrew; Lopez, Alan D

2012-01-01

Recent assessments show continued decline in child mortality in Papua New Guinea (PNG), yet complete subnational analyses remain rare. This study aims to estimate under-five mortality in PNG at national and subnational levels to examine the importance of geographical inequities in health outcomes and track progress towards Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 4. We performed retrospective data validation of the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) 2006 using 2000 Census data, then applied advanced indirect methods to estimate under-five mortality rates between 1976 and 2000. The DHS 2006 was found to be unreliable. Hence we used the 2000 Census to estimate under-five mortality rates at national and subnational levels. During the period under study, PNG experienced a slow reduction in national under-five mortality from approximately 103 to 78 deaths per 1,000 live births. Subnational analyses revealed significant disparities between rural and urban populations as well as inter- and intra-regional variations. Some of the provinces that performed the best (worst) in terms of under-five mortality included the districts that performed worst (best), with district-level under-five mortality rates correlating strongly with poverty levels and access to services. The evidence from PNG demonstrates substantial within-province heterogeneity, suggesting that under-five mortality needs to be addressed at subnational levels. This is especially relevant in countries, like PNG, where responsibility for health services is devolved to provinces and districts. This study presents the first comprehensive estimates of under-five mortality at the district level for PNG. The results demonstrate that for countries that rely on few data sources even greater importance must be given to the quality of future population surveys and to the exploration of alternative options of birth and death surveillance.

A new genus of Nanaloricidae (Loricifera) from deep-sea sediments of volcanic origin in the Kilinailau Trench north of Papua New Guinea

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Gad, Gunnar

2004-02-01

A new genus and species of Nanaloricidae (Loricifera), Phoeniciloricus simplidigitatus, is described inhabiting fine sand covered by a layer of volcanic ash at a water depth of 1,813 m in the New Ireland Basin near the Kilinailau Trench (north of Papua New Guinea). The described specimen is a postlarva enclosed in a larval exuvium. This is the first report of a species belonging to the Nanaloricidae from the deep sea. This occurrence is surprising, because Nanaloricidae are typical inhabitants of coarse sands in the intertidal or littoral zone. Preference for these shallow water habitats is reflected in many morphological features which characterize the Nanaloricidae, and are not normally found in Loricifera inhabiting fine-grained, clayish, deep-sea bottoms. The postlarva of the new species is characterized by a long narrow mouth tube, an urn-shaped lorica divided into ten plates, and 13 small lorica spikes. Distinguishing features of the Higgins-larva include short spinose toes lacking mucros but having small and slightly enlarged bases, short scalids on the introvert, many thoracic plates arranged in 6-8 rows, numerous small papillate flosculi in the collar and caudal regions, and three pairs of filiform, short locomotory appendages on the ventral side. Some features of the new species, especially of the Higgins-larva, are discussed as adaptations to the deep-sea environment.

Deformation regime and long-term precursors to eruption at large calderas: Rabaul, Papua New Guinea

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Robertson, Robert M.; Kilburn, Christopher R. J.

2016-03-01

Eruptions at large calderas are normally preceded by variable rates of unrest that continue for decades or more. A classic example is the 1994 eruption of Rabaul caldera, in Papua New Guinea, which began after 23 years of surface uplift and volcano-tectonic (VT) seismicity at rates that changed unevenly with time by an order of magnitude. Although the VT event rate and uplift rate peaked in 1983-1985, eruptions only began a decade later and followed just 27 hours of anomalous changes in precursory signal. Here we argue that the entire 23 years of unrest belongs to a single sequence of damage accumulation in the crust and that, in 1991-1992, the crust's response to applied stress changed from quasi-elastic (elastic deformation with minor fault movement) to inelastic (deformation predominantly by fault movement alone). The change in behaviour yields limiting trends in the variation of VT event rate with deformation and can be quantified with a mean-field model for an elastic crust that contains a dispersed population of small faults. The results show that identifying the deformation regime for elastic-brittle crust provides new criteria for using precursory time series to evaluate the potential for eruption. They suggest that, in the quasi-elastic regime, short-term increases in rates of deformation and VT events are unreliable indicators of an imminent eruption, but that, in the inelastic regime, the precursory rates may follow hyperbolic increases with time and offer the promise of developing forecasts of eruption as much as months beforehand.

Human resources for health: lessons from the cholera outbreak in Papua New Guinea.

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Rosewell, Alexander; Bieb, Sibauk; Clark, Geoff; Miller, Geoff; MacIntyre, Raina; Zwi, Anthony

2013-01-01

Papua New Guinea is striving to achieve the minimum core requirements under the International Health Regulations in surveillance and outbreak response, and has experienced challenges in the availability and distribution of health professionals. Since mid-2009, a large cholera outbreak spread across lowland regions of the country and has been associated with more than 15 500 notifications at a case fatality ratio of 3.2%. The outbreak placed significant pressure on clinical and public health services. We describe some of the challenges to cholera preparedness and response in this human resource-limited setting, the strategies used to ensure effective cholera management and lessons learnt. Cholera task forces were useful to establish a clear system of leadership and accountability for cholera outbreak response and ensure efficiencies in each technical area. Cholera outbreak preparedness and response was strongest when human resource and health systems functioned well before the outbreak. Communication relied on coordination of existing networks and methods for empowering local leaders and villagers to modify behaviours of the population. In line with the national health emergencies plan, the successes of human resource strategies during the cholera outbreak should be built upon through emergency exercises, especially in non-affected provinces. Population needs for all public health professionals involved in health emergency preparedness and response should be mapped, and planning should be implemented to increase the numbers in relevant areas. Human resource planning should be integrated with health emergency planning. It is essential to maintain and strengthen the human resource capacities and experiences gained during the cholera outbreak to ensure a more effective response to the next health emergency.

The text of the Agreement of 13 October 1983 between Papua New Guinea and the Agency for the application of safeguards in connection with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-01-01

The document contains two parts. The first part stipulates the agreement of Papua New Guinea to accept safeguards on all source or special fissionable material in all peaceful nuclear activities within its territory, under its jurisdiction or carried out under its control anywhere for the exclusive purpose of verifying that such material is not diverted to nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices. The second part specifies the procedures to be applied in the implementation of the safeguards provisions of Part I

Glucose tolerance in Papua New Guinea: ethnic differences, association with environmental and behavioural factors and the possible emergence of glucose intolerance in a highland community.

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King, H; Finch, C; Collins, A; Koki, G; King, L F; Heywood, P; Zimmet, P

1989-08-21

That Melanesians of non-Austronesian genetic ancestry may be relatively resistant to glucose intolerance was supported by the results of a study of two semitraditional non-Austronesian villages in the Papua New Guinean highlands in 1983, in which an absence of diabetes and a high degree of glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity were observed. The second of this series of surveys was conducted in 1985 in three non-traditional communities: a periurban, non-Austronesian village in the highlands, and rural and periurban Austronesian villages in coastal locations. Although an absence of diabetes was demonstrated once again in the highlanders, these periurban subjects showed an unexpectedly high insulin response which may be a precursor of glucose intolerance. The notion that highland communities that are living in non-traditional circumstances in Papua New Guinea presently are in "metabolic transition" towards diabetes and other non-communicable diseases, if correct, is of importance to the public health of the nation. In the periurban, coastal-dwelling Austronesians, diabetes with severe hyperglycaemia was demonstrated, and there was some evidence of a secular trend towards increasing glucose intolerance. The two-hour plasma glucose concentrations were shown to be associated with obesity, modernity and Seventh-Day Adventist religious persuasion. However, important and unexplained differences in glucose tolerance remained between rural and periurban coastal dwellers after taking these factors into account.

Community response to intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in infants (IPTi in Papua New Guinea

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Senn Nicolas

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Building on previous acceptability research undertaken in sub-Saharan Africa this article aims to investigate the acceptability of intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in infants (IPTi in Papua New Guinea (PNG. Methods A questionnaire was administered to mothers whose infants participated in the randomised placebo controlled trial of IPTi. Mothers whose infants participated and who refused to participate in the trial, health workers, community reporters and opinion leaders were interviewed. Men and women from the local community also participated in focus group discussions. Results Respondents viewed IPTi as acceptable in light of wider concern for infant health and the advantages of trial participation. Mothers reported complying with at-home administration of IPTi due to perceived benefits of IPTi and pressure from health workers. In spite of patchy knowledge, respondents also demonstrated a demand for infant vaccinations and considered non-vaccination to be neglect. There is little evidence that IPTi has negative impacts on attitudes to EPI, EPI adherence or existing malaria prevention practices. Conclusion The degree of similarity between findings from the acceptability studies undertaken in sub-Saharan Africa and PNG allows some generalization relating to the implementation of IPTi outside of Africa: IPTi fits well with local health cultures, appears to be accepted easily and has little impact on attitudes towards EPI or malaria prevention. The study adds to the evidence indicating that IPTi could be rolled out in a range of social and cultural contexts.

Rediscovery of the Threatened River Sharks, Glyphis garricki and G. glyphis, in Papua New Guinea.

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William T White

Full Text Available Recent surveys of the shark and ray catches of artisanal fishers in the Western Province of Papua New Guinea (PNG resulted in the rediscovery of the threatened river sharks, Glyphis garricki and Glyphis glyphis. These represent the first records of both species in PNG since the 1960s and 1970s and highlight the lack of studies of shark biodiversity in PNG. Two individuals of G. garricki and three individuals of G. glyphis were recorded from coastal marine waters of the Daru region of PNG in October and November 2014. The two G. garricki specimens were small individuals estimated to be 100-105 cm and ~113 cm total length (TL. The three G. glyphis specimens were all mature, one a pregnant female and two adult males. These are the first adults of G. glyphis recorded to date providing a more accurate maximum size for this species, i.e. ~260 cm TL. A single pup which was released from the pregnant female G. glyphis, was estimated to be ~65 cm TL. Anecdotal information from the fishers of pregnant females of G. glyphis containing 6 or 7 pups provides the first estimate of litter size for this species. The jaws of the pregnant female G. glyphis were retained and a detailed description of the dentition is provided, since adult dentition has not been previously documented for this species. Genetic analyses confirmed the two species cluster well within samples from these species collected in northern Australia.

Exocelina baliem sp. n., the only known pond species of New Guinea Exocelina Broun, 1886 (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae, Copelatinae

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Helena Shaverdo

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Exocelina baliem sp. n. is described from the Baliem Valley in the Central Mountain Range of New Guinea (Papua Province, Indonesia.striolate elytra, different structure and setation of the male and female genitalia and tarsomeres, and inhabiting swampy ponds, the new species differs from all known New Guinea species, which have smooth elytra and are stream associated. It forms a monophyletic group with the Australian E. ferruginea (Sharp, 1882 and New Caledonian E. inexspectata Wewalka, Balke & Hendrich, 2010, based on shape of the paramere and structure of the male tarsi. Habitus, protarsomeres, and male and female genitalia are illustrated, comparing some structures with E. ferruginea and two New Guinea stream species. We briefly discuss the biogeographic relevance of this discovery.

Effect of Climate Factors on the Childhood Pneumonia in Papua New Guinea: A Time-Series Analysis

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Jinseob Kim

2016-02-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to assess the association between climate factors and the incidence of childhood pneumonia in Papua New Guinea quantitatively and to evaluate the variability of the effect size according to their geographic properties. The pneumonia incidence in children under five-year and meteorological factors were obtained from six areas, including monthly rainfall and the monthly average daily maximum temperatures during the period from 1997 to 2006 from national health surveillance data. A generalized linear model was applied to measure the effect size of local and regional climate factor. The pooled risk of pneumonia in children per every 10 mm increase of rainfall was 0.24% (95% confidence interval: −0.01%–0.50%, and risk per every 1 °C increase of the monthly mean of the maximum daily temperatures was 4.88% (95% CI: 1.57–8.30. Southern oscillation index and dipole mode index showed an overall negative effect on childhood pneumonia incidence, −0.57% and −4.30%, respectively, and the risk of pneumonia was higher in the dry season than in the rainy season (pooled effect: 12.08%. There was a variability in the relationship between climate factors and pneumonia which is assumed to reflect distribution of the determinants of and vulnerability to pneumonia in the community.

Effect of Climate Factors on the Childhood Pneumonia in Papua New Guinea: A Time-Series Analysis

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Kim, Jinseob; Kim, Jong-Hun; Cheong, Hae-Kwan; Kim, Ho; Honda, Yasushi; Ha, Mina; Hashizume, Masahiro; Kolam, Joel; Inape, Kasis

2016-01-01

This study aimed to assess the association between climate factors and the incidence of childhood pneumonia in Papua New Guinea quantitatively and to evaluate the variability of the effect size according to their geographic properties. The pneumonia incidence in children under five-year and meteorological factors were obtained from six areas, including monthly rainfall and the monthly average daily maximum temperatures during the period from 1997 to 2006 from national health surveillance data. A generalized linear model was applied to measure the effect size of local and regional climate factor. The pooled risk of pneumonia in children per every 10 mm increase of rainfall was 0.24% (95% confidence interval: −0.01%–0.50%), and risk per every 1 °C increase of the monthly mean of the maximum daily temperatures was 4.88% (95% CI: 1.57–8.30). Southern oscillation index and dipole mode index showed an overall negative effect on childhood pneumonia incidence, −0.57% and −4.30%, respectively, and the risk of pneumonia was higher in the dry season than in the rainy season (pooled effect: 12.08%). There was a variability in the relationship between climate factors and pneumonia which is assumed to reflect distribution of the determinants of and vulnerability to pneumonia in the community. PMID:26891307

Population variables and life-history characteristics of the alligator pipefish Syngnathoides biaculeatus, in Papua New Guinea.

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Barrows, A P W; Martin-Smith, K M; Baine, M S P

2009-03-01

Population structure and life-history variables of the widely distributed alligator pipefish Syngnathoides biaculeatus were characterized in Bootless Bay, Papua New Guinea over the course of 11 months. There was little evidence of seasonality with four focal populations showing no significant change in abundance. Similarly, the sex ratio remained 1:1 for all but 1 month. Reproductive males carrying eggs (148-278 mm in total length, L(T)) were found in all months. Brood size was significantly, positively related to male L(T) for newly laid broods only. Maximum observed brood size was 351 and mean +/-s.d. brood size was 238 +/- 57 for newly laid broods. Juveniles and males showed no change in mean L(T) over the year while slightly smaller females were captured in November 2006 and September 2007. Males were significantly longer than females so von Bertalanffy growth coefficients were estimated separately for each sex: males L(infinity)= 285 mm, K = 0.82 year(-1) and females L(infinity)= 261 mm, K = 1.10 year(-1). These estimates suggest that this species grows rapidly and has a short-life span. In the context of growing concern about overexploitation of syngnathids, a rapid growth rate combined with year round reproductive activity suggests that the tropical S. biaculeatus may be relatively resilient with regard to fishing pressure.

The Gut Microbiota of Rural Papua New Guineans: Composition, Diversity Patterns, and Ecological Processes

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Inés Martínez

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Although recent research revealed an impact of westernization on diversity and composition of the human gut microbiota, the exact consequences on metacommunity characteristics are insufficiently understood, and the underlying ecological mechanisms have not been elucidated. Here, we have compared the fecal microbiota of adults from two non-industrialized regions in Papua New Guinea (PNG with that of United States (US residents. Papua New Guineans harbor communities with greater bacterial diversity, lower inter-individual variation, vastly different abundance profiles, and bacterial lineages undetectable in US residents. A quantification of the ecological processes that govern community assembly identified bacterial dispersal as the dominant process that shapes the microbiome in PNG but not in the US. These findings suggest that the microbiome alterations detected in industrialized societies might arise from modern lifestyle factors limiting bacterial dispersal, which has implications for human health and the development of strategies aimed to redress the impact of westernization.

THE STRENGTHENING OF NATIONALISM AMONG THE PEOPLE OF PAPUA, INDONESIA

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Bernada Meterai

2015-07-01

Full Text Available This study is the phenomenon of "problem Indonesian Papuans" often questionable when the "conflict-torn Papua." LIPI in 2007 questioned why it's been 62 years of independent Indonesia, Papua Indonesia nationalism began to be questioned again. We all know that Papua is the province of the very rich natural resources, beautiful panoramic views both on land and at sea to original culture from a number of ethnic groups. the Papua origin ball players like Boaz Salosa, Patrik Wanggai, Ferdinando Pahabol and Riki Kayame continued fighting defend their self-esteem as a nation of Indonesia in the field that when dealing with other countries. However, when the conflict in Papua occurred, appeared a wide pernyataantentang of Papua New Guinea such as: dark, human resources is relatively low, people are still poor and primitive, and the flag frequently offered up morning, arcane, the shooting of human rights violations, the referendum and the independence of the territory of a unitary State the Republic of Indonesia

Assessment of the hepatitis B birth dose vaccination program, Papua New Guinea, 2014.

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Wiesen, Eric; Lagani, William; Sui, Gerard; Arava, Johnnie; Reza, Salim; Diorditsa, Sergey; Lin, Yung-Ching

2016-01-12

Papua New Guinea (PNG) implemented hepatitis B birth dose (BD) vaccination in 2005 yet since that time coverage has remained low, allowing mother-to-child transmission to occur. We conducted a field assessment of the BD vaccination program to develop strategies for improving the BD coverage. We selected five provinces with higher hepatitis B prevalence and five with lower prevalence based on the results of a 2013 hepatitis B serological survey. Within each province, we interviewed district and provincial health officers, health workers, village volunteers, and caregivers from ten randomly selected health facilities. Data were collected on knowledge, practice, vaccine management and data recording/reporting. To identify enabling factors and barriers, we compared health facilities with higher BD coverage with those with lower coverage, and compared caregivers whose children received BD with those whose children did not. Overall timely BD coverage was 31% and BD vaccination was taking place in 81% of sampled health facilities. Lack of cold chain and vaccine were the major reasons for not providing the BD. Insufficiencies in supervision, vaccine management, community outreach, and data management were identified as obstacles to achieving high timely hepatitis B BD coverage. Good supervision, knowledge of hepatitis B and hepatitis B vaccination, antenatal care including information about the hepatitis B BD, provision of vaccine refrigerators in maternity wards, and outreach vaccination for home deliveries were associated with higher timely BD coverage. Several steps will likely be effective in improving BD coverage: strengthening training and supervision among health workers and officers, educating caregivers on the benefits of the BD and delivery in health facilities, improving vaccine management, and improving data quality. Considerable effort and leadership will be needed to achieve these steps. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Two new species of Eimeria (Apicomplexa, Eimeriidae) from tree skinks, Prasinohaema spp. (Sauria: Scincidae), from Papua New Guinea

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McAllister, Chris T.; Duszynski, Donald W.; Fisher, Robert N.; Austin, Christopher C.

2014-01-01

Between September 1991 and June 1992, feces from 4 species of tree skinks, Prasinohaema spp. from Papua New Guinea, were collected and examined for coccidia. Two species, P. flavipes and P. prehensicauda were found to harbor eimerians which are described as new. Oocysts of Eimeria krausi sp. nov. from P. flavipes were ellipsoidal to subspheroidal with a smooth bilayered wall and measured (L × W) 19.2 × 16.9 μm, with a length/width (L/W) ratio of 1.1. Micropyle and oocyst residuum were absent but a fragmented polar granule was present. Sporocysts were ellipsoidal, 9.7 × 6.7 μm, L/W of 1.5. Stieda, subStieda and paraStieda bodies were absent. The sporocyst residuum was composed of many small granules in a compact mass between sporozoites. The sporozoites were sausage-shaped, 11.7 × 2.7 μm, in situ, with an ellipsoidal posterior refractile body and a spheroidal anterior refractile body. Oocysts of Eimeria greeri sp. nov. from P. prehensicauda were ellipsoidal with a smooth bilayered wall, (L × W) 23.0 × 18.3 μm, with a L/W of 1.3. Micropyle and oocyst residuum were absent but a fragmented polar granule was present. Sporocysts were ellipsoidal, 9.7 × 8.4 μm, with a L/W of 1.2. Stieda, subStieda and paraStieda bodies were absent. The sporocyst residuum was composed of many large granules in a compact mass between sporozoites. The sporozoites were sausage-shaped, with an ellipsoidal posterior refractile body and a spheroidal anterior refractile body. We document here the first report of coccidia from skinks of the genus Prasinohaema.

The Burden of Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis in Papua New Guinea: Results of a Large Population-Based Survey.

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Paul Aia

Full Text Available Reliable estimates of the burden of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB are crucial for effective control and prevention of tuberculosis (TB. Papua New Guinea (PNG is a high TB burden country with limited information on the magnitude of the MDR-TB problem.A cross-sectional study was conducted in four PNG provinces: Madang, Morobe, National Capital District and Western Province. Patient sputum samples were tested for rifampicin resistance by the Xpert MTB/RIF assay and those showing the presence of resistance underwent phenotypic susceptibility testing to first- and second-line anti-TB drugs including streptomycin, isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol, pyrazinamide, ofloxacin, amikacin, kanamycin and capreomycin.Among 1,182 TB patients enrolled in the study, MDR-TB was detected in 20 new (2.7%; 95% confidence intervals [CI] 1.1-4.3% and 24 previously treated (19.1%; 95%CI: 8.5-29.8% TB cases. No case of extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB was detected. Thirty percent (6/20 of new and 33.3% (8/24 of previously treated cases with MDR-TB were detected in a single cluster in Western Province.In PNG the proportion of MDR-TB in new cases is slightly lower than the regional average of 4.4% (95%CI: 2.6-6.3%. A large proportion of MDR-TB cases were identified from a single hospital in Western Province, suggesting that the prevalence of MDR-TB across the country is heterogeneous. Future surveys should further explore this finding. The survey also helped strengthening the use of smear microscopy and Xpert MTB/RIF testing as diagnostic tools for TB in the country.

Maternal near-misses at a provincial hospital in Papua New Guinea: A prospective observational study.

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Bolnga, John W; Morris, Marilyn; Totona, Catherine; Laman, Moses

2017-12-01

Maternal near-miss indices are World Health Organisation (WHO) recognised indicators that may improve our understanding of factors associated with maternal morbidity and mortality. In Papua New Guinea (PNG) where maternal mortality is among the highest in the world, only one study has documented near-miss indices in a tertiary-level hospital, but none from provincial hospitals where the majority of under-privileged women access healthcare services. To determine the near-miss ratio, maternal mortality index (MMI), and associated maternal indices for Modilon Hospital in Madang Province of PNG. All women attending Modilon Hospital who met the WHO maternal near-miss definition and/or a WHO-modified (PNG-specific) near-miss definition, were prospectively enrolled. There were 6019 live births during the audit period; 163 women presented with life-threatening conditions (153 near-misses and 10 maternal deaths). The maternal near-miss ratio was 25.4/1000 live births and the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) was 166/100 000 live births, with a maternal death to near-miss ratio of 1:15.3. The severe maternal outcome ratio was 27.1/1000 live births and the total mortality index was 6.8%. Higher proportions of near-miss women were aged ≥30 years, nulliparous, illiterate, from rural communities, lacked formal employment, referred from peripheral health facilities, unbooked, had history of still births and were anaemic. Sociodemographic factors such as women's rights, education level and status in society, in addition to appropriate health reforms with greater financial and political support are urgently needed to ensure underprivileged women in rural PNG have access to family planning, supervised deliveries and skilled emergency obstetric care. © 2017 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Evaluation of serological diagnostic tests for typhoid fever in Papua New Guinea using a composite reference standard.

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Siba, Valentine; Horwood, Paul F; Vanuga, Kilagi; Wapling, Johanna; Sehuko, Rebecca; Siba, Peter M; Greenhill, Andrew R

2012-11-01

Typhoid fever remains a major global health problem. A major impediment to improving outcomes is the lack of appropriate diagnostic tools, which have not significantly improved in low-income settings for 100 years. We evaluated two commercially available rapid diagnostic tests (Tubex and TyphiDot), a prototype (TyphiRapid TR-02), and the commonly used single-serum Widal test in a previously reported high-burden area of Papua New Guinea. Samples were collected from 530 outpatients with axillary temperatures of ≥37.5°C, and analysis was conducted on all malaria-negative samples (n = 500). A composite reference standard of blood culture and PCR was used, by which 47 participants (9.4%) were considered typhoid fever positive. The sensitivity and specificity of the Tubex (51.1% and 88.3%, respectively) and TyphiDot (70.0% and 80.1%, respectively) tests were not high enough to warrant their ongoing use in this setting; however, the sensitivity and specificity for the TR-02 prototype were promising (89.4% and 85.0%, respectively). An axillary temperature of ≥38.5°C correlated with typhoid fever (P = 0.014). With an appropriate diagnostic test, conducting typhoid fever diagnosis only on patients with high-grade fever could dramatically decrease the costs associated with diagnosis while having no detrimental impact on the ability to accurately diagnose the illness.

The role of indigenous traditional counting systems in children's development of numerical cognition: results from a study in Papua New Guinea

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Matang, Rex A. S.; Owens, Kay

2014-09-01

The Government of Papua New Guinea undertook a significant step in developing curriculum reform policy that promoted the use of Indigenous knowledge systems in teaching formal school subjects in any of the country's 800-plus Indigenous languages. The implementation of the Elementary Cultural Mathematics Syllabus is in line with the above curriculum emphasis. Given the aims of the reform, the research reported here investigated the influence of children's own mother tongue (Tok Ples) and traditional counting systems on their development of early number knowledge formally taught in schools. The study involved 272 school children from 22 elementary schools in four provinces. Each child participated in a task-based assessment interview focusing on eight task groups relating to early number knowledge. The results obtained indicate that, on average, children learning their traditional counting systems in their own language spent shorter time and made fewer mistakes in solving each task compared to those taught without Tok Ples (using English and/or the lingua franca, Tok Pisin). Possible reasons accounting for these differences are also discussed.

Elements of Pacific public health laws: an analysis of the public health acts of Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, and Fiji.

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Howse, Genevieve

2012-09-01

Pacific countries are sovereign nations with distinctive histories, ethnicity, customs, primary resources, economies, and health systems. Despite these and other acknowledged differences, similarities exist in many areas such as geography, legal history, and culture. Many share the experience of colonization, with imported British laws and the subsequent experience of independence. Most Pacific countries are also developing countries. This article broadly describes approaches to legislating in public health in Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Vanuatu, and the Solomon Islands and notes common elements in their public health laws, in particular, in relation to administration, allocation of powers and responsibilities, interaction with local government, communicable disease control, and nuisance. The article concludes that many Pacific public health laws could deliver better support for current health policy, more sensitivity to the culture and customs of the region, and better management of public health risk through laws that are better suited to their Pacific environment, easier to understand, more flexible, and more relevant to current health policy.

The influence of freshwater and material export on sedimentary facies and benthic processes within the Fly Delta and adjacent Gulf of Papua (Papua New Guinea)

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Alongi, D. M.; Christoffersen, P.; Tirendi, F.; Robertson, A. I.

1992-02-01

Large volumes of freshwater and suspended material debouch from the Fly River in southwestern Papua New Guinea into the Gulf of Papua, greatly influencing the hydrography and sedimentary processes within the river delta and adjacent shelf region. Sedimentary facies within the subtidal regions of the Fly Delta are composed mainly of compacted and eroded very fine black sand, and highly laminated, muddy sand and sandy mud, progressing to prodelta mud with intermixed primary and biogenic structures in the inner Gulf of Papua. These prodelta muds grade further to mixed terrigenous-carbonate deposits southwards into the northern Great Barrier Reef and Torres Strait, and to well-bioturbated, fluid mud northwards into the Gulf of Papua. The transition from physically-dominated, estuarine conditions within the delta to more quiescent, marine conditions on the shelf leads to concomitant changes in sediment chemistry, microbial activity and infaunal and epifaunal communities. Particulate (C, N, P) and dissolved inorganic and organic nutrient concentrations were a function of sediment type (higher in finer deposits) rather than location (delta vs gulf). C: N: P ratios of solid-phase nutrients varied greatly, but were usually less than those predicted by the Redfield ratio. Mean interstitial concentrations of dissolved inorganic nutrients were low (μM range), but dissolved organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus levels were equivalent to those found in higher latitude systems. Fluxes of dissolved inorganic nutrients were generally low (μmol m -2 day -1). Flux rates were mostly negative (into the sediment) in the delta suggesting that these deposits are a sink for nutrients. In the offshore deposits, dissolved inorganic fluxes were higher and mostly positive indicating that they are a source for dissolved nutrients. Standing crops of bacteria (range: below detection limits— 2.5 × 10 10 cells g -1 dry wt), meiofauna (range: 5-750 individuals 10 cm -2; 9-1006 μg dry wt 10

Hospital admission following induced abortion in Eastern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea--a descriptive study.

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Vallely, Lisa M; Homiehombo, Primrose; Kelly-Hanku, Angela; Kumbia, Antonia; Mola, Glen D L; Whittaker, Andrea

2014-01-01

In Papua New Guinea abortion is restricted under the Criminal Code Act. While safe abortions should available in certain situations, frequently they are not available to the majority of women. Sepsis from unsafe abortion is a leading cause of maternal mortality. Our findings form part of a wider, mixed methods study designed to identify complications requiring hospital treatment for post abortion care and to explore the circumstances surrounding unsafe abortion. Through a six month prospective study we identified all women presenting to the Eastern Highlands Provincial Hospital following spontaneous and induced abortions. We undertook semi-structured interviews with women and reviewed individual case notes, extracting demographic and clinical information. Case notes were reviewed for 56% (67/119) of women presenting for post abortion care. At least 24% (28/119) of these admissions were due to induced abortion. Women presenting following induced abortions were significantly more likely to be younger, single, in education at the time of the abortion and report that the baby was unplanned and unwanted, compared to those reporting spontaneous abortion. Obtained illegally, misoprostol was the method most frequently used to end the pregnancy. Physical and mechanical means and traditional herbs were also widely reported. In a country with a low contraceptive prevalence rate and high unmet need for family planning, all reproductive age women need access to contraceptive information and services to avoid, postpone or space pregnancies. In the absence of this, women are resorting to unsafe means to end an unwanted pregnancy, putting their lives at risk and putting an increased strain on an already struggling health system. Women in this setting need access to safe, effective means of abortion.

Estimating Sustainable Live-Coral Harvest at Kamiali Wildlife Management Area, Papua New Guinea.

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Longenecker, Ken; Bolick, Holly; Langston, Ross

2015-01-01

Live coral is harvested throughout the Indo-West Pacific to make lime, used in the consumption of the world's fourth-most consumed drug, betel nut. Coral harvesting is an environmental concern; however, because lime-making is one of the few sources of income in some areas of Papua New Guinea (PNG), the practice is unlikely to stop. To better manage coral harvest, we used standard fishery-yield methods to generate sustainable-harvest guidelines for corymbose Acropora species found on the reef flat and crest at Lababia, PNG. We constructed a yield curve (weight-specific net annual-dry-weight production) by: 1) describing the allometric relationship between colony size and dry weight, and using that relationship to estimate the dry weight of Acropora colonies in situ; 2) estimating annual growth of Acropora colonies by estimating in situ, and describing the relationship between, colony dry weight at the beginning and end of one year; and 3) conducting belt-transect surveys to describe weight-frequencies and ultimately to predict annual weight change per square meter for each weight class. Reef habitat covers a total 2,467,550 m2 at Lababia and produces an estimated 248,397 kg/y (dry weight) of corymbose Acropora, of which 203,897 kg is produced on the reef flat/crest. We conservatively estimate that 30,706.6 kg of whole, dry, corymbose, Acropora can be sustainably harvested from the reef flat/crest habitat each year provided each culled colony weighs at least 1805 g when dry (or is at least 46 cm along its major axis). Artisanal lime-makers convert 24.8% of whole-colony weight into marketable lime, thus we estimate 7615.2 g of lime can be sustainably produced annually from corymbose Acropora. This value incorporates several safety margins, and should lead to proper management of live coral harvest. Importantly, the guideline recognizes village rights to exploit its marine resources, is consistent with village needs for income, and balances an equally strong village

Estimating Sustainable Live-Coral Harvest at Kamiali Wildlife Management Area, Papua New Guinea.

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Ken Longenecker

Full Text Available Live coral is harvested throughout the Indo-West Pacific to make lime, used in the consumption of the world's fourth-most consumed drug, betel nut. Coral harvesting is an environmental concern; however, because lime-making is one of the few sources of income in some areas of Papua New Guinea (PNG, the practice is unlikely to stop. To better manage coral harvest, we used standard fishery-yield methods to generate sustainable-harvest guidelines for corymbose Acropora species found on the reef flat and crest at Lababia, PNG. We constructed a yield curve (weight-specific net annual-dry-weight production by: 1 describing the allometric relationship between colony size and dry weight, and using that relationship to estimate the dry weight of Acropora colonies in situ; 2 estimating annual growth of Acropora colonies by estimating in situ, and describing the relationship between, colony dry weight at the beginning and end of one year; and 3 conducting belt-transect surveys to describe weight-frequencies and ultimately to predict annual weight change per square meter for each weight class. Reef habitat covers a total 2,467,550 m2 at Lababia and produces an estimated 248,397 kg/y (dry weight of corymbose Acropora, of which 203,897 kg is produced on the reef flat/crest. We conservatively estimate that 30,706.6 kg of whole, dry, corymbose, Acropora can be sustainably harvested from the reef flat/crest habitat each year provided each culled colony weighs at least 1805 g when dry (or is at least 46 cm along its major axis. Artisanal lime-makers convert 24.8% of whole-colony weight into marketable lime, thus we estimate 7615.2 g of lime can be sustainably produced annually from corymbose Acropora. This value incorporates several safety margins, and should lead to proper management of live coral harvest. Importantly, the guideline recognizes village rights to exploit its marine resources, is consistent with village needs for income, and balances an equally

Listening to the rural health workers in Papua New Guinea - the social factors that influence their motivation to work.

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Razee, Husna; Whittaker, Maxine; Jayasuriya, Rohan; Yap, Lorraine; Brentnall, Lee

2012-09-01

Despite rural health services being situated and integrated within communities in which people work and live, the complex interaction of the social environment on health worker motivation and performance in Low Middle Income Countries has been neglected in research. In this article we investigate how social factors impact on health worker motivation and performance in rural health services in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Face-to-face in-depth interviews were conducted with 33 health workers from three provinces (Central, Madang, and Milne Bay) in PNG between August and November 2009. They included health extension officers, community health workers and nursing officers, some of whom were in charge of the health centres. The health centres were a selection across church based, government and private enterprise health facilities. Qualitative analysis identified the key social factors impacting on health worker motivation and performance to be the local community context, gender roles and family related issues, safety and security and health beliefs and attitudes of patients and community members. Our study identified the importance of strong supportive communities on health worker motivation. These findings have implications for developing sustainable strategies for motivation and performance enhancement of rural health workers in resource poor settings. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Malaria – a major health problem within an oil palm plantation around Popondetta, Papua New Guinea

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King Graham

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background For companies operating in malaria endemic countries, malaria represents a substantial risk to workers and their dependants, and can lead to significantly reduced worker productivity. This study provides an overview of the malaria epidemiology within an oil palm plantation in Popondetta, south-eastern Papua New Guinea, its implication for the company with its employees and their families and the potential for control. Methods In 2006, we carried out a cross-sectional study within six company villages, which included the determination of parasite rates by conventional microscopy, interviews and haemoglobin measurements. Passive surveillance data were collected from the 13 company aid posts for the years 2005 and 2006. Results Malaria prevalence was found to be high: all-age prevalence was 33.5% (95% CI 30.1–37.0 in 723 individuals. Plasmodium falciparum was the dominant species, followed by Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium malariae. Children between five and nine years of age were most affected (40.3%, 95% CI 0.32–0.49. Haemoglobin levels were found to be low; 11.0 g/dl (95% CI 10.8–11.1 for men and 10.4 g/dl (95% CI 10.3–10.5 for women, respectively. Plasmodium falciparum infections were significantly associated with anaemia (Hb Conclusion Malaria was found to be a major health burden in the Higaturu Oil Palm plantation, posing a high risk for company staff and their relatives, including expatriates and other non-immune workers. Reducing the malaria risk is a highly recommended investment for the company.

Traditional Preparations and Methanol Extracts of Medicinal Plants from Papua New Guinea Exhibit Similar Cytochrome P450 Inhibition

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Erica C. Larson

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The hypothesis underlying this current work is that fresh juice expressed from Papua New Guinea (PNG medicinal plants (succus will inhibit human Cytochrome P450s (CYPs. The CYP inhibitory activity identified in fresh material was compared with inhibition in methanol extracts of dried material. Succus is the most common method of traditional medicine (TM preparation for consumption in PNG. There is increasing concern that TMs might antagonize or complicate drug therapy. We have previously shown that methanol extracts of commonly consumed PNG medicinal plants are able to induce and/or inhibit human CYPs in vitro. In this current work plant succus was prepared from fresh plant leaves. Inhibition of three major CYPs was determined using human liver microsomes and enzyme-selective model substrates. Of 15 species tested, succus from 6/15 was found to inhibit CYP1A2, 7/15 inhibited CYP3A4, and 4/15 inhibited CYP2D6. Chi-squared tests determined differences in inhibitory activity between succus and methanol preparations. Over 80% agreement was found. Thus, fresh juice from PNG medicinal plants does exhibit the potential to complicate drug therapy in at risk populations. Further, the general reproducibility of these findings suggests that methanol extraction of dried material is a reasonable surrogate preparation method for fresh plant samples.

Improving paediatric and neonatal care in rural district hospitals in the highlands of Papua New Guinea: a quality improvement approach.

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Sa'avu, Martin; Duke, Trevor; Matai, Sens

2014-05-01

In developing countries such as Papua New Guinea (PNG), district hospitals play a vital role in clinical care, training health-care workers, implementing immunization and other public health programmes and providing necessary data on disease burdens and outcomes. Pneumonia and neonatal conditions are a major cause of child admission and death in hospitals throughout PNG. Oxygen therapy is an essential component of the management of pneumonia and neonatal conditions, but facilities for oxygen and care of the sick newborn are often inadequate, especially in district hospitals. Improving this area may be a vehicle for improving overall quality of care. A qualitative study of five rural district hospitals in the highlands provinces of Papua New Guinea was undertaken. A structured survey instrument was used by a paediatrician and a biomedical technician to assess the quality of paediatric care, the case-mix and outcomes, resources for delivery of good-quality care for children with pneumonia and neonatal illnesses, existing oxygen systems and equipment, drugs and consumables, infection-control facilities and the reliability of the electricity supply to each hospital. A floor plan was drawn up for the installation of the oxygen concentrators and a plan for improving care of sick neonates, and a process of addressing other priorities was begun. In remote parts of PNG, many district hospitals are run by under-resourced non-government organizations. Most hospitals had general wards in which both adults and children were managed together. Paediatric case-loads ranged between 232 and 840 patients per year with overall case-fatality rates (CFR) of 3-6% and up to 15% among sick neonates. Pneumonia accounts for 28-37% of admissions with a CFR of up to 8%. There were no supervisory visits by paediatricians, and little or no continuing professional development of staff. Essential drugs were mostly available, but basic equipment for the care of sick neonates was often absent or

Critical examination of evidence for the nutritional status of children in Papua New Guinea - a systematic review.

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McGlynn, Peter J; Renzaho, Andre μΝ; Pham, Minh D; Toole, Mike; Fisher, Jane; Luchters, Stanley

2018-01-01

Undernutrition remains a significant cause of childhood illness, poor growth, development, and death in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Studies on child nutritional outcomes in PNG vary by design, measurement protocols and quality. We conducted a systematic review to assess the evidence for the prevalence of child undernutrition across different study populations, geographical locations and time periods. Six electronic databases and additional grey literature were searched for articles describing the nutritional status by wasting, stunting and underweight, of PNG children under five years of age, published between 1990 and April 2015. Prevalence data using different scales of measurement and reference populations were standardized according to WHO protocols. The search yielded 566 articles, of which, 31 studies met the inclusion criteria. The prevalence of child undernutrition varied from 1% to 76% for wasting (median 11%), 5% to 92% for stunting (median 51%), and 14% to 59% for underweight (median 32%). Wide variations exist according to the index used for measurement, the population characteristics and the geographical region in which they live. Prevalence estimates increase significantly when data using different scales of measurement and population references are standardized to the WHO protocols. Child undernutrition in PNG is regionally variable due to a complex interplay of poverty, disease, food-security, cultural, environmental and sociopolitical issues requiring a complex mix of solutions by governments, health systems and local communities. Area- specific surveys using multiple measures are necessary to inform local solutions for this important problem.

Molecular diagnosis of suspected tuberculosis from archived smear slides from the Balimo region, Papua New Guinea.

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Guernier, Vanina; Diefenbach-Elstob, Tanya; Pelowa, Daniel; Pollard, Sandra; Burgess, Graham; McBryde, Emma S; Warner, Jeffrey

2018-02-01

Tuberculosis (TB) is a serious health problem in Papua New Guinea (PNG) with an estimated 30000 new cases and 3800 deaths each year. In the Balimo region of the Western Province, diagnosis relies on clinical manifestations and on the microscopic detection of acid-fast bacilli (AFB) in sputum smears, a technique with limited sensitivity. A molecular diagnosis assay targeting DNA extracted from archived sputum smear slides collected from the Balimo region (2012-2014) was conducted, without the need for a viable culture. The presence of Mycobacterium sp on 1162 slides prepared from 345 sputum samples was assessed using a real-time PCR (qPCR) approach. The qPCR technique identified the presence of mycobacteria in 35.4% of the smear slides and 59.7% of the tested sputum samples. Poor agreement was observed between the two diagnosis methods (smear AFB microscopy versus qPCR), with 100 AFB-positive sputum samples compared to 206 qPCR-positive sputum samples overall. Treatment was initiated in 90.2% of the smear-positive cases. Unnecessary treatment of 'false-positive' TB cases (AFB-negative/qPCR-negative) was very low (8.6%) and was even lower when the nine patients diagnosed with extrapulmonary TB were excluded from the analysis. However, the prevalence of false-negatives (AFB-negative/qPCR-positive) was high (28.5%). Undetected smear-negative TB is occurring in the Balimo region of PNG, as well as some unnecessary empirical treatment. Molecular methods of diagnosis could greatly reduce the frequency of inappropriate clinical assessment, as well as providing point-of-care diagnosis. This may provide substantial patient and programmatic benefits, including lowering the economic burden on patients from rural areas seeking medical diagnosis in Balimo. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Spatial patterns of tree species distribution in New Guinea primary and secondary lowland rain forest

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Fibich, P.; Lepš, Jan; Novotný, Vojtěch; Klimeš, Petr; Těšitel, J.; Molem, K.; Damas, K.; Weiblen, G. D.

2016-01-01

Roč. 27, č. 2 (2016), s. 328-339 ISSN 1100-9233 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA14-04258S Grant - others:European Social Fund(CZ) CZ.1.07/2.3.00/20.0064 Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : ISAR * null model * Papua New Guinea Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour Impact factor: 2.924, year: 2016 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jvs.12363/abstract

Monitoring of river water for free cyanide pollution from mining activity in Papua New Guinea and attenuation of cyanide by biochar.

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Sawaraba, Ian; Rao, B K Rajashekhar

2015-01-01

Cyanide (CN) pollution was reported in the downstream areas of Watut and Markham Rivers due to effluent discharges from gold mining and processing activities of Hidden Valley mines in Morobe province of Papua New Guinea. We monitored free cyanide levels in Watut and Markham River waters randomly three times in years for 2 years (2012 and 2013). Besides, a short-term static laboratory study was conducted to evaluate the potential of river sediment to attenuate externally added cyanide, with and without the presence of biochar material. Results indicated that the free cyanide content ranged between 0.17 and 1.32 μg L(-1) in the river waters. The free cyanide content were found to be significantly (p cyanide levels in all four monitoring sites across three sampling intervals were lower than 0.20 mg L(-1) which is the maximum contaminant level (MCL) permitted according to US Environmental Protection Agency. Under laboratory conditions, the biochar-impregnated sediment showed ∼3 times more attenuation capacity for cyanide than non-amended sediment, thus indicating possibility of using biochar to cleanse cyanide from spills or other sources of pollution.

Ancylostoma ceylanicum, novel etiological agent for traveler's diarrhea-report of four Japanese patients who returned from Southeast Asia and Papua New Guinea.

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Yoshikawa, Masahide; Ouji, Yukiteru; Hirai, Nobuyasu; Nakamura-Uchiyama, Fukumi; Yamada, Minoru; Arizono, Naoki; Akamatsu, Naoaki; Yoh, Takaharu; Kaya, Daisuke; Nakatani, Toshiya; Kikuchi, Eiryo; Katanami, Yuichi; Satoh, Kimitoshi; Maki, Ryosuke; Miyazato, Yusuke; Oba, Yuichiro; Kasahara, Kei; Mikasa, Keiichi

2018-01-01

Countries in the Southeast Asia region have a high prevalence of soil-transmitted helminth, such as roundworm, whipworm, and hookworms [ Ancylostoma duodenale , Necator americanus , Ancylostoma ceylanicum ]. Recent molecular-based surveys have revealed that A . ceylanicum , a zoonotic hookworm, is likely the second most prevalent hookworm species infecting humans in that part of the world, while others have noted that this infection is an emerging public health risk not only for indigenous people but also for visitors from other countries. We recently encountered four cases of A . ceylanicum infection in Japanese individuals who returned from Southeast Asia and Papua New Guinea. Case 1 was a 25-year-old male who stayed in a rainforest in Malaysia for 4 weeks, where he developed abdominal pain and diarrhea in the third week. Eleven adult worms (five males, six females) were expelled after treatment with pyrantel pamoate and identified as A . ceylanicum based on morphological characteristics and DNA sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene. Case 2 was a 26-year-old male who spent 2 years as an overseas cooperation volunteer for agriculture in Papua New Guinea. He did not note any symptoms at that time, though eggs were detected in feces samples at a medical check-up examination after returning. Although collection of adult worms was unsuccessful, DNA analysis of the eggs for cox1 and the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS)-1 and ITS-2 genes demonstrated that they were A . ceylanicum. Case 3 was a 47-year-old male who spent 1 month in a rural village in Lao People's Democratic Republic and began suffering from watery diarrhea from the third week. A total of nine adult worms (three males, six females) were collected by endoscopic procedures and following treatment with pyrantel pamoate. Morphological examination and molecular analyses of the cox1 gene showed that they were A . ceylanicum. Case 4 was a 27-year-old male who

The social determinants of tuberculosis treatment adherence in a remote region of Papua New Guinea

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Tanya Diefenbach-Elstob

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Papua New Guinea (PNG is a diverse and culturally-rich country with severe infrastructural and health problems. Tuberculosis (TB is widespread, and the number of cases with drug resistance is rising. Treatment adherence is known to be important for both effective treatment and limiting the emergence of drug resistance. The aim of this study was to construct a matrix of the factors that act as facilitators or barriers to TB treatment adherence in a remote region of PNG. Methods The study was based in the Balimo region of the Western Province. People known to have undergone TB treatment, as well as staff involved in managing people with TB, were asked to participate in an in-depth interview about their experiences. Purposive sampling was used to identify a diverse range of participants, from different geographic locations, social backgrounds, and with successful and unsuccessful treatment outcomes. The interview data was analysed based on grounded theory methodology. Results The study identified a range of factors that influence TB treatment adherence, with these being classified as personal, systems, and sociocultural. These factors are presented along with suggested recommendations for adaptations to DOTS-based treatment in this region. Barriers included the challenges associated with travel to treatment sites, and the difficulties of undertaking treatment alongside the daily need to maintain subsistence food production. However, facilitators were also identified, including the positive influence of religious beliefs, and high confidence in the ability of DOTS-based treatment to cure TB. Conclusions Documenting the wide range of factors that influence treatment adherence in a severely affected remote population will assist in improving TB control. These results provide impetus for further community-based efforts aimed at improving access to TB diagnosis and treatment, and maintaining successful treatment outcomes in the face

Influence of marine sources on 14C ages : isotopic data from Watom Island, Papua New Guinea inhumations and pig teeth in light of new dietary standards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beavan Athfield, N.R.; Green, R.C.; Craig, J.; McFadgen, B.; Bickler, S.

2008-01-01

Gauging the effect of 14 C-depleted marine foods on radiocarbon ages requires an accurate assessment of the likely proportion of marine foods in the diet. Several factors must be considered, including region-specific δ 13 C, δ 15 N and δ 34 S data values (regional stable isotope values can differ from global averages), temporal variations in δ 13 C which offset values in modern dietary standards by up to 1.5 permille, and that modelling which considers only 13 C may overestimate the contribution of various dietary sources. Here, we compare previous calculations by linear interpolation of δ 13 C and a complex computer simulation of marine contribution to the diet of inhumations from the SAC archaeological site Watom Island, Papua New Guinea, with the ISOSOURCE mixing model and a revised database of regional dietary sources and their isotopic values, to estimate marine diet contributions and radiocarbon offsets for burials from the SAC site. Though different estimates of marine contribution to diet do not significantly alter previous calibrations of radiocarbon ages for the inhumations, the new ISOSOURCE calculations challenge the idea of excessive exploitation of marine resources and support evidence for arboriculture and horticulture being a major component in Lapita diet. (author). 87 refs., 3 figs., 8 tabs

Two new species of Eimeria (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from emerald tree skinks, Lamprolepis smaragdina (Sauria: Scincidae) from Papua New Guinea and the Philippines

Science.gov (United States)

McAllister, Chris T.; Seville, R. Scott; Duszynski, Donald W.; Bush, Sarah E.; Fisher, Robert N.; Austin, Christopher C.

2014-01-01

Two new species of Eimeria Schneider, 1875, from emerald tree skinks, Lamprolepis smaragdina (Lesson) are described from specimens collected in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and the Philippines. Oöcysts of Eimeria nuiailan sp. n. from the only L. smaragdina from PNG are ovoidal, with a smooth, colourless, bilayered wall, measure 23.7 × 19.1 μm, and have a length/width (L/W) ratio of 1.3; both micropyle and oöcyst residuum are absent, but a fragmented polar granule is present. Sporocysts are ovoidal to ellipsoidal, 11.9 × 7.0 μm, L/W 1.7, and the wall is composed of 2 valves joined by a longitudinal suture; neither Stieda nor sub-Stieda bodies are present; a sporocyst residuum is present as a compact mass of granules. Sporozoites are elongate, 14.6 × 2.6 μm, and contain anterior and posterior refractile bodies with a nucleus between them. Oöcysts of Eimeria auffenbergi sp. n. from both L. smaragdina we collected in the Philippines are ovoidal, with a smooth, colorless, bilayered wall, measure 19.9 × 15.8 μm, L/W 1.3; both micropyle and oöcyst residuum are absent, but 1–4 polar granules are present. Sporocysts are ovoidal to ellipsoidal, 10.3 × 5.8 μm, L/W 1.8, and the wall is composed of 2 valves joined by a longitudinal suture; neither Stieda nor sub-Stieda bodies are present; a sporocyst residuum is composed of dispersed granules. PMID:24048748

Transgressive women don't deserve protection: young men's narratives of sexual violence against women in rural Papua New Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

Kelly-Hanku, A; Aeno, H; Wilson, L; Eves, R; Mek, A; Nake Trumb, R; Whittaker, M; Fitzgerald, L; Kaldor, J M; Vallely, A

2016-11-01

Sexual violence against women and girls is commonplace in Papua New Guinea (PNG). While the experiences of women are rightly given central place in institutional responses to sexual violence, the men who perpetrate violence are often overlooked, an oversight that undermines the effectiveness of prevention efforts. This paper draws on interviews conducted with young men as part of a qualitative longitudinal study of masculinity and male sexuality in a rural highland area of PNG. It explores one aspect of male sexuality: men's narratives of sexual violence. Most striking from the data is that the collective enactment of sexual violence against women and girls is reported as an everyday and accepted practice amongst young men. However, not all women and girls were described as equally at risk, with those who transgress gender roles and roles inscribed and reinforced by patriarchal structures, at greater risk. To address this situation, efforts to reduce sexual violence against women and girls require an increased focus on male-centred intervention to critically engage with the forms of patriarchal authority that give license to sexual violence. Understanding the perceptions and experiences of men as perpetrators of sexual violence is a critical first step in the process of changing normative perceptions of gender, a task crucial to reducing sexual violence in countries such as PNG.

Risk assessment of the entry of canine-rabies into Papua New Guinea via sea and land routes.

Science.gov (United States)

Brookes, Victoria J; Keponge-Yombo, Andy; Thomson, David; Ward, Michael P

2017-09-15

Canine-rabies is endemic in parts of Indonesia and continues to spread eastwards through the Indonesian archipelago. Papua New Guinea (PNG) has a land border with Papua Province, Indonesia, as well as logging and fishing industry connections throughout Asia. PNG has a Human Development Index of 0.505; therefore, an incursion of canine-rabies could have devastating impacts on human (7.5 million) and animal populations. Given the known difficulties of rabies elimination in resource-scarce environments, an incursion of rabies into PNG would also likely compromise the campaign for global elimination of rabies. A previous qualitative study to determine routes for detailed risk assessment identified logging, fishing and three land-routes (unregulated crossers ["shopper-crossers"], traditional border crossers and illegal hunters) as potential high risk routes for entry of rabies-infected dogs into PNG. The objective of the current study was to quantify and compare the probability of entry of a rabies-infected dog via these routes into PNG and to identify the highest risk provinces and border districts to target rabies prevention and control activities. Online questionnaires were used to elicit expert-opinion about quantitative model parameter values. A quantitative, stochastic model was then used to assess risk, and parameters with the greatest influence on the estimated mean number of rabies-infected dogs introduced/year were identified via global sensitivity analysis (Sobol method). Eight questionnaires - including 7 online - were implemented and >220 empirical distributions were parameterised using >2900 expert-opinions. The highest risk provinces for combined sea routes were West Sepik, Madang and Western Province, driven by the number of vessels and the probability of bringing dogs. The highest risk border districts for combined land routes were Vanimo-Green River and South Fly, driven by the number of people crossing the border and the number of dogs (with hunters

Infection Frequency of Hepatitis C Virus and IL28B Haplotypes in Papua New Guinea, Fiji, and Kiribati

Science.gov (United States)

Harrison, G. L. Abby; Pryor, Jan; Malani, Joji; Supuri, Mathias; Masta, Andrew; Teriboriki, Burentau; Toatu, Tebuka; Penny, David; Allain, Jean-Pierre; Barnes, Eleanor; Pybus, Oliver G.; Klenerman, Paul

2013-01-01

It has been estimated that there are more than 60 million Hepatitis C virus (HCV) carriers in the World Health Organisation's Western Pacific region (WHO-WPR), where liver cancer is among the top three causes of cancer death. WHO and the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention report the prevalence of HCV in the South Pacific islands (countries within the WHO-WPR) to be high (5–10% and >2% respectively). However, since HCV is not tested for in many of these countries, there is sparse data available to support this assertion. We screened ∼2000 apparently healthy individuals from Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Kiribati and found a sero-prevalence of 2.0%, 0.1% and 0%, respectively. All sero-positive samples tested negative for HCV RNA. Curious as to why all the sero-positive individuals were negative for HCV-RNA, we also screened them for the HCV protective IL28B SNP markers rs12979860 and rs8099917. All antibody-positive participants bar one had HCV protective haplotypes. Our results suggest that HCV is present in these Pacific island countries, albeit at a prevalence lower than previous estimates. As none of our participants had undergone antiviral treatment, and therefore must have cleared infection naturally, we hypothesise that genotypes 1 and/or 4 are circulating in South Pacific Island people and that these peoples are genetically predisposed to be more likely to spontaneous resolve HCV infection than to become chronic carriers. PMID:23976941

Pastoral power in HIV prevention: Converging rationalities of care in Christian and medical practices in Papua New Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

Shih, P; Worth, H; Travaglia, J; Kelly-Hanku, A

2017-11-01

In his conceptualisation of pastoral power, Michel Foucault argues that modern healthcare practices derive a specific power technique from pastors of the early Christian church. As experts in a position of authority, pastors practise the care of others through implicitly guiding them towards thoughts and actions that effect self-care, and towards a predefined realm of acceptable conduct, thus having a regulatory effect. This qualitative study of healthcare workers from two Christian faith-based organisations in Papua New Guinea examines the pastoral rationalities of HIV prevention practices which draw together globally circulated modern medical knowledge and Christian teachings in sexual morality for implicit social regulation. Community-based HIV awareness education, voluntary counselling and testing services, mobile outreach, and economic empowerment programs are standardised by promoting behavioural choice and individual responsibility for health. Through pastoral rationalities of care, healthcare practices become part of the social production of negative differences, and condemn those who become ill due to perceived immorality. This emphasis assumes that all individuals are equal in their ability to make behavioural choices, and downplays social inequality and structural drivers of HIV risk that are outside individual control. Given healthcare workers' recognition of the structural drivers of HIV, yet the lack of language and practical strategies to address these issues, political commitment is needed to enhance structural competency among HIV prevention programs and healthcare workers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mainstreaming gender and promoting intersectionality in Papua New Guinea's health policy: a triangulated analysis applying data-mining and content analytic techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Lamprell, G; Braithwaite, J

2017-04-20

Gender mainstreaming is an approach to policy and planning that emphasizes equality between the sexes. It is the stated policy for gender equity in Papua New Guinea's (PNG) health sector, as well as all other sectors, and is enshrined in the policies of its biggest aid givers. However, there is criticism that gender mainstreaming's application has too often been technocratic and lacking in conceptual clarity not only in PNG but elsewhere. In the health sector this is further exacerbated by a traditional bio-medical approach, which is often paternalistic and insufficiently patient- and family-centered. This study analyses the policy attitudes toward gender in PNG's health sector using both data-mining and a traditional, summative content analysis. Our results show that gender is rarely mentioned. When it is, it is most often mentioned in relation to programs such as maternity and childcare for women, and elsewhere is applied technocratically. For PNG to promote greater levels of equity, the focus should first be on conceptualizing gender in a way that is meaningful for Papuans, taking into account the diversity of experiences and setting. Second, there should be greater focus on activists and civil society groups as the stakeholders most likely to make a difference in gender equity.

Contrasts in Sediment Delivery and Dispersal from River Mouth to Accumulation Zones in High Sediment Load Systems: Fly River, Papua New Guinea and Waipaoa River, New Zealand

Science.gov (United States)

Ogston, A. S.; Walsh, J. P.; Hale, R. P.

2011-12-01

The relationships between sediment-transport processes, short-term sedimentary deposition, subsequent burial, and long-term accumulation are critical to understanding the morphological development of the continental margin. This study focuses on processes involved in formation and evolution of the clinoform in the Gulf of Papua, Papua New Guinea in which much of the riverine sediment accumulates, and comparison to those processes active off the Waipaoa River, New Zealand that form mid-shelf deposits and export sediment to the slope. In tidally dominated deltas, sediment discharged from the river sources must transit through an estuarine region located within the distributary channels, where particle pathways can undergo significant transformations. Within the distributaries of the Fly River tidally dominated delta, near-bed fluid-mud concentrations were observed at the estuarine turbidity maximum and sediment delivery to the nearshore was controlled by the morphology and gradient of the distributary. El Niño results in anonymously low flow and sediment discharge conditions, which limits transport of sediment from the distributaries to the nearshore zone of temporary storage. Because the sediment stored nearshore feeds the prograding clinoform, this perturbation propagates throughout the dispersal system. In wave-dominated regions, transport mechanisms actively move sediment away from the river source, separating the site of deposition and accumulation from the river mouth. River-flood and storm-wave events each create discrete deposits on the Waipaoa River shelf and data has been collected to determine their form, distribution, and relationship to factors such as flood magnitude or wave energy. In this case, transport pathways appear to be influenced by structurally controlled shelf bathymetry. In both cases, the combined fluvial and marine processes can initiate and maintain gravity-driven density flows, and although their triggers and controls differ vastly

Papua New Guinea vision-specific quality of life questionnaire: a new patient-reported outcome instrument to assess the impact of impaired vision.

Science.gov (United States)

Paudel, Prakash; Khadka, Jyoti; Burnett, Anthea; Hani, Yvonne; Naduvilath, Thomas; Fricke, Tim R

2015-04-01

The aim of this study was to develop and validate a new vision-specific quality of life (VS QoL) instrument and to assess the impact of vision impairment and eye disease on the quality of life of adults in Papua New Guinea (PNG). This study was designed as community based cross-sectional. Six hundred fourteen adults aged 18 and above were included in this study. Focus groups and interviews guided development of a 41-item instrument. Two valid subscales of the instrument were obtained using pilot data after an iterative item reduction process guided by Rasch-based parameters. The person measures (in logits) of 614 participants were used to assess quality of life using univariate and multivariate regression analysis. Rasch logits. Rasch analysis confirmed a 17-item instrument containing an 8-item activity limitation subscale and a 9-item well-being subscale. Both subscales were unidimensional and demonstrated good fit statistics, measurement precisions and absence of significant differential item functioning. A consistent deterioration in vision-specific quality of life was independently and significantly associated with levels of vision. Severity of vision impairment and ocular morbidity were independently associated with activity limitation and emotional well-being. Participants with refractive error had lower quality of life score than those with no ocular abnormality but higher score than those with cataract and other eye diseases. The 17-item PNG-VS QoL instrument is a valid and reliable instrument for the assessment of impact of impaired vision on quality of life in PNG. Vision-specific quality of life was significantly worse among participants who were older and less-educated, had lower income and have had ocular morbidities. © 2014 Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists.

Prevalence of malaria across Papua New Guinea after initial roll-out of insecticide-treated mosquito nets.

Science.gov (United States)

Hetzel, Manuel W; Morris, Hector; Tarongka, Nandao; Barnadas, Céline; Pulford, Justin; Makita, Leo; Siba, Peter M; Mueller, Ivo

2015-12-01

To assess the population prevalence of malaria in villages across Papua New Guinea (PNG) following the first roll-out of free long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLIN). Between October 2008 and August 2009, a household survey was conducted in 49 random villages in districts covered by the LLIN distribution campaign. The survey extended to 19 villages in sentinel sites that had not yet been covered by the campaign. In each village, 30 households were randomly sampled, household heads were interviewed and capillary blood samples were collected from all consenting household members for microscopic diagnosis of malaria. Malaria prevalence ranged from 0% to 49.7% with a weighted average of 12.1% (95% CI 9.5, 15.3) in the national sample. More people were infected with Plasmodium falciparum (7.0%; 95% CI 5.4, 9.1) than with P. vivax (3.8%; 95% CI 2.4, 5.7) or P. malariae (0.3%; 95% CI 0.1, 0.6). Parasitaemia was strongly age-dependent with a P. falciparum peak at age 5-9 years and a P. vivax peak at age 1-4 years, yet with differences between geographical regions. Individual LLIN use and high community coverage were associated with reduced odds of infection (OR = 0.64 and 0.07, respectively; both P < 0.001). Splenomegaly in children and anaemia were common morbidities attributable to malaria. Malaria prevalence across PNG is again at levels comparable to the 1970s. The strong association of LLIN use with reduced parasitaemia supports efforts to achieve and maintain high country-wide coverage. P. vivax infections will require special targeted approaches across PNG. © 2015 The Authors. Tropical Medicine & International Health Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Prevalence of Sexually Transmitted Infections in Papua New Guinea: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Vallely, Andrew; Page, Andrew; Dias, Shannon; Siba, Peter; Lupiwa, Tony; Law, Greg; Millan, John; Wilson, David P.; Murray, John M.; Toole, Michael; Kaldor, John M.

2010-01-01

Background The potential for an expanded HIV epidemic in Papua New Guinea (PNG) demands an effective, evidence-based and locally-appropriate national response. As sexually transmitted infections (STIs) may be important co-factors in HIV transmission nationally, it is timely to conduct a systematic review of STI prevalences to inform national policy on sexual health and HIV/STI prevention. Methodology/Principal Findings We undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis of HIV and STI prevalences in PNG, reported in peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed publications for the period 1950–2010. Prevalence estimates were stratified by study site (community or clinic-based), geographic area and socio-demographic characteristics. The search strategy identified 105 reports, of which 25 studies (10 community-based; 10 clinic-based; and 5 among self-identified female sex workers) reported STI prevalences and were included in the systematic review. High prevalences of chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis and trichomonas were reported in all settings, particularly among female sex workers, where pooled estimates of 26.1%, 33.6%, 33.1% and 39.3% respectively were observed. Pooled HIV prevalence in community-based studies was 1.8% (95% CI:1.2–2.4) in men; 2.6% (95% CI:1.7–3.5) in women; and 11.8% (95% CI:5.8–17.7) among female sex workers. Conclusions/Significance The epidemiology of STIs and HIV in PNG shows considerable heterogeneity by geographical setting and sexual risk group. Prevalences from community-based studies in PNG were higher than in many other countries in the Asia-Pacific. A renewed focus on national STI/HIV surveillance priorities and systems for routine and periodic data collection will be essential to building effective culturally-relevant behavioural and biomedical STI/HIV prevention programs in PNG. PMID:21203468

Hospital Admission following Induced Abortion in Eastern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea – A Descriptive Study

Science.gov (United States)

Vallely, Lisa M.; Homiehombo, Primrose; Kelly-Hanku, Angela; Kumbia, Antonia; Mola, Glen D. L.; Whittaker, Andrea

2014-01-01

Background In Papua New Guinea abortion is restricted under the Criminal Code Act. While safe abortions should available in certain situations, frequently they are not available to the majority of women. Sepsis from unsafe abortion is a leading cause of maternal mortality. Our findings form part of a wider, mixed methods study designed to identify complications requiring hospital treatment for post abortion care and to explore the circumstances surrounding unsafe abortion. Methods Through a six month prospective study we identified all women presenting to the Eastern Highlands Provincial Hospital following spontaneous and induced abortions. We undertook semi-structured interviews with women and reviewed individual case notes, extracting demographic and clinical information. Findings Case notes were reviewed for 56% (67/119) of women presenting for post abortion care. At least 24% (28/119) of these admissions were due to induced abortion. Women presenting following induced abortions were significantly more likely to be younger, single, in education at the time of the abortion and report that the baby was unplanned and unwanted, compared to those reporting spontaneous abortion. Obtained illegally, misoprostol was the method most frequently used to end the pregnancy. Physical and mechanical means and traditional herbs were also widely reported. Conclusion In a country with a low contraceptive prevalence rate and high unmet need for family planning, all reproductive age women need access to contraceptive information and services to avoid, postpone or space pregnancies. In the absence of this, women are resorting to unsafe means to end an unwanted pregnancy, putting their lives at risk and putting an increased strain on an already struggling health system. Women in this setting need access to safe, effective means of abortion. PMID:25329982

Artesunate Suppositories versus Intramuscular Artemether for Treatment of Severe Malaria in Children in Papua New Guinea

Science.gov (United States)

Karunajeewa, Harin A.; Reeder, John; Lorry, Kerry; Dabod, Elizah; Hamzah, Juliana; Page-Sharp, Madhu; Chiswell, Gregory M.; Ilett, Kenneth F.; Davis, Timothy M. E.

2006-01-01

Drug treatment of severe malaria must be rapidly effective. Suppositories may be valuable for childhood malaria when circumstances prevent oral or parenteral therapy. We compared artesunate suppositories (n = 41; 8 to 16 mg/kg of body weight at 0 and 12 h and then daily) with intramuscular (i.m.) artemether (n = 38; 3.2 mg/kg at 0 h and then 1.6 mg/kg daily) in an open-label, randomized trial with children with severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Parasite density and temperature were measured every 6 h for ≥72 h. Primary endpoints included times to 50% and 90% parasite clearance (PCT50 and PCT90) and the time to per os status. In a subset of 29 patients, plasma levels of artemether, artesunate, and their common active metabolite dihydroartemisinin were measured during the first 12 h. One suppository-treated patient with multiple complications died within 2 h of admission, but the remaining 78 recovered uneventfully. Compared to the artemether-treated children, those receiving artesunate suppositories had a significantly earlier mean PCT50 (9.1 versus 13.8 h; P = 0.008) and PCT90 (15.6 versus 20.4 h; P = 0.011). Mean time to per os status was similar for each group. Plasma concentrations of primary drug plus active metabolite were significantly higher in the artesunate suppository group at 2 h postdose. The earlier initial fall in parasitemia with artesunate is clinically advantageous and mirrors higher initial plasma concentrations of active drug/metabolite. In severely ill children with malaria in PNG, artesunate suppositories were at least as effective as i.m. artemether and may, therefore, be useful in settings where parenteral therapy cannot be given. PMID:16495259

Artesunate suppositories versus intramuscular artemether for treatment of severe malaria in children in Papua New Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

Karunajeewa, Harin A; Reeder, John; Lorry, Kerry; Dabod, Elizah; Hamzah, Juliana; Page-Sharp, Madhu; Chiswell, Gregory M; Ilett, Kenneth F; Davis, Timothy M E

2006-03-01

Drug treatment of severe malaria must be rapidly effective. Suppositories may be valuable for childhood malaria when circumstances prevent oral or parenteral therapy. We compared artesunate suppositories (n = 41; 8 to 16 mg/kg of body weight at 0 and 12 h and then daily) with intramuscular (i.m.) artemether (n = 38; 3.2 mg/kg at 0 h and then 1.6 mg/kg daily) in an open-label, randomized trial with children with severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Parasite density and temperature were measured every 6 h for > or = 72 h. Primary endpoints included times to 50% and 90% parasite clearance (PCT50 and PCT90) and the time to per os status. In a subset of 29 patients, plasma levels of artemether, artesunate, and their common active metabolite dihydroartemisinin were measured during the first 12 h. One suppository-treated patient with multiple complications died within 2 h of admission, but the remaining 78 recovered uneventfully. Compared to the artemether-treated children, those receiving artesunate suppositories had a significantly earlier mean PCT50 (9.1 versus 13.8 h; P = 0.008) and PCT90 (15.6 versus 20.4 h; P = 0.011). Mean time to per os status was similar for each group. Plasma concentrations of primary drug plus active metabolite were significantly higher in the artesunate suppository group at 2 h postdose. The earlier initial fall in parasitemia with artesunate is clinically advantageous and mirrors higher initial plasma concentrations of active drug/metabolite. In severely ill children with malaria in PNG, artesunate suppositories were at least as effective as i.m. artemether and may, therefore, be useful in settings where parenteral therapy cannot be given.

Programmes for the prevention of parent-to-child transmission of HIV in Papua New Guinea: Health system challenges and opportunities.

Science.gov (United States)

Tynan, Anna; Vallely, Lisa; Kupul, Martha; Neo, Ruthy; Fiya, Voletta; Worth, Heather; Kariwiga, Grace; Mola, Glen D L; Kaldor, John; Kelly-Hanku, Angela

2018-01-01

Prevention of parent-to-child transmission (PPTCT) of HIV is a highly complex package of interventions, which spans services in both maternal and child health programmes. In Papua New Guinea (PNG), a commitment to ensure that all pregnant women and their partners have access to the full range of PPTCT interventions exists; however, efforts to increase access and utilisation of PPTCT remain far from optimal. The aim of this paper is to examine health care worker (HCW) perception of health system factors impacting on the performance of PPTCT programmes. Sixteen interviews were undertaken with HCWs involved in the PPTCT programme. Application of the WHO 6 building blocks of a health system was applied, and further thematic analysis was conducted on the data with assistance from the analysis software NVivo. Broken equipment, problems with access to medication and supplies, and poorly supported workforce were reported as barriers for implementing a successful PPTCT programme. The absence of central coordination of this complex, multistaged programme was also recognised as a key issue. The study findings highlight an important need for investment in appropriately trained and supported HCWs and integration of services at each stage of the PPTCT programme. Lessons from the PPTCT experience in PNG may inform policy discussions and considerations in other similar contexts. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Stable isotope and sea-level data from New Guinea supports Antarctic ice-surge theory of ice ages

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aharon, P.; Chappell, J.; Compston, W.

1980-01-01

Two theories of glaciation which have received considerable attention, the Milankovitch orbital theory and the Antarctic surge hypothesis, are discussed. Oxygen-18 and sea-level data obtained from the coral reefs of Huon Peninsula, Papua New Guinea which contain a particularly good record of the interval 140-105 kyr, are presented. These seem to require an Antarctic surge at 120 kyr and also have a bearing on the role of the Milankovitch factor. (UK)

Stable isotope and sea-level data from New Guinea supports Antarctic ice-surge theory of ice ages

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aharon, P; Chappell, J; Compston, W [Australian National Univ., Canberra. Inst. of Advanced Studies

1980-02-14

Two theories of glaciation which have received considerable attention, the Milankovitch orbital theory and the Antarctic surge hypothesis, are discussed. Oxygen-18 and sea-level data obtained from the coral reefs of Huon Peninsula, Papua New Guinea which contain a particularly good record of the interval 140-105 kyr, are presented. These seem to require an Antarctic surge at 120 kyr and also have a bearing on the role of the Milankovitch factor.

Perceptions of Eye Health and Eye Health Services among Adults Attending Outreach Eye Care Clinics in Papua New Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

Burnett, Anthea; Yu, Mitasha; Paudel, Prakash; Naduvilath, Thomas; Fricke, Tim R; Hani, Yvonne; Garap, Jambi

2015-01-01

To determine how people attending outreach eye care clinics in Papua New Guinea (PNG) perceive eye health and eye health services. An interview-based questionnaire was administrated to a convenience sample of 614 adult participants across four provinces and perceptions of eye health and eye health services were recorded. Presenting and near visual acuity were measured and cause of visual impairment (VI) determined. In this sample, 113/614 participants (18.4%) presented with distance VI, 16 (2.6%) with distance blindness, and 221 (47.6%) with near VI. Older participants and those with near VI were more likely to indicate that it is hard to have an eye examination due to travel time, lack of transport and transport costs. Female participants and those from underserved areas were more likely to report shame and fear of jealousy from others when asked about their attitudes towards spectacles. Participants reporting that they were willing to pay higher amounts for testing and spectacles/treatment also reported higher education levels, higher household incomes and were more likely to be male. A quarter of participants (25.9%) indicated that they did not like having an eye examination because their reading and writing was poor. People attending outreach eye care clinics in PNG reported finding it difficult to attend eye health services due to transport difficulties and anticipated high costs. Negative attitudes towards spectacles were also prevalent, and negative perceptions appeared more frequently among older participants and those with less education.

HIV knowledge, risk perception, and safer sex practices among female sex workers in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

Science.gov (United States)

Bruce, Eunice; Bauai, Ludwina; Sapuri, Mathias; Kaldor, John M; Fairley, Christopher K; Keogh, Louise A

2011-01-01

Sex workers are considered a high-risk group for sexually transmitted infections, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and are often targeted by prevention interventions with safer sex messages. The purpose of this study was to explore the extent to which knowledge of HIV and perception of risk influence safer sex practices among female sex workers (FSWs) in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. FSWs (n = 174) were recruited from 19 sites to participate in the study. Qualitative data were collected using semistructured interviews with FSWs (n = 142) through focus group discussions and (n = 32) individual interviews. In addition, quantitative data were collected from all FSWs using a short structured, demographic questionnaire. Data were analyzed using recurring themes and calculations of confidence intervals. Despite some common misperceptions, overall, most FSWs were basically aware of the risks of HIV and informed about transmission and prevention modalities but used condoms inconsistently. Most reported using condoms ‘sometimes’, almost one-sixth ‘never’ used condoms, only a fraction used condoms ‘always’ with clients, and none used condoms ‘always’ with regular sexual partners (RSPs). Among these FSWs, being knowledgeable about the risks, transmission, and prevention of HIV did not translate into safe sex. The findings suggest that certain contextual barriers to safer sex practices exist. These barriers could heighten HIV vulnerability and possibly may be responsible for infection in FSWs. Specific interventions that focus on improving condom self-efficacy in FSWs and simultaneously target clients and RSPs with safer sex messages are recommended. PMID:21445375

Using short-message-service notification as a method to improve acute flaccid paralysis surveillance in Papua New Guinea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Siddhartha Sankar Datta

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background High quality acute flaccid paralysis (AFP surveillance is required to maintain polio-free status of a country. Papua New Guinea (PNG is considered as one of the highest risk countries for polio re-importation and circulation in the Western Pacific Region (WPRO of the World Health Organization due to poor healthcare infrastructure and inadequate performance in AFP surveillance. The Government of PNG, in collaboration with WHO, piloted the introduction of short-message-service (SMS to sensitize pediatricians and provincial disease control officers on AFP and to receive notification of possible AFP cases to improve surveillance quality in PNG. Methods Ninety six health care professionals were registered to receive SMS reminders to report any case of acute flaccid paralysis. Fourteen SMS messages were sent to each participant from September 2012 to November 2013. The number of reported AFP cases were compared before and after the introduction of SMS. Results Two hundred fifty three unique responses were received with an overall response rate of 21 %. More than 80 % of responses were reported within 3 days of sending the SMS. The number of reported AFP cases increased from 10 cases per year in 2009–2012 to 25 cases per year during the study period and correlated with provincial participation of the health care professionals. Conclusions Combined with improved sensitization of health care professionals on AFP reporting criteria and sample collection, SMS messaging provides an effective means to increase timely reporting and improve the availability of epidemiologic information on polio surveillance in PNG.

Impact of male circumcision on the HIV epidemic in Papua New Guinea: a country with extensive foreskin cutting practices.

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Richard T Gray

Full Text Available The degree to which adult medical male circumcision (MC programs can reduce new HIV infections in a moderate HIV prevalence country like Papua New Guinea (PNG are uncertain especially given the widespread prevalence of longitudinal foreskin cuts among adult males. We estimated the likely impact of a medical MC intervention in PNG using a mathematical model of HIV transmission. The model was age-structured and incorporated separate components for sex, rural/urban, men who have sex with men and female sex workers. Country-specific data of the prevalence of foreskin cuts, sexually transmitted infections, condom usage, and the acceptability of MC were obtained by our group through related studies. If longitudinal foreskin cutting has a protective efficacy of 20% compared to 60% for MC, then providing MC to 20% of uncut males from 2012 would require 376,000 procedures, avert 7,900 HIV infections by 2032, and require 143 MC per averted infection. Targeting uncut urban youths would achieve the most cost effective returns of 54 MC per HIV infection averted. These numbers of MC required to avert an HIV infection change little even with coverage up to 80% of men. The greater the protective efficacy of longitudinal foreskin cuts against HIV acquisition, the less impact MC interventions will have. Dependent on this efficacy, increasing condom use could have a much greater impact with a 10 percentage point increase averting 18,400 infections over this same period. MC programs could be effective in reducing HIV infections in PNG, particularly in high prevalence populations. However the overall impact is highly dependent on the protective efficacy of existing longitudinal foreskin cutting in preventing HIV.

Single-Dose Azithromycin for the Treatment of Haemophilus ducreyi Skin Ulcers in Papua New Guinea.

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González-Beiras, Camila; Kapa, August; Vall-Mayans, Marti; Paru, Raymond; Gavilán, Sergi; Houinei, Wendy; Bieb, Sibauk; Sanz, Sergi; Martins, Rosario; Mitjà, Oriol

2017-11-29

Haemophilus ducreyi (HD) and Treponema pallidum subspecies pertenue (TP) are major causative agents of cutaneous ulcer (CU) in the tropics. Azithromycin is recommended to treat sexually transmitted HD infections and has good in vitro activity against HD strains from both genital and skin ulcers. We investigated the efficacy of oral single-dose azithromycin on HD-CU. We conducted a community-based cohort study in Lihir Island, Papua New Guinea, from October 2014 through May 2016. Consenting patients with skin ulcers >1 cm in diameter were eligible for this study and had collected a lesional swab for polymerase chain reaction (PCR). All participants were treated with single-dose azithromycin (30 mg/kg) and were followed up for assessment of clinical resolution. We retrospectively classified patients according to PCR results into HD, TP, and PCR-negative groups. The primary endpoint was healing rates of HD-CU at 14 days after treatment. We obtained full outcome data from 246 patients; 131 (53.3%) were HD PCR positive, 37 (15.0%) were TP positive, and 78 (31.7%) were negative for all tests. Healing rates were 88.5% (95% confidence interval [CI], .82-.93) in the HD group, 78.4% [95% CI, .63-.89] in the TP group, and 74.4% (95% CI, .64-.83) in the PCR-negative group. If we included the participants with improved ulcers, the healing rates increased to 94.7%, 97.3%, and 89.7% respectively. HD cases classified as not healed all converted to HD-negative PCR. Based upon clinical resolution and PCR conversion to HD negative, a single oral dose of azithromycin is efficacious for the treatment of HD-CU. These results have implications for the treatment of individual patients and for the use of antibiotics in public health strategies to control CU in the tropics. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Microbial and metal water quality in rain catchments compared with traditional drinking water sources in the East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea.

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Horak, Helena M; Chynoweth, Joshua S; Myers, Ward P; Davis, Jennifer; Fendorf, Scott; Boehm, Alexandria B

2010-03-01

In Papua New Guinea, a significant portion of morbidity and mortality is attributed to water-borne diseases. To reduce incidence of disease, communities and non-governmental organizations have installed rain catchments to provide drinking water of improved quality. However, little work has been done to determine whether these rain catchments provide drinking water of better quality than traditional drinking water sources, and if morbidity is decreased in villages with rain catchments. The specific aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of water produced by rain catchments in comparison with traditional drinking water sources in rural villages in the East Sepik Province. Fifty-four water sources in 22 villages were evaluated for enterococci and Escherichia coli densities as well as 14 health-relevant metals. In addition, we examined how the prevalence of diarrhoeal illness in villages relates to the type of primary drinking water source. The majority of tested metals were below World Health Organization safety limits. Catchment water sources had lower enterococci and E. coli than other water sources. Individuals in villages using Sepik River water as their primary water source had significantly higher incidence of diarrhoea than those primarily using other water sources (streams, dug wells and catchments).

Building social currency with foreskin cuts: a coping mechanism of Papua New Guinea health workers and the implications for new programmes.

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Tynan, Anna; Vallely, Andrew; Kelly, Angela; Kupul, Martha; Naketrumb, Richard; Aeno, Herick; Siba, Peter; Kaldor, John M; Hill, Peter S

2014-10-01

Recent research as part of a multi-disciplinary investigation on the acceptability and impact of male circumcision for HIV prevention in Papua New Guinea (PNG) has shown that health workers (HWs) undertake unauthorized forms of penile cutting practices in public health facilities or in community settings, at times within a traditional context. Participation in these activities shares common features with coping mechanisms, strategies used by HWs to alleviate the burden of unsatisfactory living and working conditions. Coping mechanisms, however, are typically described as motivated by economic advantage, but in PNG evidence exists that the behaviours of HWs are also influenced by opportunities for social capital. Twenty-five in-depth interviews (IDIs) were completed with a variety of HWs from 2009 until 2011 and were triangulated with findings from 45 focus group discussions and 82 IDIs completed with community members as part of a wider qualitative study. Thematic analysis examined HW participation in unauthorized penile cutting services. The emergence of unauthorized practices as a coping mechanism in PNG is compelled by mutual obligations and social capital arising from community recognition and satisfaction of moral, professional and cultural obligations. Using the example of unauthorized penile cutting practices amongst HWs in PNG, the research shows that although economic gains are not explicitly derived, evidence exists that they meet other community and socio cultural responsibilities forming a social currency within local traditional economies. Coping mechanisms create an opportunity to extend the boundaries of a health system at the discretion of the HW. Fragile health systems create opportunities for coping mechanisms to become institutionalized, pre-empting appropriate policy development or regulation in the introduction of new programmes. In order to ensure the success of new programmes, the existence of such practices and their potential implications

Feasibility and acceptability of clean birth kits containing misoprostol for self-administration to prevent postpartum hemorrhage in rural Papua New Guinea.

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Vallely, Lisa M; Homiehombo, Primrose; Walep, Elizabeth; Moses, Michael; Tom, Marynne; Kelly-Hanku, Angela; Vallely, Andrew; Nataraye, Eluo; Ninnes, Caroline; Mola, Glen D; Morgan, Chris; Kaldor, John M; Wand, Handan; Whittaker, Andrea; Homer, Caroline S E

2016-06-01

To determine the feasibility and acceptability of providing clean birth kits (CBKs) containing misoprostol for self-administration in a rural setting in Papua New Guinea. A prospective intervention study was conducted between April 8, 2013, and October 24, 2014. Eligible participants were women in the third trimester of pregnancy who attended a prenatal clinic in Unggai Bena. Participants received individual instruction and were then given a CBK containing 600μg misoprostol tablets for self-administration following an unsupervised birth if they could demonstrate their understanding of correct use of items in the CBK. Data regarding the use and acceptability of the CBK and misoprostol were collected during postpartum follow-up. Among 200 participants, 106 (53.0%) had an unsupervised birth, and 99 (93.4%) of these women used the CBK. All would use the CBK again and would recommend it to others. Among these 99 women, misoprostol was self-administered by 98 (99.0%), all of whom would take the drug again and would recommend it to others. The findings strengthen the case for community-based use of misoprostol to prevent postpartum hemorrhage in remote communities. Large-scale interventions should be planned to further evaluate impact and acceptability. Copyright © 2016 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Public-private partnerships in the response to HIV: experience from the resource industry in Papua New Guinea.

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Miles, K; Conlon, M; Stinshoff, J; Hutton, R

2014-01-01

Although Papua New Guinea (PNG) has made some progress in social development over the past 30 years, the country's Human Development Index has slowed in recent years, placing it below the regional average. In 2012, the estimated HIV prevalence for adults aged 15-49 years was 0.5% and an estimated 25,000 people were living with HIV. Although reduced from previous estimates, the country's HIV prevalence remains the highest in the South Pacific region. While the faith-based and non-governmental sectors have engaged in HIV interventions since the epidemic began, until recently the corporate sector has remained on the margins of the national response. In 2008, the country's largest oil and gas producer began partnering with national and provincial health authorities, development partners and global financing institutions to contribute to the national HIV strategy and implementation plan. This article provides an overview of public-private partnerships (PPPs) and their application to public health program management, and then describes the PPP that was developed in PNG. Innovative national and local PPPs have become a core component of healthcare strategy in many countries. PPPs have many forms and their use in low- and middle-income countries has progressively demonstrated increased service outputs and health outcomes beyond what the public sector alone could achieve. A PPP in PNG has resulted in an oil and gas producer engaging in the response to HIV, including managing the country's US$46 million HIV grant from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Given the increasing expectations of the international community in relation to corporate responsibility and sustainability, the role of the corporate sector in countries like PNG is critical. Combining philanthropic investment with business strategy, expertise and organisational resource can contribute to enhancing health system structures and capacity.

The Papua New Guinea medical supply system - documenting opportunities and challenges to meet the Millennium Development Goals.

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Brown, Andrew N; Gilbert, Ben

2014-01-01

Limited human resources are widely recognised as an impediment to achieving the health-related Millennium Development Goals in Pacific Island Countries, with the availability of medical supplies and suitably trained health personnel crucial to ensuring a well-functioning medical supply chain. This paper presents our findings as we seek to answer the research question 'What factors influence the availability of medical supplies within the health facilities of Papua New Guinea?' We used a qualitative, triangulated strategy using semi-structured interviews, workplace observation and semi-structured focus groups. The parallel use of the interview tool and workplace observation tool allowed identification of 'know-do' gaps between what the interviewee said they did in their work practices, and the actual evidence of these practices. Focus groups provided further opportunities for raising and elaborating issues. During 2 weeks of data collection we conducted 17 interviews and 15 observational workplace surveys in 15 facilities. Sixteen health personnel participated in 3 focus groups across 2 provinces and one district. An array of medical supply issues across all levels of the medical supply chain were revealed, including standard operating procedures, facilities, transport, emergency medical kits, the cold chain and record keeping. The influence of health worker training and competency was found to be common across all of these issues. The factors influencing the availability of medical supplies in PNG consist of a range of interrelating issues, consisting of both simple and complex problems involving the different levels and cadres of workers within the medical supply chain. Health systems sustainability theory suggests that a coordinated approach which addresses the inter-related nature of these issues, led by the PNG government and supported by suitable development partners, will be required for sustainable health systems change to occur. These changes are necessary

Perceptions of incentives offered in a community-based malaria diagnosis and treatment program in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea.

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Burkot, Camilla; Naidi, Laura; Seehofer, Liesel; Miles, Kevin

2017-10-01

What motivates community-based health workers to provide care in rural and remote areas, often on a voluntary or casual basis, is a key question for program managers and public health officials. This paper examines how a range of incentives offered as part of the Marasin Stoa Kipa program, a community-based malaria diagnosis and treatment program that has been implemented since 2007 within a major oil and gas development area in Papua New Guinea, are perceived and critiqued by community-based health workers. Nineteen interviews and seven focus group discussions with the workers who deliver services and members of the communities served by the program, conducted between November 4 and 25, 2015, reveal a pattern of mixed motivations and changes in motivation over time. This can be attributed partly to the unique social and economic circumstances in which the program is operating. Changes in the burden of disease as well as in global and national health services policy with implications for local level program operations also had an impact, as did the nature of relationships between program managers, community-based health workers, and program beneficiaries. Overall, the findings suggest that while financial and in-kind incentives can be a useful tool to motivate voluntary or minimally-compensated community-based health workers, they must be carefully structured to align with local social, economic, and epidemiological realities over the long-term. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sustained Malaria Control Over an 8-Year Period in Papua New Guinea: The Challenge of Low-Density Asymptomatic Plasmodium Infections.

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Koepfli, Cristian; Ome-Kaius, Maria; Jally, Shadrach; Malau, Elisheba; Maripal, Samuel; Ginny, Jason; Timinao, Lincoln; Kattenberg, Johanna Helena; Obadia, Thomas; White, Michael; Rarau, Patricia; Senn, Nicolas; Barry, Alyssa E; Kazura, James W; Mueller, Ivo; Robinson, Leanne J

2017-12-12

The scale-up of effective malaria control in the last decade has resulted in a substantial decline in the incidence of clinical malaria in many countries. The effects on the proportions of asymptomatic and submicroscopic infections and on transmission potential are yet poorly understood. In Papua New Guinea, vector control has been intensified since 2008, and improved diagnosis and treatment was introduced in 2012. Cross-sectional surveys were conducted in Madang Province in 2006 (with 1280 survey participants), 2010 (with 2117 participants), and 2014 (with 2516 participants). Infections were quantified by highly sensitive quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis, and gametocytes were quantified by reverse-transcription qPCR analysis. Plasmodium falciparum prevalence determined by qPCR decreased from 42% in 2006 to 9% in 2014. The P. vivax prevalence decreased from 42% in 2006 to 13% in 2010 but then increased to 20% in 2014. Parasite densities decreased 5-fold from 2006 to 2010; 72% of P. falciparum and 87% of P. vivax infections were submicroscopic in 2014. Gametocyte density and positivity correlated closely with parasitemia, and population gametocyte prevalence decreased 3-fold for P. falciparum and 29% for P. vivax from 2010 to 2014. Sustained control has resulted in reduced malaria transmission potential, but an increasing proportion of gametocyte carriers are asymptomatic and submicroscopic and represent a challenge to malaria control. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices concerning malaria in pregnancy: results from a qualitative study in Madang, Papua New Guinea.

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Andrew, Erin V W; Pell, Christopher; Angwin, Angeline; Auwun, Alma; Daniels, Job; Mueller, Ivo; Phuanukoonnon, Suparat; Pool, Robert

2015-01-01

Malaria is the leading cause of illness and death in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Infection during pregnancy with falciparum or vivax malaria, as occurs in PNG, has health implications for mother and child, causing complications such as maternal anemia, low birth weight and miscarriage. This article explores knowledge, attitudes and practices concerning malaria during pregnancy and it's prevention in Madang, PNG, a high prevalence area. As part of a qualitative study in Madang, exploring MiP, participatory techniques (free-listing and sorting) were conducted along with focus group discussions, in-depth interviews (with pregnant women, health staff and other community members) and observations in the local community and health facilities. The main themes explored were attitudes towards and knowledge of MiP, its risks, and prevention. Although there was a general awareness of the term "malaria", it was often conflated with general sickness or with pregnancy-related symptoms. Moreover, many preventive methods for MiP were related to practices of general healthy living. Indeed, varied messages from health staff about the risks of MiP were observed. In addition to ideas about the seriousness and risk of MiP, other factors influenced the uptake of interventions: availability and perceived comfort of sleeping under insecticide-treated mosquito nets were important determinants of usage, and women's heavy workload influenced Chloroquine adherence. The non-specific symptoms of MiP and its resultant conflation with symptoms of pregnancy that are perceived as normal have implications for MiP prevention and control. However, in Madang, PNG, this was compounded by the inadequacy of health staff's message about MiP.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices concerning malaria in pregnancy: results from a qualitative study in Madang, Papua New Guinea.

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Erin V W Andrew

Full Text Available Malaria is the leading cause of illness and death in Papua New Guinea (PNG. Infection during pregnancy with falciparum or vivax malaria, as occurs in PNG, has health implications for mother and child, causing complications such as maternal anemia, low birth weight and miscarriage. This article explores knowledge, attitudes and practices concerning malaria during pregnancy and it's prevention in Madang, PNG, a high prevalence area.As part of a qualitative study in Madang, exploring MiP, participatory techniques (free-listing and sorting were conducted along with focus group discussions, in-depth interviews (with pregnant women, health staff and other community members and observations in the local community and health facilities.The main themes explored were attitudes towards and knowledge of MiP, its risks, and prevention. Although there was a general awareness of the term "malaria", it was often conflated with general sickness or with pregnancy-related symptoms. Moreover, many preventive methods for MiP were related to practices of general healthy living. Indeed, varied messages from health staff about the risks of MiP were observed. In addition to ideas about the seriousness and risk of MiP, other factors influenced the uptake of interventions: availability and perceived comfort of sleeping under insecticide-treated mosquito nets were important determinants of usage, and women's heavy workload influenced Chloroquine adherence.The non-specific symptoms of MiP and its resultant conflation with symptoms of pregnancy that are perceived as normal have implications for MiP prevention and control. However, in Madang, PNG, this was compounded by the inadequacy of health staff's message about MiP.

Disposition of artesunate and dihydroartemisinin after administration of artesunate suppositories in children from Papua New Guinea with uncomplicated malaria.

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Karunajeewa, Harin A; Ilett, Kenneth F; Dufall, Kitiya; Kemiki, Adedayo; Bockarie, Moses; Alpers, Michael P; Barrett, P Hugh; Vicini, Paolo; Davis, Timothy M E

2004-08-01

A detailed pharmacokinetic analysis was performed with 47 children from Papua New Guinea with uncomplicated falciparum or vivax malaria treated with artesunate (ARTS) suppositories (Rectocaps) given in two doses of approximately 13 mg/kg of body weight 12 h apart. Following an intensive sampling protocol, samples were assayed for ARTS and its primary active metabolite, dihydroartemisinin (DHA), by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. A population pharmacokinetic model was developed to describe the data. Following administration of the first dose, the mean maximal concentrations of ARTS and DHA were 1,085 nmol/liter at 0.9 h and 2,525 nmol/liter at 2.3 h, respectively. The absorption half-life for ARTS was 2.3 h, and the conversion half-life (ARTS to DHA) was 0.27 h, while the elimination half-life of DHA was 0.71 h. The mean common volumes of distribution for ARTS and DHA relative to bioavailability were 42.8 and 2.04 liters/kg, respectively, and the mean clearance values relative to bioavailability were 6 and 2.2 liters/h/kg for ARTS and DHA, respectively. Substantial interpatient variability was observed, and the bioavailability of the second dose relative to that of the first was estimated to be 0.72. The covariates age, sex, and alpha-thalassemia genotype were not influential in the pharmacokinetic model development; but the inclusion of weight as a covariate significantly improved the performance of the model. An ARTS suppositories dose of 10 of 20 mg/kg is appropriate for use in children with uncomplicated malaria.

Preliminary Characterization of Organic Geochemistry in the Fly-Strickland River System, Papua New Guinea

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Alin, S. R.; Aalto, R.; Remington, S. M.; Richey, J. E.

2003-12-01

The Fly-Strickland fluvial dispersal system comprises one of the largest river basins in tropical Oceania, ranking among the top 20 rivers in the world for water and sediment discharge. From the New Guinea highlands, these rivers flow >1000 km across lowland tropical floodplains to the Gulf of Papua, with an average annual depth of runoff 100 times that of the Amazon. Within the system, the Strickland has greater sediment discharge and a steeper gradient than the Fly, providing an opportunity to investigate biogeochemical differences associated with particulate flux. For eight lowland sites across the Fly-Strickland river system, we analyzed water and suspended sediment (SS) samples for an initial survey of various carbon cycle parameters. Both the Fly and Strickland Rivers were strongly supersaturated with carbon dioxide (2008-10,479 uatm CO2) and undersaturated with oxygen (1.10-5.48 mg/l O2), with the Fly having higher CO2 and lower O2 concentrations than the Strickland River. These pCO2 and O2 concentrations are comparable to and lower than (respectively) typical values in the Amazon. Measured Fly-Strickland alkalinity values fell in the range of 0.893-1.888 meq, and pH measurements were neutral to slightly alkaline (6.916-7.852). In a sample from a sediment-impoverished tributary from Lake Murray to the Strickland (Herbert R.), pH was neutral (7.060), and alkalinity and pCO2 had their lowest observed values at 0.234 meq and 1407 uatm, respectively. Nutrient concentrations were generally higher in the Strickland ([NO3]=3.36+/-0.69 uM, [PO4]=0.09+/-0.10 uM, and [Si(OH)4]=176.6+/-41.7 uM) than in the Fly River ([NO3]=1.09+/-0.04 uM, [PO4]=0.01+/-0.01 uM, and [Si(OH)4]=110.6+/-4.8 uM). NO3 and PO4 concentrations in the Fly-Strickland river system were lower than in the Amazon, and silicate was comparable. SS concentrations were higher in the Strickland than in the Fly (49.4-231.1 mg/l vs. 19.5-59.6 mg/l). Coarse particulates were organic-poor in the Fly and

A review of the genus Potemnemus Thomson, 1864 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) with description of a new species from Papua New Guinea.

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Wallin, Henrik; Kvamme, Torstein

2015-11-13

All preserved type specimens and type series of the genus Potemnemus Thomson, 1864 from museum collections have been examined. The presented taxonomic study is based on examination of morphological characters as well as studies of the genitalia. The genitalia are described for the first time. The type of P. scabrosus Olivier, 1790 is lost, and the original drawing has been designated as a lectotype. The monospecific genus Parapotemnemus Breuning, 1971 nov. syn. is considered to be a junior synonym of Potemnemus Thomson, 1864 based on similarities in both external and male genitalia characters. Potemnemus wheatcrofti (Breuning, 1971) nov. comb. thus becomes a new combination. The holotype of P. wheatcrofti nov. comb. is lost, and a paratype ♂ has been designated as a neotype. Potemnemus nylanderi nov. sp. is described from the eastern parts of Papua New Guinea. The following new synonyms within the genus Potemnemus have been introduced: P. hispidus Gressitt, 1952 nov. syn. is a junior synonym of P. sepicanus Kriesche, 1923, P. detzneri Kriesche, 1923 nov. syn. is a junior synonym of P. trimaculatus Lea, 1918, and P. loriai Breuning, 1956 nov. syn. and P. triturberculatus Breuning, 1942 nov. syn. are both junior synonyms of P. scabrosus (Olivier, 1790). As a result of the present study the following species have been resurrected to species level: Potemnemus trimaculatus Lea, 1918 sp. res., P. wolfi Berchmans, 1925 sp. res., and P. thomsoni Lansberge, 1880 sp. res. The genus Periaptodes Pascoe, 1866 gen. res. has been resurrected as a valid genus based on differences in both external and male genitalia characters, and re-descriptions of the genera Potemnemus and Periaptodes are presented. Consequently, the following species have been transferred back to Periaptodes from Potemnemus: Periaptodes frater (Van de Poll, 1887), P. lictor Pascoe, 1866, P. olivieri (Thomson, 1864), P. potemnemoides Kriesche, 1936. P. testator Pascoe, 1866, P. paratestator Breuning, 1980. P

Sequential modelling of the effects of mass drug treatments on anopheline-mediated lymphatic filariasis infection in Papua New Guinea.

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Brajendra K Singh

Full Text Available Lymphatic filariasis (LF has been targeted by the WHO for global eradication leading to the implementation of large scale intervention programs based on annual mass drug administrations (MDA worldwide. Recent work has indicated that locality-specific bio-ecological complexities affecting parasite transmission may complicate the prediction of LF extinction endpoints, casting uncertainty on the achievement of this initiative. One source of difficulty is the limited quantity and quality of data used to parameterize models of parasite transmission, implying the important need to update initially-derived parameter values. Sequential analysis of longitudinal data following annual MDAs will also be important to gaining new understanding of the persistence dynamics of LF. Here, we apply a Bayesian statistical-dynamical modelling framework that enables assimilation of information in human infection data recorded from communities in Papua New Guinea that underwent annual MDAs, into our previously developed model of parasite transmission, in order to examine these questions in LF ecology and control.Biological parameters underlying transmission obtained by fitting the model to longitudinal data remained stable throughout the study period. This enabled us to reliably reconstruct the observed baseline data in each community. Endpoint estimates also showed little variation. However, the updating procedure showed a shift towards higher and less variable values for worm kill but not for any other drug-related parameters. An intriguing finding is that the stability in key biological parameters could be disrupted by a significant reduction in the vector biting rate prevailing in a locality.Temporal invariance of biological parameters in the face of intervention perturbations indicates a robust adaptation of LF transmission to local ecological conditions. The results imply that understanding the mechanisms that underlie locally adapted transmission dynamics will

Two new species of Eimeria Schneider, 1875 (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from emerald tree skinks, Lamprolepis smaragdina (Lesson) (Sauria: Scincidae) from Papua New Guinea and the Philippines

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McAllister, Chris T.; Seville, R. Scott; Duszynski, Donald W.; Bush, Sarah E.; Fisher, Robert N.; Austin, Christopher C.

2013-01-01

Two new species of Eimeria Schneider, 1875, from emerald tree skinks, Lamprolepis smaragdina (Lesson) are described from specimens collected in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and the Philippines. Oöcysts of Eimeria nuiailan n. sp. from the only L. smaragdina from PNG are ovoidal, with a smooth, colourless, bi-layered wall, measure 23.7 × 19.1 μm, and have a length/width (L/W) ratio of 1.3; both micropyle and oöcyst residuum are absent, but a fragmented polar granule is present. Sporocysts are ovoidal to ellipsoidal, 11.9 × 7.0 μm, L/W 1.7, and the wall is composed of two valves joined by a longitudinal suture; neither Stieda nor sub-Stieda bodies are present; a sporocyst residuum is present as a compact mass of granules. Sporozoites are elongate, 14.6 × 2.6 μm, and contain anterior and posterior refractile bodies with a nucleus between them. Oöcysts of Eimeria auffenbergi n. sp. from L. smaragdina collected in the Philippines are ovoidal, with a smooth, colourless, bi-layered wall, measure 19.9 × 15.8 μm, L/W 1.3; both micropyle and oöcyst residuum are absent, but one to four polar granules are present. Sporocysts are ovoidal to ellipsoidal, 10.3 × 5.8 μm, L/W 1.8, and the wall is composed of two valves joined by a longitudinal suture; neither Stieda nor sub-Stieda bodies are present; a sporocyst residuum is composed of dispersed granules.

Two new species of Eimeria Schneider, 1875 (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from emerald tree skinks, Lamprolepis smaragdina (Lesson) (Sauria: Scincidae) from Papua New Guinea and the Philippines.

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McAllister, Chris T; Seville, R Scott; Duszynski, Donald W; Bush, Sarah E; Fisher, Robert N; Austin, Christopher C

2013-10-01

Two new species of Eimeria Schneider, 1875, from emerald tree skinks, Lamprolepis smaragdina (Lesson) are described from specimens collected in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and the Philippines. Oöcysts of Eimeria nuiailan n. sp. from the only L. smaragdina from PNG are ovoidal, with a smooth, colourless, bi-layered wall, measure 23.7 × 19.1 μm, and have a length/width (L/W) ratio of 1.3; both micropyle and oöcyst residuum are absent, but a fragmented polar granule is present. Sporocysts are ovoidal to ellipsoidal, 11.9 × 7.0 μm, L/W 1.7, and the wall is composed of two valves joined by a longitudinal suture; neither Stieda nor sub-Stieda bodies are present; a sporocyst residuum is present as a compact mass of granules. Sporozoites are elongate, 14.6 × 2.6 μm, and contain anterior and posterior refractile bodies with a nucleus between them. Oöcysts of Eimeria auffenbergi n. sp. from L. smaragdina collected in the Philippines are ovoidal, with a smooth, colourless, bi-layered wall, measure 19.9 × 15.8 μm, L/W 1.3; both micropyle and oöcyst residuum are absent, but one to four polar granules are present. Sporocysts are ovoidal to ellipsoidal, 10.3 × 5.8 μm, L/W 1.8, and the wall is composed of two valves joined by a longitudinal suture; neither Stieda nor sub-Stieda bodies are present; a sporocyst residuum is composed of dispersed granules.

Situation Report--Australia, Burundi, Cambodia, Mexico, Montserrat, Nicaragua, Papua & New Guinea, Republic of Vietnam, Sabah, Sarawak, Sierra Leone, Tahiti, Tonga.

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International Planned Parenthood Federation, London (England).

Data relating to population and family planning in fourteen foreign countries are presented in these situation reports. Countries included are Australia, Burundi, Cambodia, Mexico, Montserrat, Nicaragua, Papua and New Guines, Republic of Vietnam, Sabah, Sarawak, Sierra Leone, Tahiti (French Polynesia), and Tonga. Information is provided under two…

Introduction of the Exocelina ekari-group with descriptions of 22 new species from New Guinea (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae, Copelatinae

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Helena Shaverdo

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The Exocelina ekari-group is here introduced and defined mainly on the basis of a discontinuous outline of the median lobe of the aedeagus. The group is known only from New Guinea (Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. It contained four species to date: E. astrophallus (Balke, 1998, E. atowaso (Shaverdo, Sagata & Balke, 2005, E. munaso (Shaverdo, Sagata & Balke, 2005, and E. polita (Sharp, 1882. Twenty two new species are described herein: E. alexanderi sp. n., E. anggiensis sp. n., E. arfakensis sp. n., E. bifida sp. n., E. brahminensis sp. n., E. bundiensis sp. n., E. edeltraudae sp. n., E. ekari sp. n., E. eme sp. n., E. evelyncheesmanae sp. n., E. hansferyi sp. n., E. irianensis sp. n., E. kakapupu sp. n., E. knoepfchen sp. n., E. oceai sp. n., E. pseudosoppi sp. n., E. soppi sp. n., E. unipo sp. n., E. utowaensis sp. n., E. waigeoensis sp. n., E. weylandensis sp. n., and E. wondiwoiensis sp. n. The lectotype of Copelatus politus Sharp, 1882 is designated. A checklist and identification key to all species of the group are provided and important diagnostic characters (habitus, color, male antennae and protarsomeres 4–5, median lobes and parameres are illustrated. Data on the distribution and habitat requirements are given. Representatives of the E. ekari-group are so far mostly known from lowland to lower montane habitats of the northern and central parts of New Guinea, the group is less diverse in higher altitudes.

HIV prevalence is strongly associated with geographical variations in male circumcision and foreskin cutting in Papua New Guinea: an ecological study.

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MacLaren, David J; McBride, W John H; Kelly, Gerard C; Muller, Reinhold; Tommbe, Rachael; Kaldor, John M; Vallely, Andrew J

2015-11-01

To examine the correlation between HIV prevalence and male circumcision and other foreskin cutting practices across the four regions of Papua New Guinea (PNG). An ecological substudy using unique data from an interdisciplinary research programme to evaluate the acceptability, sociocultural context and public health impact of male circumcision for HIV prevention in PNG. Published data describing (a) self-reported circumcision status by region from the 'Acceptability and Feasibility of Male Circumcision for HIV prevention in PNG' study and (b) HIV prevalence by region from PNG National Department of Health were used to correlate male circumcision and other foreskin cutting practices and HIV prevalence. Maps were constructed to visually represent variations across the four regions of PNG. Regions of PNG with the highest HIV prevalence had the lowest prevalence of male circumcision and other forms of foreskin cutting and vice versa. Male circumcision and dorsal longitudinal cuts were strongly associated with HIV prevalence and able to explain 99% of the observed geographical variability in HIV prevalence in PNG (pPNG appears to be closely correlated with the regional distribution of male circumcision and dorsal longitudinal foreskin cuts. Further research is warranted to investigate causality of this correlation as well as the potential of dorsal longitudinal cuts to confer protection against HIV acquisition in heterosexual men. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Replacive sulfide formation in anhydrite chimneys from the Pacmanus hydrothermal field, Papua New Guinea

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Los, Catharina; Bach, Wolfgang; Plümper, Oliver

2016-04-01

Hydrothermal flow within the oceanic crust is an important process for the exchange of energy and mass between the lithosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere. Infiltrated seawater heats up and interacts with wall rock, causing mineral replacement reactions. These play a large role in the formation of ore deposits; at the discharge zone, a hot, acidic and metal-rich potential ore fluid exits the crust. It mixes with seawater and forms chimneys, built up of sulfate minerals such as anhydrite (CaSO4), which are subsequently replaced by sulfide minerals. Sulfide formation is related to fluid pathways, defined by cracks and pores in the sulfate chimney. Over time, these systems might develop into massive sulfide deposits. The big question is then: how is sulfate-sulfide replacement related to the evolution of rock porosity? To address this question, sulfide-bearing anhydrite chimneys from the Pacmanus hydrothermal field (Manus Basin, Papua New Guinea) were studied using X-ray tomography, EMPA, FIB-SEM and -TEM. The apparently massive anhydrite turns out highly porous on the micro scale, with sulfide minerals in anhydrite cleavage planes and along grain boundaries. The size of the sulfide grains relates to the pores they grew into, suggesting a tight coupling between dissolution (porosity generation) and growth of replacive minerals. Some of the sulfide grains are hollow and apparently used the dissolving anhydrite as a substrate to start growth in a pore. Another mode of sulfide development is aggregates of euhedral pyrite cores surrounded by colloform chalcopyrite. This occurrence implies that fluid pathways have remained open for some time to allow several stages of precipitation during fluid evolution. To start the replacement and to keep it going, porosity generation is crucial. Our samples show that dissolution of anhydrite occurred along pathways where fluid could enter, such as cleavage planes and grain boundaries. It appears that fluids ascending within the inner

Accelerating Maternal and Child Health Gains in Papua New Guinea: Modelled Predictions from Closing the Equity Gap Using LiST.

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Byrne, Abbey; Hodge, Andrew; Jimenez-Soto, Eliana

2015-11-01

Many priority countries in the countdown to the millennium development goals deadline are lagging in progress towards maternal and child health (MCH) targets. Papua New Guinea (PNG) is one such country beset by challenges of geographical inaccessibility, inequity and health system weakness. Several countries, however, have made progress through focused initiatives which align with the burden of disease and overcome specific inequities. This study identifies the potential impact on maternal and child mortality through increased coverage of prioritised interventions within the PNG health system. The burden of disease and health system environment of PNG was documented to inform prioritised MCH interventions at community, outreach, and clinical levels. Potential reductions in maternal and child mortality through increased intervention coverage to close the geographical equity gap were estimated with the lives saved tool. A set community-level interventions, with highest feasibility, would yield significant reductions in newborn and child mortality. Adding the outreach group delivers gains for maternal mortality, particularly through family planning. The clinical services group of interventions demands greater investment but are essential to reach MCH targets. Cumulatively, the increased coverage is estimated to reduce the rates of under-five mortality by 19 %, neonatal mortality by 26 %, maternal mortality ratio by 10 % and maternal mortality by 33 %. Modest investments in health systems focused on disadvantaged populations can accelerate progress in maternal and child survival even in fragile health systems like PNG. The critical approach may be to target interventions and implementation appropriately to the sensitive context of lagging countries.

Going viral in PNG - Exploring routes and circumstances of entry of a rabies-infected dog into Papua New Guinea.

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Brookes, Victoria J; Degeling, Chris; Ward, Michael P

2018-01-01

In this qualitative study implemented in November 2016, we elicited narratives about fictional rabies incursions from key employees (n = 16) of the National Agriculture and Quarantine Inspection Authority in Papua New Guinea (PNG) to explore the potential circumstances and routes of entry of a rabies-infected dog, and direct rabies preparedness. Although PNG is rabies free, proximity to rabies-endemic Indonesia poses a risk of introduction and it is expected that an outbreak in PNG would have devastating human health impacts consistent with other countries with similarly low human development indices and abundant free-roaming dogs. Participants used their local and professional knowledge to create plausible narratives in response to contextual, but fictitious, newspaper stories. An ethnographic content analysis was used to extract themes and interpret the narratives. Themes were assessed in the context of their potential influence on rabies preparedness in PNG against the social and political background of PNG and relevant, published literature. Consistent themes included the ubiquity of trade and the complexity of routes between Indonesia and PNG. Dog ownership seemed pragmatic - actors in the narratives readily and rationally involved dogs in transactions in response to trade, exchange or gifting opportunities. Consequently, dogs changed ownership frequently. The findings of this study have important implications for rabies preparedness in PNG; there is potential for wide geographic dissemination of rabies in dogs before outbreak detection. However, common patterns of travel - trade of dogs via Papuan towns and use of traditional trade routes - do provide opportunity for targeted surveillance and response in the event of an incursion. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Factors Influencing Antiretroviral Adherence and Virological Outcomes in People Living with HIV in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea.

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Janet Gare

Full Text Available Adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART is paramount for virological suppression and positive treatment outcomes. ART has been rapidly scaled up in Papua New Guinea (PNG in recent years, however clinical monitoring of HIV+ individuals on ART is limited. A cross-sectional study was conducted at two major sexual health clinics in high HIV prevalence provinces in the Highlands Region of PNG to assess ART adherence, factors affecting adherence and the relationship between ART adherence and virological outcomes. Ninety-five HIV+ individuals were recruited and administered a questionnaire to gather demographic and ART adherence information whilst clinical data and pill counts were extracted from patient charts and blood was collected for viral load testing. Bivariate analysis was performed to identify independent predictors of ART adherence. Fourteen percent (n = 12 of participants showed evidence of virological failure. Although the majority of participants self-reported excellent ART adherence in the last seven days (78.9%, 75/91, pill count measurements indicated only 40% (34/84 with >95% adherence in the last month. Taking other medications while on ART (p = 0.01 and taking ART for ≥1 year (p = 0.037 were positively associated with adherence by self-report and pill count, respectively. Participants who had never heard of drug resistance were more likely to show virological failure (p = 0.033. Misconception on routes of HIV transmission still persists in the studied population. These findings indicate that non-adherence to ART is high in this region of PNG and continued education and strategies to improve adherence are required to ensure the efficacy of ART and prevent HIV drug resistance.

Microsatellite polymorphism within pfcrt provides evidence of continuing evolution of chloroquine-resistant alleles in Papua New Guinea

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Sharma Yagya D

2007-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Polymorphism in the pfcrt gene underlies Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine resistance (CQR, as sensitive strains consistently carry lysine (K, while CQR strains carry threonine (T at the codon 76. Previous studies have shown that microsatellite (MS haplotype variation can be used to study the evolution of CQR polymorphism and to characterize intra- and inter-population dispersal of CQR in Papua New Guinea (PNG. Methods Here, following identification of new polymorphic MS in introns 2 and 3 within the pfcrt gene (msint2 and msint3, respectively, locus-by-locus and haplotype heterozygosity (H analyses were performed to determine the distribution of this intronic polymorphism among pfcrt chloroquine-sensitive and CQR alleles. Results For MS flanking the pfcrt CQR allele, H ranged from 0.07 (B5M77, -18 kb to 0.094 (9B12, +2 kb suggesting that CQ selection pressure was responsible for strong homogenisation of this gene locus. In a survey of 206 pfcrt-SVMNT allele-containing field samples from malaria-endemic regions of PNG, H for msint2 was 0.201. This observation suggests that pfcrt msint2 exhibits a higher level of diversity than what is expected from the analyses of pfcrt flanking MS. Further analyses showed that one of the three haplotypes present in the early 1980's samples has become the predominant haplotype (frequency = 0.901 in CQR parasite populations collected after 1995 from three PNG sites, when CQR had spread throughout malaria-endemic regions of PNG. Apparent localized diversification of pfcrt haplotypes at each site was also observed among samples collected after 1995, where minor CQR-associated haplotypes were found to be unique to each site. Conclusion In this study, a higher level of diversity at MS loci within the pfcrt gene was observed when compared with the level of diversity at pfcrt flanking MS. While pfcrt (K76T and its immediate flanking region indicate homogenisation in PNG CQR parasite populations

The Papua New Guinea medical supply system - documenting opportunities and challenges to meet the Millennium Development Goals

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2014-01-01

Objectives Limited human resources are widely recognised as an impediment to achieving the health-related Millennium Development Goals in Pacific Island Countries, with the availability of medical supplies and suitably trained health personnel crucial to ensuring a well-functioning medical supply chain. This paper presents our findings as we seek to answer the research question ‘What factors influence the availability of medical supplies within the health facilities of Papua New Guinea?’ Methods We used a qualitative, triangulated strategy using semi-structured interviews, workplace observation and semi-structured focus groups. The parallel use of the interview tool and workplace observation tool allowed identification of ‘know-do’ gaps between what the interviewee said they did in their work practices, and the actual evidence of these practices. Focus groups provided further opportunities for raising and elaborating issues. Results During 2 weeks of data collection we conducted 17 interviews and 15 observational workplace surveys in 15 facilities. Sixteen health personnel participated in 3 focus groups across 2 provinces and one district. An array of medical supply issues across all levels of the medical supply chain were revealed, including standard operating procedures, facilities, transport, emergency medical kits, the cold chain and record keeping. The influence of health worker training and competency was found to be common across all of these issues. Conclusion The factors influencing the availability of medical supplies in PNG consist of a range of interrelating issues, consisting of both simple and complex problems involving the different levels and cadres of workers within the medical supply chain. Health systems sustainability theory suggests that a coordinated approach which addresses the inter-related nature of these issues, led by the PNG government and supported by suitable development partners, will be required for sustainable health

Saints and sinners: training Papua New Guinean (PNG) Christian Clergy to respond to HIV and AIDS using a model of care.

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Benton, Kerry William Kim

2008-09-01

Papua New Guinea has experienced a growing HIV/AIDS epidemic. The Christian Churches have played a vital role in responding to HIV, through community support, encouragement and social change. Strong, effective Church leadership can help create safe environments of care and support for those infected and for prevention of HIV. Method A series of trainings in capacity development for clergy were undertaken by the National AIDS Council Secretariat (NACS)/National HIV/AIDS Support Project (NHASP). Results A model "Church's Response to HIV and AIDS in a Care Continuum" was developed to assist the training. This paper discusses the model and the lessons learned.

Multi-clonal evolution of multi-drug-resistant/extensively drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis in a high-prevalence setting of Papua New Guinea for over three decades

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Bainomugisa, Arnold; Lavu, Evelyn; Hiashiri, Stenard; Majumdar, Suman; Honjepari, Alice; Moke, Rendi; Dakulala, Paison; Hill-Cawthorne, Grant A.; Pandey, Sushil; Marais, Ben J.; Coulter, Chris; Coin, Lachlan

2018-01-01

An outbreak of multi-drug resistant (MDR) tuberculosis (TB) has been reported on Daru Island, Papua New Guinea. Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains driving this outbreak and the temporal accrual of drug resistance mutations have not been described. Whole genome sequencing of 100 of 165 clinical isolates referred from Daru General Hospital to the Supranational reference laboratory, Brisbane, during 2012–2015 revealed that 95 belonged to a single modern Beijing sub-lineage strain. Molecular dating suggested acquisition of streptomycin and isoniazid resistance in the 1960s, with potentially enhanced virulence mediated by an mycP1 mutation. The Beijing sub-lineage strain demonstrated a high degree of co-resistance between isoniazid and ethionamide (80/95; 84.2 %) attributed to an inhA promoter mutation combined with inhA and ndh coding mutations. Multi-drug resistance, observed in 78/95 samples, emerged with the acquisition of a typical rpoB mutation together with a compensatory rpoC mutation in the 1980s. There was independent acquisition of fluoroquinolone and aminoglycoside resistance, and evidence of local transmission of extensively drug resistant (XDR) strains from 2009. These findings underline the importance of whole genome sequencing in informing an effective public health response to MDR/XDR TB. PMID:29310751

Kinetics of potassium release in sweet potato cropped soils: a case study in the highlands of Papua New Guinea

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Rajashekhar Rao, B. K.

2015-02-01

The present study attempts to employ potassium (K) release parameters to identify soil-quality degradation due to changed land use patterns in sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam) farms of the highlands of Papua New Guinea. Rapid population increase in the region increased pressure on the land to intensify subsistence production mainly by reducing fallow periods. Such continuous cropping practice coupled with lack of K fertilization practices could lead to a rapid loss of soil fertility and soil-resource degradation. The study aims to evaluate the effects of crop intensification on the K-release pattern and identify soil groups vulnerable to K depletion. Soils with widely differing exchangeable and non-exchangeable K contents were sequentially extracted for periods between 1 and 569 h in 0.01 M CaCl2, and K-release data were fitted to four mathematical models: first order, power, parabolic diffusion and Elovich equations. Results showed two distinct parts in the K-release curves, and 58-80% of total K was released to solution phase within 76 h (first five extractions) with 20-42% K released in the later parts (after 76 h). Soils from older farms that were subjected to intensive and prolonged land use showed significantly (P farms recently brought to cultivation (new farms). Among the four equations, first-order and power equations best described the K-release pattern; the constant b, an index of K-release rates, ranged from 0.005 to 0.008 mg kg-1 h-1 in the first-order model and was between 0.14 and 0.83 mg kg-1 h-1 in the power model for the soils. In the non-volcanic soils, model constant b values were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than the volcanic soils, thus indicating the vulnerability of volcanic soils to K deficiency. The volcanic soils cropped for several crop cycles need immediate management interventions either through improved fallow management or through mineral fertilizers plus animal manures to sustain productivity.

Pests, diseases and crop protection practices in the smallholder sweetpotato production system of the highlands of Papua New Guinea

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Geoff M. Gurr

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Sweetpotato (Ipomea batatans is a food crop of global significance. The storage roots and foliage of crop are attacked by a wide range of pests and diseases. Whilst these are generally well controlled in developed countries using approaches such as clean planting material and monitoring with pheromone traps to guide insecticide use, research into methods suitable for developing countries has lagged. In Papua New Guinea (PNG, sweetpotato is grown extensively as a subsistence crop and commercial production as a cash crop is developing. We report results from a survey of 33 smallholder producers located in the Highlands of PNG where the crop is of particular importance. Surveys of interviewees’ crops showed high levels of pest and disease impact to foliage, stems and storage roots, especially in crops that were several years old. Weevils (Curculionidae were reportedly the most damaging pests and scab (caused by the fungus Elisnoe batatus the most damaging disease. Most producers reported root damage from the former and foliar damage from the latter but the general level of knowledge of pest and disease types was low. Despite the apparency of pest and disease signs and symptoms and recognition of their importance by farmers, a large majority of producers reported practiced no active pest or disease management. This was despite low numbers of farmers reporting use of traditional cultural practices including phytosanitary measures and insecticidal plants that had the scope for far wider use. Only one respondent reported use of insecticide though pesticides were available in nearby cities. This low level of pest and disease management in most cases, likely due to paucity in biological and technical knowledge among growers, hampers efforts to establish food security and constrains the development of sweetpotato as a cash crop.

Drivers of illegal livelihoods in remote transboundary regions: the case of the Trans-Fly region of Papua New Guinea

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Sara Busilacchi

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Remote transboundary regions in developing countries often contain abundant natural resources. Many of these resources are being overexploited to supply an ever-increasing demand from Asia, often via illegal cross-border trade. Understanding the systemic issues that drive households to engage in illegal activities in transboundary regions is a prerequisite for designing effective interventions and diverting livelihoods toward sustainable trajectories, but is rarely applied. This study analyzed the drivers of illegal trade in marine products, e.g. sea cucumber, shark fin, and fish bladders, among coastal villages in Papua New Guinea that border Indonesia and Australia in the Trans-Fly region. Mixed-methods (household questionnaire surveys, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews were applied to triangulate results and minimize denial bias, which is a challenge when studying illegality. Results indicated that distance from markets and economic centers was the main driver for engagement in illegal activity, and distance from a center was also the main driver of poverty. Contrary to studies elsewhere, we found that poverty did not generally drive households' engagement in illegal trade. Only in Daru, the primary economic hub, where immigrants from the areas impacted by the Ok Tedi mine operations have resettled, were the poorest households likely to be involved in illegal trade, because they had no alternative sources of livelihood. Weak governance exacerbates the situation, which includes corruption, a lack of enforcement, and poor coordination among government levels, and a breakdown of traditional resource management systems. Respondents highlighted that current bilateral border agreements are outdated and cannot account for modernization, a globalizing economy, and communities' rapid transition to a cash economy. Our findings emphasize the need to find innovative governance solutions to manage this stressed social

Dating an actively exhuming metamorphic core complex, the Suckling Dayman Massif in SE Papua New Guinea

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Oesterle, J.; Seward, D.; Little, T.; Stockli, D. F.; Mizera, M.

2016-12-01

Low-temperature thermochronology is a powerful tool for revealing the thermal and kinematic evolution of metamorphic core complexes (MCCs). Most globally studied MCCs are ancient, partially eroded, and have been modified by deformation events that postdate their origin. The Mai'iu Fault is a rapidly slipping active low-angle normal fault (LANF) in the Woodlark Rift in Papua New Guinea that has exhumed a >25 km-wide (in the slip direction), and over 3 km-high domal fault surface in its footwall called the Suckling-Dayman massif. Some knowledge of the present-day thermal structure in the adjacent Woodlark Rift, and the pristine nature of this active MCC make it an ideal candidate for thermochronological study of a high finite-slip LANF. To constrain the thermal and kinematic evolution of this MCC we apply the U/Pb, fission-track (FT) and (U-Th)/He methods. Zircon U/Pb analyses from the syn-extensional Suckling Granite that intrudes the footwall of the MCC yield an intrusion age of 3.3 Ma. Preliminary zircon FT ages from the same body indicate cooling below 300 °C at 2.7 Ma. Ages decrease to 2.0 Ma with increasing proximity to the Mai'iu Fault and imply cooling controlled by tectonic exhumation. Almost coincident zircon U/Pb and FT ages from the nearby syn-extensional Mai'iu Monzonite, on the other hand, record extremely rapid cooling from magmatic temperatures to 300 °C at 2 Ma. As apparent from the preliminary He extraction stage, these syn-extensional plutons have young zircon and apatite (U-Th)/He ages. These initial results suggest that the Mai'iu Fault was initiated as an extensional structure by 3.3 Ma. We infer that it reactivated an older ophiolitic suture that had emplaced the Papuan Ultramafic body in the Paleogene. Rapid cooling of the Mai'iu Monzonite indicates that it was intruded into a part of the MCC's footwall that was already shallow in the crust by 2 Ma. This inference is further supported by the mineral andalusite occurring in the contact

Uranium uptake history, open-system behaviour and uranium-series ages of fossil Tridacna gigas from Huon Peninsula, Papua New Guinea

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Ayling, Bridget F.; Eggins, Stephen; McCulloch, Malcolm T.; Chappell, John; Grün, Rainer; Mortimer, Graham

2017-09-01

Molluscs incorporate negligible uranium into their skeleton while they are living, with any uranium uptake occurring post-mortem. As such, closed-system U-series dating of molluscs is unlikely to provide reliable age constraints for marine deposits. Even the application of open-system U-series modelling is challenging, because uranium uptake and loss histories can affect time-integrated uranium distributions and are difficult to constrain. We investigate the chemical and isotopic distribution of uranium in fossil Tridacna gigas (giant clams) from Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5e (128-116 ka) and MIS 11 (424-374 ka) reefs at Huon Peninsula in Papua New Guinea. The large size of the clams enables detailed chemical and isotopic mapping of uranium using LA-ICPMS and LA-MC-ICPMS techniques. Within each fossil Tridacna specimen, marked differences in uranium concentrations are observed across the three Tridacna growth zones (outer, inner, hinge), with the outer and hinge zones being relatively enriched. In MIS 5e and MIS 11 Tridacna, the outer and hinge zones contain approximately 1 ppm and 5 ppm uranium respectively. In addition to uptake of uranium, loss of uranium appears prevalent, especially in the MIS 11 specimens. The effect of uranium loss is to elevate measured [230Th/238U] values with little effect on [234U/238U] values. Closed-system age estimates are on average 50% too young for the MIS 5e Tridacna, and 25% too young for the MIS 11 Tridacna. A complex, multi-stage uptake and loss history is interpreted for the fossil Tridacna and we demonstrate that they cannot provide independent, reliable geochronological controls on the timing of past reef growth at Huon Peninsula.

Optimising methods for community-based sea cucumber ranching: Experimental releases of cultured juvenile Holothuria scabra into seagrass meadows in Papua New Guinea

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Cathy Hair

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Hatchery-cultured juveniles of the commercial holothurian, sandfish (Holothuria scabra, were used for release experiments in a variety of marine habitats under traditional marine tenure near Kavieng, Papua New Guinea (PNG. Juveniles of approximately 4 g mean weight were released inside 100 m2 sea pens installed within seagrass meadows nearby partner communities, under the care of local ‘wardens’. Within each sea pen, varying levels of protection (free release, 1-day cage and 7-day cage were provided at release in order to determine if short-term predator exclusion improved survival. Ossicles of juvenile sandfish were tagged with different fluorochromes for each treatment and sandfish survival and growth was recorded after release. A range of biophysical parameters were recorded at the four sites. Contrary to expectations, short-term cage protection did not lead to higher survival at three sites, while a fourth site, despite meeting all considered criteria for suitable release habitat, experienced total loss of juveniles. There were significant differences in mean weight of juveniles between sites after four months. Multivariate analysis of biophysical factors clearly separated the sea pen habitats, strongly differentiating the best-performing site from the others. However, further research is needed to elucidate which biophysical or human factors are most useful in predicting the quality of potential sea ranch sites. Methods developed or refined through these trials could be used to establish pilot test plots at potential ranching sites to assess site suitability and provide guidance on the level of animal husbandry required before commencing community sea ranching operations in New Ireland Province, PNG. Keywords: Holothuria scabra, Mariculture, Sea pens, Predator exclusion, Principal components analysis, Biophysical variables

Preclinical evaluation of caprylic acid-fractionated IgG antivenom for the treatment of Taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus envenoming in Papua New Guinea.

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Mariángela Vargas

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Snake bite is a common medical emergency in Papua New Guinea (PNG. The taipan, Oxyuranus scutellatus, inflicts a large number of bites that, in the absence of antivenom therapy, result in high mortality. Parenteral administration of antivenoms manufactured in Australia is the current treatment of choice for these envenomings. However, the price of these products is high and has increased over the last 25 years; consequently the country can no longer afford all the antivenom it needs. This situation prompted an international collaborative project aimed at generating a new, low-cost antivenom against O. scutellatus for PNG.A new monospecific equine whole IgG antivenom, obtained by caprylic acid fractionation of plasma, was prepared by immunising horses with the venom of O. scutellatus from PNG. This antivenom was compared with the currently used F(ab'(2 monospecific taipan antivenom manufactured by CSL Limited, Australia. The comparison included physicochemical properties and the preclinical assessment of the neutralisation of lethal neurotoxicity and the myotoxic, coagulant and phospholipase A(2 activities of the venom of O. scutellatus from PNG. The F(ab'(2 antivenom had a higher protein concentration than whole IgG antivenom. Both antivenoms effectively neutralised, and had similar potency, against the lethal neurotoxic effect (both by intraperitoneal and intravenous routes of injection, myotoxicity, and phospholipase A(2 activity of O. scutellatus venom. However, the whole IgG antivenom showed a higher potency than the F(ab'(2 antivenom in the neutralisation of the coagulant activity of O. scutellatus venom from PNG.The new whole IgG taipan antivenom described in this study compares favourably with the currently used F(ab'(2 antivenom, both in terms of physicochemical characteristics and neutralising potency. Therefore, it should be considered as a promising low-cost candidate for the treatment of envenomings by O. scutellatus in PNG, and is

Associations of Conflict-Related Trauma and Ongoing Stressors with the Mental Health and Functioning of West Papuan Refugees in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea (PNG.

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Alvin Kuowei Tay

Full Text Available Documentation is limited in relation to the mental health of the people of West Papua, a territory that has been exposed to decades-long political persecution. We examined associations of traumatic events (TEs and current stressors with mental disorder and functioning, amongst 230 West Papuan refugees residing in six settlements in Port Morseby, Papua New Guinea (PNG. We used culturally adapted modules to assess exposure to TEs and mental disorders. Current stressors and functioning were assessed using modifications of measures developed by the World Health Organization (WHO. 129 of 230 respondents (56% reported exposure to at least one traumatic event (TE, including: political upheaval (36.5%, witnessing or hearing about family members tortured and murdered (33.9%, and not being able to access medical care for family members (33%. One fifth of respondents (47, 20.4% experienced exposure to high levels of TEs (16 to 23. 211 (91.7% endorsed at least one or more ongoing stressors, including: exposure to illicit substance use in the community (91.7%, problems with safety and the protection of women (89.6%, no access to legal rights and citizenship (88.3%, and lack of adequate shelter and facilities (85.2%. A quarter (26.9% met criteria for one or more current mental disorder, and 69.1% reported functional impairment ranging from mild to extreme. Mental disorder was associated with being male (adjusted odds ratio=2.00; 95% CI=1.01-3.97, and exposure to the highest category of ongoing stressors (AOR=2.89; 95% CI=1.08-7.72. The TE count showed a dose-response pattern in its relationship with functional impairment, the greatest risk (AOR=11.47; 95% CI=2.11-62.37 being for those experiencing the highest level of TE exposure (16-23 events. West Papuans living in settlements in Port Moresby reported a range of TEs, ongoing stressors and associated mental disorders characteristic of populations exposed to mass conflict and persecution, prolonged

Associations of Conflict-Related Trauma and Ongoing Stressors with the Mental Health and Functioning of West Papuan Refugees in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea (PNG).

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Tay, Alvin Kuowei; Rees, Susan; Chen, Jack; Kareth, Moses; Lahe, Sylvester; Kitau, Russell; David, Kura; Sonoling, Joyce; Silove, Derrick

2015-01-01

Documentation is limited in relation to the mental health of the people of West Papua, a territory that has been exposed to decades-long political persecution. We examined associations of traumatic events (TEs) and current stressors with mental disorder and functioning, amongst 230 West Papuan refugees residing in six settlements in Port Morseby, Papua New Guinea (PNG). We used culturally adapted modules to assess exposure to TEs and mental disorders. Current stressors and functioning were assessed using modifications of measures developed by the World Health Organization (WHO). 129 of 230 respondents (56%) reported exposure to at least one traumatic event (TE), including: political upheaval (36.5%), witnessing or hearing about family members tortured and murdered (33.9%), and not being able to access medical care for family members (33%). One fifth of respondents (47, 20.4%) experienced exposure to high levels of TEs (16 to 23). 211 (91.7%) endorsed at least one or more ongoing stressors, including: exposure to illicit substance use in the community (91.7%), problems with safety and the protection of women (89.6%), no access to legal rights and citizenship (88.3%), and lack of adequate shelter and facilities (85.2%). A quarter (26.9%) met criteria for one or more current mental disorder, and 69.1% reported functional impairment ranging from mild to extreme. Mental disorder was associated with being male (adjusted odds ratio=2.00; 95% CI=1.01-3.97), and exposure to the highest category of ongoing stressors (AOR=2.89; 95% CI=1.08-7.72). The TE count showed a dose-response pattern in its relationship with functional impairment, the greatest risk (AOR=11.47; 95% CI=2.11-62.37) being for those experiencing the highest level of TE exposure (16-23 events). West Papuans living in settlements in Port Moresby reported a range of TEs, ongoing stressors and associated mental disorders characteristic of populations exposed to mass conflict and persecution, prolonged

"Whenever they cry, I cry with them": Reciprocal relationships and the role of ethics in a verbal autopsy study in Papua New Guinea.

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Gouda, H N; Kelly-Hanku, A; Wilson, L; Maraga, S; Riley, I D

2016-08-01

Verbal autopsy (VA) methods usually involve an interview with a recently bereaved individual to ascertain the most probable cause of death when a person dies outside of a hospital and/or did not receive a reliable death certificate. A number of concerns have arisen around the ethical and social implications of the use of these methods. In this paper we examine these concerns, looking specifically at the cultural factors surrounding death and mourning in Papua New Guinea, and the potential for VA interviews to cause emotional distress in both the bereaved respondent and the VA fieldworker. Thirty one semi-structured interviews with VA respondents, the VA team and community relations officers as well as observations in the field and team discussions were conducted between June 2013 and August 2014. While our findings reveal that VA participants were often moved to cry and feel sad, they also expressed a number of ways they benefited from the process, and indeed welcomed longer transactions with the VA interviewers. Significantly, this paper highlights the ways in which VA interviewers, who have hitherto been largely neglected in the literature, navigate transactions with the participants and make everyday decisions about their relationships with them in order to ensure that they and VA interviews are accepted by the community. The role of the VA fieldworker should be more carefully considered, as should the implications for training and institutional support that follow. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Centroid moment tensor catalogue using a 3-D continental scale Earth model: Application to earthquakes in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands

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Hejrani, Babak; Tkalčić, Hrvoje; Fichtner, Andreas

2017-07-01

Although both earthquake mechanism and 3-D Earth structure contribute to the seismic wavefield, the latter is usually assumed to be layered in source studies, which may limit the quality of the source estimate. To overcome this limitation, we implement a method that takes advantage of a 3-D heterogeneous Earth model, recently developed for the Australasian region. We calculate centroid moment tensors (CMTs) for earthquakes in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and the Solomon Islands. Our method is based on a library of Green's functions for each source-station pair for selected Geoscience Australia and Global Seismic Network stations in the region, and distributed on a 3-D grid covering the seismicity down to 50 km depth. For the calculation of Green's functions, we utilize a spectral-element method for the solution of the seismic wave equation. Seismic moment tensors were calculated using least squares inversion, and the 3-D location of the centroid is found by grid search. Through several synthetic tests, we confirm a trade-off between the location and the correct input moment tensor components when using a 1-D Earth model to invert synthetics produced in a 3-D heterogeneous Earth. Our CMT catalogue for PNG in comparison to the global CMT shows a meaningful increase in the double-couple percentage (up to 70%). Another significant difference that we observe is in the mechanism of events with depth shallower then 15 km and Mw region.

A high incidence of polymorphic CYP2C19 variants in archival blood samples from Papua New Guinea

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Hsu Huai-Ling

2008-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract There is considerable inter-ethnic variability in the incidence of CYP2C19 genetic poor metabolisers (var/var. About 3 per cent of Caucasians are CYP2C19 var/var. By contrast, an extremely high incidence (70 per cent is observed in the Melanesian island of Vanuatu. The colonisation of the Pacific Islands is believed to have involved migration through Papua New Guinea (PNG, and hence a high incidence may also be expected in this population. The reported incidence in PNG was only 36 per cent, however. PNG is a country of extensive ethnic diversity, and the incidence of the CYP2C19 var/var in other regional populations of PNG is currently not established. In this study, restriction fragment length polymorphism-polymerase chain reaction analysis of archival blood serum samples was used to determine the prevalence of the CYP2C19*2 and *3 variant alleles in three different ethnic and geographically isolated populations of PNG. In the largest population studied (Iruna, the frequency of both variant CYP2C19 alleles was high (0.37 and 0.34, respectively. Specifically, the frequency of the CYP2C19*3 allele was significantly higher than in the PNG (East Sepik population reported previously (0.34 vs 0.16; p 0.0001. In the Iruna population, 48.9 per cent of the samples were homozygous variants for CYP2C19*2 or *3, which although higher was not statistically different from the East Sepik population (36 per cent. The results of this study indicated that other regional populations of PNG also have a relatively high incidence of the CYP2C19 genetic polymorphism compared with Caucasian populations. The high incidence reported in Vanuatu, however, may be due to genetic drift rather than a PNG founder population, as the Vanuatu population is dominated by the CYP2C19*2 allele, with a lower contribution from the *3 allelic variant.

Quality of antimalarial drugs and antibiotics in Papua New Guinea: a survey of the health facility supply chain.

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Hetzel, Manuel W; Page-Sharp, Madhu; Bala, Nancy; Pulford, Justin; Betuela, Inoni; Davis, Timothy M E; Lavu, Evelyn K

2014-01-01

Poor-quality life-saving medicines are a major public health threat, particularly in settings with a weak regulatory environment. Insufficient amounts of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) endanger patient safety and may contribute to the development of drug resistance. In the case of malaria, concerns relate to implications for the efficacy of artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACT). In Papua New Guinea (PNG), Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax are both endemic and health facilities are the main source of treatment. ACT has been introduced as first-line treatment but other drugs, such as primaquine for the treatment of P. vivax hypnozoites, are widely available. This study investigated the quality of antimalarial drugs and selected antibiotics at all levels of the health facility supply chain in PNG. Medicines were obtained from randomly sampled health facilities and selected warehouses and hospitals across PNG and analysed for API content using validated high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Of 360 tablet/capsule samples from 60 providers, 9.7% (95% CI 6.9, 13.3) contained less, and 0.6% more, API than pharmacopoeial reference ranges, including 29/37 (78.4%) primaquine, 3/70 (4.3%) amodiaquine, and one sample each of quinine, artemether, sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine and amoxicillin. According to the package label, 86.5% of poor-quality samples originated from India. Poor-quality medicines were found in 48.3% of providers at all levels of the supply chain. Drug quality was unrelated to storage conditions. This study documents the presence of poor-quality medicines, particularly primaquine, throughout PNG. Primaquine is the only available transmission-blocking antimalarial, likely to become important to prevent the spread of artemisinin-resistant P. falciparum and eliminating P. vivax hypnozoites. The availability of poor-quality medicines reflects the lack of adequate quality control and regulatory mechanisms. Measures to stop the availability of

Health Services for Gender-Based Violence: Médecins Sans Frontières Experience Caring for Survivors in Urban Papua New Guinea.

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Kamalini Lokuge

Full Text Available Levels of gender-based violence in Papua New Guinea (PNG are high; health services for survivors are limited. Evidence from the few existing health services for survivors can inform improvements in care in this and similar settings.Médecins Sans Frontières supported health services for survivors in Lae, PNG from 2008-2013. Routine monitoring data from August 2010-April 2013 were used to describe patient and service characteristics.5,892 individuals received care over 6,860 presentations, the majority self-referred or referred by friends and family. Presentations were attributed to intimate partner violence(62%, non-partner sexual violence(15%, other forms of violence(3%, and past (but not current violence(21%. 97% were female; an estimated 4.9% (95%CI:4.8-5.0% of females resident in the catchment area presented to the programme during the 2.8years analysed. Of presentations for non-partner sexual violence, 79% knew their abuser and 50% were children <16 years. 92% of presentations reporting current violence received medical treatment for injuries. The majority of patients who received multiple counselling sessions reported improved functioning and decreased severity of psycho-social complaints.Community awareness of the availability of free, best-practice, accessible, confidential medical and counselling services for sexual and gender-based violence in Lae, PNG resulted in many survivors presenting for care. High levels of ongoing intimate partner violence and child sexual abuse by known abusers indicates that alongside comprehensive medical care, access to effective services in non-health sectors such as policing, protection and legal services are needed if survivors are to escape the cycle of violence.

Archaeal and Bacterial Variation Across Geochemical Gradients in an Arsenic-Rich, Shallow Submarine Vent, Papua New Guinea

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Meyer-Dombard, D. R.; Osburn, M. R.; Amend, J. P.

2005-12-01

Near the Feni Islands of Papua New Guinea, reduced hydrothermal fluids mix with seawater, establishing redox disequilibria that may serve as energy sources for chemotrophic Archaea and Bacteria. Of particular interest are elevated arsenite concentrations (1000 μg/L) in the vent water and arsenate-rich ferrihydrite deposits (up to 7 wt.%) that envelope the sediment and coral. In sediment pore waters out to > 200m from the vents, a steeply decreasing arsenic gradient is observed. To establish a baseline of microbial community composition at the vent fluid-seawater interface, bulk DNA was extracted from ferrihydrite coatings, then amplified (16S rRNA, targeting both Archaea and Bacteria), cloned, and sequenced. Red and green biofilms associated with the coatings revealed archaeal communities exclusively composed of deeply-branching, uncultured Crenarchaea. The bacterial members of the community differed in the two biofilms; the red biofilm is primarily composed of gamma Proteobacteria, Chloroflexis, and Planctomycetes, but 60% of clones from the green biofilm community affiliates with the alpha Proteobacteria and candidate group OP11. The remaining portion of the bacterial community in the red coating is made of Thermotogales, Aquificales, Thermales phylotypes and uncultured Bacteria, while OP10, Chloroflexis and Plantomycetales complete the community in the green coatings. No clones associating with thermophilic bacterial groups were found in the green coatings. To provide a comparison to the vent source communities, a sediment core was taken 2.5m from the vent and two depths (10 and 40cm) were analyzed by similar molecular analysis. In both core horizons, the archaeal community is composed of > 75% uncultured Crenarchaea, similar to phylotypes found in deep-sea and terrestrial hydrothermal locations, with the remainder of the communities from known crenarchaeal phylotypes. The bacterial communities are primarily Chloroflexis and gamma Proteobacteria-like phylotypes

Implications of male circumcision for women in Papua New Guinea: a transformational grounded theory study.

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Redman-MacLaren, Michelle; Mills, Jane; Tommbe, Rachael; MacLaren, David; Speare, Rick; McBride, William J H

2017-07-27

Male circumcision reduces the risk of female-to-male transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and is being explored for HIV prevention in Papua New Guinea (PNG). PNG has a concentrated HIV epidemic which is largely heterosexually transmitted. There are a diverse range of male circumcision and penile modification practices across PNG. Exploring the implications of male circumcision for women in PNG is important to inform evidence-based health policy that will result in positive, intended consequences. The transformational grounded theory study incorporated participatory action research and decolonizing methodologies. In Phase One, an existing data set from a male circumcision study of 861 male and 519 female participants was theoretically sampled and analyzed for women's understanding and experience of male circumcision. In Phase Two of the study, primary data were co-generated with 64 women in seven interpretive focus group discussions and 11 semi-structured interviews to develop a theoretical model of the processes used by women to manage the outcomes of male circumcision. In Phase Three participants assisted to refine the developing transformational grounded theory and identify actions required to improve health. Many women know a lot about male circumcision and penile modification and the consequences for themselves, their families and communities. Their ability to act on this knowledge is determined by numerous social, cultural and economic factors. A transformational grounded theory was developed with connecting categories of: Women Know a Lot, Increasing Knowledge; Increasing Options; and Acting on Choices. Properties and dimensions of each category are represented in the model, along with the intervening condition of Safety. The condition of Safety contextualises the overarching lived realty for women in PNG, enables the inclusion of men in the transformational grounded theory model, and helps to explain relationships between men and women. The

Male circumcision for HIV prevention in Papua New Guinea: a summary of research evidence and recommendations for public health following a national policy forum.

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Vallely, A; MacLaren, D J; Kaleva, W; Millan, J; Tommbe, R; Marape, W; Manineng, C; Buchanan, H; Amos, A; Frank, R; Kelly, A; Kupul, M; Aeno, H; Trowalle, E; John, L N; Redman-Maclaren, M L; Ryan, C; Browne, K; Tynan, A; Hill, P S; Gray, R T; Murray, J; Wilson, D P; Law, G; Siba, P; McBride, W J H; Farley, T; Kaldor, J M

2011-01-01

In 2005, a clinical trial in South Africa found that circumcision of young men could reduce their risk of acquiring HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infection by over 60%. In the following year, two more trials in Africa confirmed this finding, leading the World Health Organization to recommend male circumcision as a public health strategy for HIV prevention in high-incidence countries. In order to inform public health policy in Papua New Guinea (PNG), two major research projects were initiated with the goals of investigating the status of penile cutting practices and assessing understandings, acceptability, feasibility and cost-effectiveness of male circumcision for HIV prevention. In addition, behavioural surveillance surveys systematically asked questions on penile cutting practices and an ethnographic literature review informed historical perspectives of penile cutting in PNG. Key findings from these research activities were presented at a National Policy Forum on Male Circumcision for HIV Prevention held in Port Moresby in November 2011. The Forum made three key recommendations: (1) the formation of a joint National Department of HealthlNational AIDS Council Secretariat Policy Committee on male circumcision; (2) the establishment of an integrated harm reduction program; and (3) that future policy on wide-scale roll-out of male circumcision for HIV prevention in PNG be informed by a combination of data from (a) male circumcision intervention pilot programs and (b) research on the potential protective effect of other forms of penile cutting.

Examining the broader psychosocial effects of mass conflict on PTSD symptoms and functional impairment amongst West Papuan refugees resettled in Papua New Guinea (PNG).

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Tay, Alvin Kuowei; Rees, Susan; Chan, Jack; Kareth, Moses; Silove, Derrick

2015-05-01

Mass conflict and displacement erode the core psychosocial foundations of society, but there is a dearth of quantitative data examining the long-term mental health effects of these macrocosmic changes, particularly in relation to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. In 2013, we conducted a cross-sectional community study (n = 230) of West Papuan refugees residing in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, testing a moderated-mediation structural equation model of PTSD symptoms in which we examined relationships involving the psychosocial effects of mass conflict and displacement based on the Adaptation and Development after Persecution and Trauma (ADAPT) model, a trauma count (TC) of traumatic events (TEs) related to mass conflict, and a count index of current adversity (AC). A direct and an indirect path via AC led to PTSD symptoms. The ADAPT index exerted two effects on PTSD symptoms, an indirect effect via AC, and a moderating effect on TC. PTSD symptoms were directly associated with functional impairment. Although based on cross-sectional data, our findings provide support for a core prediction of the ADAPT model, that is, that undermining of the core psychosocial foundations of society brought about by mass conflict and displacement exerts an indirect and moderating influence on PTSD symptoms. The path model supports the importance of repairing the psychosocial pillars of society as a foundation for addressing trauma-related symptoms and promoting the functioning of refugees. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Glycophorin C (Gerbich Antigen Blood Group) and Band 3 Polymorphisms in Two Malaria Holoendemic Regions of Papua New Guinea

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Patel, Sheral S.; King, Christopher L.; Mgone, Charles S.; Kazura, James W.; Zimmerman, Peter A.

2013-01-01

The geographic overlap between the prevalence of erythrocyte polymorphisms and malaria endemicity is thought to be an example of natural selection on human populations. In Papua New Guinea (PNG), the Gerbich-negative phenotype is caused by an exon 3 deletion in the glycophorin C gene (GYPCΔex3) while heterozygosity for a 27-base pair deletion in the SLC4A1 gene (anion exchanger 1 or erythrocyte membrane protein, band 3), SLC4A1Δ27, results in Southeast Asian ovalocytosis. Two geographically and ethnically distinct malaria endemic regions of PNG (the Wosera [East Sepik Province] and Liksul [Madang Province]) were studied to illustrate the distribution of two prominent deletion polymorphisms (GYPCΔex3 and SLC4A1Δ27) and to determine if the genetic load associated with SLC4A1Δ27 would constrain independent assortment of GYPCΔex3 heterozygous and homozygous genotypes. The frequency of the GYPCΔex3 allele was higher in the Wosera (0.463) than Liksul (0.176) (χ2; P < 0.0001). Conversely, the frequency of the SLC4A1Δ27 allele was higher in Liksul (0.0740) than the Wosera (0.0005) (χ2; P < 0.0001). No individuals were homozygous for SLC4A1Δ27. In 355 Liksul residents, independent assortment of these two deletion polymorphisms resulted in 14 SLC4A1Δ27 carriers heterozygous for GYPCΔex3 and one SLC4A1Δ27 carrier homozygous for GYPCΔex3 (Fisher’s exact test; P = 0.8040). While homozygosity for SLC4A1Δ27 appears to be nonviable, the GYPCΔex3 allele is not lethal when combined with SLC4A1Δ27. Neither mutation was associated with altered susceptibility to asymptomatic Plasmodium falciparum or P. vivax infection. While these erythrocyte polymorphisms apparently have no effect on blood-stage malaria infection, their contribution to susceptibility to clinical malaria morbidity requires further study. PMID:14695625

Higher Complexity of Infection and Genetic Diversity of Plasmodium vivax Than Plasmodium falciparum across all Malaria Transmission Zones of Papua New Guinea

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Fola, Abebe A.; Harrison, G. L. Abby; Hazairin, Mita Hapsari; Barnadas, Céline; Hetzel, Manuel W.; Iga, Jonah; Siba, Peter M.; Mueller, Ivo; Barry, Alyssa E.

2017-01-01

Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax have varying transmission dynamics that are informed by molecular epidemiology. This study aimed to determine the complexity of infection and genetic diversity of P. vivax and P. falciparum throughout Papua New Guinea (PNG) to evaluate transmission dynamics across the country. In 2008–2009, a nationwide malaria indicator survey collected 8,936 samples from all 16 endemic provinces of PNG. Of these, 892 positive P. vivax samples were genotyped at PvMS16 and PvmspF3, and 758 positive P. falciparum samples were genotyped at Pfmsp2. The data were analyzed for multiplicity of infection (MOI) and genetic diversity. Overall, P. vivax had higher polyclonality (71%) and mean MOI (2.32) than P. falciparum (20%, 1.39). These measures were significantly associated with prevalence for P. falciparum but not for P. vivax. The genetic diversity of P. vivax (PvMS16: expected heterozygosity = 0.95, 0.85–0.98; PvMsp1F3: 0.78, 0.66–0.89) was higher and less variable than that of P. falciparum (Pfmsp2: 0.89, 0.65–0.97). Significant associations of MOI with allelic richness (rho = 0.69, P = 0.009) and expected heterozygosity (rho = 0.87, P < 0.001) were observed for P. falciparum. Conversely, genetic diversity was not correlated with polyclonality nor mean MOI for P. vivax. The results demonstrate higher complexity of infection and genetic diversity of P. vivax across the country. Although P. falciparum shows a strong association of these parameters with prevalence, a lack of association was observed for P. vivax and is consistent with higher potential for outcrossing of this species. PMID:28070005

Nationwide genetic surveillance of Plasmodium vivax in Papua New Guinea reveals heterogeneous transmission dynamics and routes of migration amongst subdivided populations.

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Fola, Abebe A; Nate, Elma; Abby Harrison, G L; Barnadas, Céline; Hetzel, Manuel W; Iga, Jonah; Siba, Peter; Mueller, Ivo; Barry, Alyssa E

2018-03-01

The Asia Pacific Leaders in Malaria Alliance (APLMA) have committed to eliminate malaria from the region by 2030. Papua New Guinea (PNG) has the highest malaria burden in the Asia-Pacific region but with the intensification of control efforts since 2005, transmission has been dramatically reduced and Plasmodium vivax is now the dominant malaria infection in some parts of the country. To gain a better understanding of the transmission dynamics and migration patterns of P. vivax in PNG, here we investigate population structure in eight geographically and ecologically distinct regions of the country. A total of 219 P. vivax isolates (16-30 per population) were successfully haplotyped using 10 microsatellite markers. A wide range of genetic diversity (H e =0.37-0.87, R s =3.60-7.58) and significant multilocus linkage disequilibrium (LD) was observed in six of the eight populations (I A S =0.08-0.15 p-value<0.05) reflecting a spectrum of transmission intensities across the country. Genetic differentiation between regions was evident (Jost's D=0.07-0.72), with increasing divergence of populations with geographic distance. Overall, P. vivax isolates clustered into three major genetic populations subdividing the Mainland lowland and coastal regions, the Islands and the Highlands. P. vivax gene flow follows major human migration routes, and there was higher gene flow amongst Mainland parasite populations than among Island populations. The Central Province (samples collected in villages close to the capital city, Port Moresby), acts as a sink for imported infections from the three major endemic areas. These insights into P. vivax transmission dynamics and population networks will inform targeted strategies to contain malaria infections and to prevent the spread of drug resistance in PNG. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Beyond risk factors to lived experiences: young women's experiences of health in Papua New Guinea.

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Hinton, Rachael L; Earnest, Jaya

2009-01-01

The health of young women in rural Papua New Guinea (PNG) is often examined using individual-based risk factors which are decontextualized from the social and cultural relationships within which women's lives are embedded. Understanding the health meanings and perceptions of rural PNG women is important for bridging the gap between current health program delivery and the real needs of women. The objective of this study was to explore the health perceptions of rural PNG young women and to identify points in the lifespan where support may be required. Thirty-three young women aged between 15 and 29 years were involved in the research. Multiple data collection methods were used within interpretive qualitative methodology and these included in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, photo narrative and ranking exercises. The study was conducted in a rural community in the Wosera district of the East Sepik Province of PNG from mid-2005 to early 2006. Following a community meeting and targeted awareness about the project to female youth, purposive and snowball sampling was used to recruit young women aged 15-24 years. The mean age of participants was 21 years. Single and married participants, unmarried mothers, school leavers and current school attendees were represented. Informed consent was obtained prior to the sharing of women's narratives. Data were categorized and analysed for emerging themes and cross checked with participants for verification. Young women viewed their health in the context of their social and cultural world and in terms of their wider life experiences. The main theme uncovered young women's strong desires for independence. Young women depended on their parents for emotional support and material possessions, and positive parental support provided young women with the opportunity to move towards independence. Freedom from economic constraints was identified as important for autonomy, and having money was discussed as a requisite for good health

Fine-scale population structure of two anemones (Stichodactyla gigantea and Heteractis magnifica) in Kimbe Bay, Papua New Guinea

KAUST Repository

Gatins, Remy

2014-12-01

Anemonefish are one of the main groups that have been used over the last decade to empirically measure larval dispersal and connectivity in coral reef populations. A few species of anemones are integral to the life history of these fish, as well as other obligate symbionts, yet the biology and population structure of these anemones remains poorly understood. The aim of this study was to measure the genetic structure of these anemones within and between two reefs in order to assess their reproductive mode and dispersal potential. To do this, we sampled almost exhaustively two anemones species (Stichodactyla gigantea and Heteractis magnifica) at two small islands in Kimbe Bay (Papua New Guinea) separated by approximately 25 km. Both the host anemones and the anemonefish are heavily targeted for the aquarium trade, in addition to the populations being affected by bleaching pressures (Hill and Scott 2012; Hobbs et al. 2013; Saenz- Agudelo et al. 2011; Thomas et al. 2014), therefore understanding their biology is crucial for better management strategies. Panels of microsatellite markers were developed for each species using next generation sequencing tools. Clonality analyses confirm six pairs of identical genotypes for S. gigantea (n=350) and zero for H. magnifica (n=128), indicating presence/absence of asexual reproduction in this region. S. gigantea showed low structure between islands (FST= 0.003, p-value= 0.000), however, even if the majority of the individuals were unrelated (r~0), 81 families that shared 50% of their genetic material formed from two to four members were found. Out of these families, 45% were found with individuals only within Tuare Island, 11% only in Kimbe Island, and 44% were sharing individuals among islands. In comparison, H. magnifica showed no structure (FST= 0.002, p-value= 0.278), mean relatedness indicated the majority of individuals were unrelated, and 31 families were identified. Families again consisted from two to four members and

Solar powered oxygen systems in remote health centers in Papua New Guinea: a large scale implementation effectiveness trial.

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Duke, Trevor; Hwaihwanje, Ilomo; Kaupa, Magdalynn; Karubi, Jonah; Panauwe, Doreen; Sa'avu, Martin; Pulsan, Francis; Prasad, Peter; Maru, Freddy; Tenambo, Henry; Kwaramb, Ambrose; Neal, Eleanor; Graham, Hamish; Izadnegahdar, Rasa

2017-06-01

Pneumonia is the largest cause of child deaths in Papua New Guinea (PNG), and hypoxaemia is the major complication causing death in childhood pneumonia, and hypoxaemia is a major factor in deaths from many other common conditions, including bronchiolitis, asthma, sepsis, malaria, trauma, perinatal problems, and obstetric emergencies. A reliable source of oxygen therapy can reduce mortality from pneumonia by up to 35%. However, in low and middle income countries throughout the world, improved oxygen systems have not been implemented at large scale in remote, difficult to access health care settings, and oxygen is often unavailable at smaller rural hospitals or district health centers which serve as the first point of referral for childhood illnesses. These hospitals are hampered by lack of reliable power, staff training and other basic services. We report the methodology of a large implementation effectiveness trial involving sustainable and renewable oxygen and power systems in 36 health facilities in remote rural areas of PNG. The methodology is a before-and after evaluation involving continuous quality improvement, and a health systems approach. We describe this model of implementation as the considerations and steps involved have wider implications in health systems in other countries. The implementation steps include: defining the criteria for where such an intervention is appropriate, assessment of power supplies and power requirements, the optimal design of a solar power system, specifications for oxygen concentrators and other oxygen equipment that will function in remote environments, installation logistics in remote settings, the role of oxygen analyzers in monitoring oxygen concentrator performance, the engineering capacity required to sustain a program at scale, clinical guidelines and training on oxygen equipment and the treatment of children with severe respiratory infection and other critical illnesses, program costs, and measurement of processes and

Challenges for Quality Primary Education in Papua New Guinea—A Case Study

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Ravinder Rena

2011-01-01

Full Text Available There is an urgent need to reform the educational system to achieve universal primary education in Papua New Guinea (PNG. Even after 35 years of independence, PNG has been struggling to educate an estimated 2 million elementary- and primary-aged children and faces numerous challenges in providing Education for All (EFA. This study was conducted in four primary schools of Buma Yong area of Lae district of Morobe Province, PNG. The study revealed that the quality of education has been deteriorated over the past few decades. Many schools in PNG do not have classrooms, teachers, and basic facilities. As a result, the children are losing interest in going to school. The children dropped out of school so as to assist their families in the household and agricultural activities. It also reveals that the dropout rate of girls is more than that of the boys due to the gender disparity in the country. The study recommended that budgetary allocations should be increased so as to improve the infrastructural facilities and encourage the children to attend primary school and thus achieve the Millennium Development Goal/Education For All in PNG.

Geochemistry of coral from Papua New Guinea as a proxy for ENSO ocean-atmosphere interactions in the Pacific Warm Pool

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Ayliffe, Linda K.; Bird, Michael I.; Gagan, Michael K.; Isdale, Peter J.; Scott-Gagan, Heather; Parker, Bruce; Griffin, David; Nongkas, Michael; McCulloch, Malcolm T.

2004-12-01

A Porites sp. coral growing offshore from the Sepik and Ramu Rivers in equatorial northern Papua New Guinea has yielded an accurate 20-year history (1977-1996) of sea surface temperature (SST), river discharge, and wind-induced mixing of the upper water column. Depressions in average SSTs of about 0.5-1.0 °C (indicated by coral Sr/Ca) and markedly diminished freshwater runoff to the coastal ocean (indicated by coral δ18O, δ13C and UV fluorescence) are evident during the El Niño - Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events of 1982-1983, 1987 and 1991-1993. The perturbations recorded by the coral are in good agreement with changes in instrumental SST and river discharge/precipitation records, which are known to be diagnostic of the response of the Pacific Warm Pool ocean-atmosphere system to El Niño. Consideration of coastal ocean dynamics indicates that the establishment of northwest monsoon winds promotes mixing of near-surface waters to greater depths in the first quarter of most years, making the coral record sensitive to changes in the Asian-Australian monsoon cycle. Sudden cooling of SSTs by ˜1°C following westerly wind episodes, as indicated by the coral Sr/Ca, is consistent with greater mixing in the upper water column at these times. Furthermore, the coral UV fluorescence and oxygen isotope data indicate minimal contribution of river runoff to surface ocean waters at the beginning of most years, during the time of maximum discharge. This abrupt shift in flood-plume behaviour appears to reflect the duration and magnitude of northwest monsoon winds, which tend to disperse flood plume waters to a greater extent in the water column when wind-mixing is enhanced. Our results suggest that a multi-proxy geochemical approach to the production of long coral records should provide comprehensive reconstructions of tropical paleoclimate processes operating on interannual timescales.

Vasectomy as a proxy: extrapolating health system lessons to male circumcision as an HIV prevention strategy in Papua New Guinea

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Tynan Anna

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Male circumcision (MC has been shown to reduce the risk of HIV acquisition among heterosexual men, with WHO recommending MC as an essential component of comprehensive HIV prevention programs in high prevalence settings since 2007. While Papua New Guinea (PNG has a current prevalence of only 1%, the high rates of sexually transmissible diseases and the extensive, but unregulated, practice of penile cutting in PNG have led the National Department of Health (NDoH to consider introducing a MC program. Given public interest in circumcision even without active promotion by the NDoH, examining the potential health systems implications for MC without raising unrealistic expectations presents a number of methodological issues. In this study we examined health systems lessons learned from a national no-scalpel vasectomy (NSV program, and their implications for a future MC program in PNG. Methods Fourteen in-depth interviews were conducted with frontline health workers and key government officials involved in NSV programs in PNG over a 3-week period in February and March 2011. Documentary, organizational and policy analysis of HIV and vasectomy services was conducted and triangulated with the interviews. All interviews were digitally recorded and later transcribed. Application of the WHO six building blocks of a health system was applied and further thematic analysis was conducted on the data with assistance from the analysis software MAXQDA. Results Obstacles in funding pathways, inconsistent support by government departments, difficulties with staff retention and erratic delivery of training programs have resulted in mixed success of the national NSV program. Conclusions In an already vulnerable health system significant investment in training, resources and negotiation of clinical space will be required for an effective MC program. Focused leadership and open communication between provincial and national government, NGOs and

Age and provenance of basement metasediments from the Kubor and Bena Bena Blocks, central Highlands, Papua New Guinea: constraints on the tectonic evolution of the northern Australian cratonic margin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wyck, N.V.; Williams, I.S.

2002-01-01

Detrital zircon from two basement blocks (Kubor and Bena Bena) in the central Highlands of Papua New Guinea has an age signature that strongly suggests a northern Australian provenance. Samples of the Omung Metamorphics, southeastern Kubor Block, together yield principal zircon populations with ages of ca 1.8 Ga (∼10 of the total), ca 1.55 Ga (∼10), 470-440 Ma (∼15), ca 340 Ma (∼ 10) and 290-260 Ma (∼40). Two tonalite stocks of the Kubor Intrusive Complex, which intrude the Omung Metamorphics, yield indistinguishable ages of 244.8 ± 4.9 Ma and 239.1 ± 4.2 Ma. Therefore, the deposition and subsequent deformation of the Omung Metamorphics is Late Permian to Early Triassic. A sample of Goroka Formation (Bena Bena Block) contains detrital zircon of similar ages to the Omung Metamorphics, ca 1.8 Ga (5), ca 1.55 Ga (∼45), ca 430 Ma (∼5) and ca 310 Ma (∼40), suggesting that the Goroka Formation has a similar provenance and might be correlative. In contrast, a metapsammite from the Bena Bena Formation yielded only ages of 290-280 Ma (85) and ca 240 Ma (15). A tuff interbedded in the Bena Bena Formation yielded only igneous zircon with a Late Triassic age of 221 ± 3 Ma. Contrary to previous interpretations, the Bena Bena Formation is probably younger than the Goroka Formation. Ages of New Guinea detrital zircon closely match those of igneous and detrital zircon from the Coen Inlier, northeastern Queensland, but contrast with the ages of zircon from terranes further south, east and west. The Kubor and Bena Bena Blocks are not suspect terranes, but rather form part of the Australian craton. The craton margin, modified by rifting during the Mesozoic, was re-inverted during Cenozoic compression. The Australian craton, in the eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea, extends at least as far north as the Markham Valley, the northern edge of the Bena Bena terrane. All analyses were made on the SHRIMP II sensitive high resolution ion microprobe at the Australian

Life after Death

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2019-01-01

Ethnographic film Directed by Ton Otto and Christian Suhr Edited by Gary Kildea Baluan Island, Papua New Guinea......Ethnographic film Directed by Ton Otto and Christian Suhr Edited by Gary Kildea Baluan Island, Papua New Guinea...

Antibodies to ICAM1-binding PfEMP1-DBLβ are biomarkers of protective immunity to malaria in a cohort of young children from Papua New Guinea

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tessema, Sofonias K; Utama, Digjaya; Chesnokov, Olga

2018-01-01

Plasmodium falciparum Erythrocyte Membrane Protein 1 (PfEMP1) mediates parasite sequestration to the cerebral microvasculature via binding of DBLβ domains to Intercellular Adhesion Molecule 1 (ICAM1) and is associated with severe cerebral malaria. In a cohort of 187 young children from Papua New ...

Multi-decadal shoreline changes on Takú Atoll, Papua New Guinea: Observational evidence of early reef island recovery after the impact of storm waves

Science.gov (United States)

Mann, Thomas; Westphal, Hildegard

2016-03-01

Hurricanes, tropical cyclones and other high-magnitude events are important steering mechanisms in the geomorphic development of coral reef islands. Sandy reef islands located outside the storm belts are strongly sensitive to the impact of occasional high-magnitude events and show abrupt, commonly erosive geomorphic change in response to such events. Based on the interpretation of remote sensing data, it is well known that the process of landform recovery might take several decades or even longer. However, despite the increasing amount of scientific attention towards short- and long-term island dynamics, the lack of data and models often prevent a robust analysis of the timing and nature of recovery initiation. Here we show how natural island recovery starts immediately after the impact of a high-magnitude event. We analyze multi-temporal shoreline changes on Takú Atoll, Papua New Guinea and combine our findings with a unique set of published field observations (Smithers and Hoeke, 2014). Trends of shoreline change since 1943 and changes in planform island area indicate a long-term accretionary mode for most islands. Apparent shoreline instability is detected for the last decade of analysis, however this can be explained by the impact of storm waves in December 2008 that (temporarily?) masked the long-term trend. The transition from negative to positive rates of change in the aftermath of this storm event is indicative of inherent negative feedback processes that counteract short-term changes in energy input and represent the initiation of island recovery. Collectively, our results support the concept of dynamic rather than static reef islands and clearly demonstrate how short-term processes can influence interpretations of medium-term change.

DNA-based identifications reveal multiple introductions of the vegetable leafminer Liriomyza sativae (Diptera: Agromyzidae) into the Torres Strait Islands and Papua New Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

Blacket, M J; Rice, A D; Semeraro, L; Malipatil, M B

2015-10-01

Leafmining flies (Diptera: Agromyzidae) can be serious economic pests of horticultural crops. Some genera such as Liriomyza are particularly problematic with numerous species, some of which are highly polyphagous (wide host range), which can only be confidently identified morphologically from adult males. In our study, DNA barcoding was employed to establish new locality records of the vegetable leafminer fly, Liriomyza sativae, from the islands of Torres Strait (Queensland, Australia) and the central highlands of Papua New Guinea (PNG). These records represent significant range extensions of this highly invasive plant pest. Specimens of immature leafminers (from leaf mines) were collected over a 5-year period during routine plant health surveys in ethanol or on FTA® filter paper cards, both methods proved effective at preserving and transporting insect DNA under tropical conditions, with FTA cards possessing some additional logistical benefits. Specimens were identified through sequencing two sections of the cytochrome oxidase I gene and the utility of each was assessed for the identification of species and intra-specific genetic lineages. Our study indicates that multiple haplotypes of L. sativae occur in PNG, while a different haplotype is present in the Torres Strait, with genetic regionalization between these areas apart from a single possible instance - one haplotype 'S.7' appears to be common between these two regions - interestingly this has also been the most common haplotype detected in previous studies of invasive L. sativae populations. The DNA barcoding methods employed here not only identified multiple introductions of L. sativae, but also appear generally applicable to the identification of other agromyzid leafminers (Phytomyzinae and Agromyzinae) and should decrease the likelihood of potentially co-amplifying internal hymenopteran parasitoids. Currently, L. sativae is still not recorded from the Australian mainland; however, further sampling of

Ownership and usage of mosquito nets after four years of large-scale free distribution in Papua New Guinea

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Hetzel Manuel W

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Papua New Guinea (PNG is a highly malaria endemic country in the South-West Pacific with a population of approximately 6.6 million (2009. In 2004, the country intensified its malaria control activities with support from the Global Fund. With the aim of achieving 80% ownership and usage, a country-wide campaign distributed two million free long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLINs. Methods In order to evaluate outcomes of the campaign against programme targets, a country-wide household survey based on stratified multi-stage random sampling was carried out in 17 of the 20 provinces after the campaign in 2008/09. In addition, a before-after assessment was carried out in six purposively selected sentinel sites. A structured questionnaire was administered to the heads of sampled households to elicit net ownership and usage information. Results After the campaign, 64.6% of households owned a LLIN, 80.1% any type of mosquito net. Overall usage by household members amounted to 32.5% for LLINs and 44.3% for nets in general. Amongst children under five years, 39.5% used a LLIN and 51.8% any type of net, whereas 41.3% of pregnant women used a LLIN and 56.1% any net. Accessibility of villages was the key determinant of net ownership, while usage was mainly determined by ownership. Most (99.5% of the household members who did not sleep under a net did not have access to a (unused net in their household. In the sentinel sites, LLIN ownership increased from 9.4% to 88.7%, ownership of any net from 52.7% to 94.1%. Usage of LLINs increased from 5.5% to 55.1%, usage of any net from 37.3% to 66.7%. Among children under five years, usage of LLINs and of nets in general increased from 8.2% to 67.0% and from 44.6% to 76.1%, respectively (all p ≤ 0.001. Conclusions While a single round of free distribution of LLINs significantly increased net ownership, an insufficient number of nets coupled with a heterogeneous distribution led to overall

Complex fold and thrust belt structural styles: Examples from the Greater Juha area of the Papuan Fold and Thrust Belt, Papua New Guinea

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Mahoney, Luke; Hill, Kevin; McLaren, Sandra; Hanani, Amanda

2017-07-01

The remote and inhospitable Papuan Fold Belt in Papua New Guinea is one of the youngest yet least well-documented fold and thrust belts on Earth. Within the frontal Greater Juha area we have carried out >100 km of geological traverses and associated analyses that have added significantly to the contemporary geological and geophysical dataset. Our structural analysis provides evidence of major inversion, detachment and triangle zone faults within the uplifted Eastern Muller Ranges. We have used the dataset to develop a quasi-3D model for the Greater Juha area, with associated cross-sections revealing that the exposed Cenozoic Darai Limestone is well-constrained with very low shortening of 12.6-21.4% yet structures are elevated up to 7 km above regional. We suggest the inversion of pre-existing rift architecture is the primary influence on the evolution of the area and that structures link to the surface via triangle zones and detachment faults within the incompetent Mesozoic passive-margin sedimentary sequence underlying competent Darai Limestone. Arc-normal oriented structures, dominantly oblique dextral, up-to-the-southeast, are pervasive across a range of scales and are here interpreted to relate at depth to weakened pre-existing basement cross-structures. It is proposed that Palaeozoic basement fabric controlled the structural framework of the basin during Early Mesozoic rifting forming regional-scale accommodation zones and related local-scale transfer structures that are now expressed as regional-scale arc-normal lineaments and local-scale arc-normal structures, respectively. Transfer structures, including complexly breached relay ramps, utilise northeast-southwest striking weaknesses associated with the basement fabric, as a mechanism for accommodating displacement along major northwest-southeast striking normal faults. These structures have subsequently been inverted to form arc-normal oriented zones of tear faulting that accommodate laterally variable

Estimating rainforest biomass stocks and carbon loss from deforestation and degradation in Papua New Guinea 1972-2002: Best estimates, uncertainties and research needs.

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Bryan, Jane; Shearman, Phil; Ash, Julian; Kirkpatrick, J B

2010-01-01

Reduction of carbon emissions from tropical deforestation and forest degradation is being considered a cost-effective way of mitigating the impacts of global warming. If such reductions are to be implemented, accurate and repeatable measurements of forest cover change and biomass will be required. In Papua New Guinea (PNG), which has one of the world's largest remaining areas of tropical forest, we used the best available data to estimate rainforest carbon stocks, and emissions from deforestation and degradation. We collated all available PNG field measurements which could be used to estimate carbon stocks in logged and unlogged forest. We extrapolated these plot-level estimates across the forested landscape using high-resolution forest mapping. We found the best estimate of forest carbon stocks contained in logged and unlogged forest in 2002 to be 4770 Mt (+/-13%). Our best estimate of gross forest carbon released through deforestation and degradation between 1972 and 2002 was 1178 Mt (+/-18%). By applying a long-term forest change model, we estimated that the carbon loss resulting from deforestation and degradation in 2001 was 53 Mt (+/-18%), rising from 24 Mt (+/-15%) in 1972. Forty-one percent of 2001 emissions resulted from logging, rising from 21% in 1972. Reducing emissions from logging is therefore a priority for PNG. The large uncertainty in our estimates of carbon stocks and fluxes is primarily due to the dearth of field measurements in both logged and unlogged forest, and the lack of PNG logging damage studies. Research priorities for PNG to increase the accuracy of forest carbon stock assessments are the collection of field measurements in unlogged forest and more spatially explicit logging damage studies. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Performance of four-year-old Australian and Papua New Guinean ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study to compare performance of three Australian–Papua New Guinean Acacia species/provenances (A. mangium, A. auriculiformis, A. crassicarpa) and A. julifera was conducted at Kongowe, Kibaha, Tanzania. Species/provenances were evaluated for survival, growth (diameter, height and volume), wood basic ...

Successes and failures of using the cell phone as a main mode of communication between participants and facilitators from a distance: an innovative method of training rural health facility managers in Papua New Guinea.

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Au, Lucy

2012-01-01

Rural Health Facility Management Training is a training program developed by the National Department of Health in collaboration with AUSAID through the office of the Capacity Building Service Centre. The purpose of the training is to train officers-in-charge who did not acquire knowledge and skills of managing a health facility. As part of this study, it is essential to assess whether the cell phone is a better mode of communication between the participants and the facilitators compared with other modes of communication from a distance. The study used the cross-sectional method to collect 160 samples from 12 provinces and the statistical software Stata (version 8) was used to analyse the data. The results showed that mobile coverage is not very effective in most rural areas, though, it is efficient and accessible. Furthermore, it is expensive to make a call compared with sending text massages. In spite of the high cost involved, most health managers prefer to use the cell phone compared to normal post, email, or fax. This clearly shows that the mobile phone is a better device for distant learning in rural Papua New Guinea compared to other modes of communication.

Long-term acceptability, durability and bio-efficacy of ZeroVector® durable lining for vector control in Papua New Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuadima, Joseph J; Timinao, Lincoln; Naidi, Laura; Tandrapah, Anthony; Hetzel, Manuel W; Czeher, Cyrille; Pulford, Justin

2017-02-28

This study examined the acceptability, durability and bio-efficacy of pyrethroid-impregnated durable lining (DL) over a three-year period post-installation in residential homes across Papua New Guinea (PNG). ZeroVector ® ITPS had previously been installed in 40 homes across four study sites representing a cross section of malaria transmission risk and housing style. Structured questionnaires, DL visual inspections and group interviews (GIs) were completed with household heads at 12- and 36-months post-installation. Three DL samples were collected from all households in which it remained 36-months post-installation to evaluate the bio-efficacy of DL on Anopheles mosquitoes. Bio-efficacy testing followed WHO guidelines for the evaluation of indoor residual spraying. The DL was still intact in 86 and 39% of study homes at the two time periods, respectively. In homes in which the DL was still intact, 92% of household heads considered the appearance at 12-months post installation to be the same as, or better than, that at installation compared to 59% at 36-months post-installation. GIs at both time points confirmed continuing high acceptance of DL, based in large part of the perceived attractiveness and functionality of the material. However, participants frequently asserted that they, or their family members, had ceased or reduced their use of mosquito nets as a result of the DL installation. A total of 16 houses were sampled for bio-efficacy testing across the 4 study sites at 36-months post-installation. Overall, combining all sites and samples, both knock-down at 30 min and mortality at 24 h were 100%. The ZeroVector ® DL installation remained highly acceptable at 36-months post-installation, the material and fixtures proved durable and the efficacy against malaria vectors did not decrease. However, the DL material had been removed from over 50% of the original study homes 3 years post-installation, largely due to deteriorating housing infrastructure

A combined study of gas geochemistry, petrology, and lava effusion at Bagana, a unique persistently active lava cone in Papua New Guinea

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McCormick, B. T.; Salem, L. C.; Edmonds, M.; D'Aleo, R. N. M.; Aiuppa, A.; Arellano, S. R.; Wallius, J.; Galle, B.; Barry, P. H.; Ballentine, C. J.; Mulina, K.; Sindang, M.; Itikarai, I.; Wadge, G.; Lopez, T. M.; Fischer, T. P.

2016-12-01

Bagana volcano (Bougainville Island, Papua New Guinea) has exhibited nearly continuous extrusion of andesitic lava for over a century, but has largely been studied by satellite remote sensing. Satellite UV spectroscopy has revealed Bagana to be among the largest volcanic sources of sulfur dioxide worldwide. Satellite radar measurements of lava extrusion rate suggest that the entire edifice could have been built in only a few centuries. Bagana is dominantly constructed from lava flows, but also exhibits violent PDC-forming explosive eruptions, which threaten local populations.We present new multi-parameter data from fieldwork on Bagana in September 2016. UV spectrometers were deployed to ground-truth satellite observations of SO2 emissions, and track sub-daily variations in gas output. In situ measurements and sampling of emissions provide the first gas composition data for this volcano. Aerial imagery filmed by UAV was obtained to generate a high resolution DEM of the edifice for use in calibrating ongoing satellite radar studies of deformation and extrusion rate. Lava and tephra samples were gathered, with the aim of comparing melt composition and volatile content between eruptions of different style. The combination of gas geochemistry, geophysical monitoring from space, and petrology will be used to build a model framework to understand the pulsatory nature of Bagana's lava extrusion, and transitions to explosive activity.A campaign to a continuously active but poorly-studied volcano affords many opportunities for education and outreach. The campaign participants included early career scientists from five countries, who planned and carried out the fieldwork and exchanged expertise in a range of techniques. All work was undertaken in close collaboration with Rabaul Volcano Observatory, and was informed by their strategic monitoring goals, a valuable experience for the field team of synergising research activities with more operational concerns. Footage obtained

Comparative ethnobotany and in-the-field antibacterial testing of medicinal plants used by the Bulu and inland Kaulong of Papua New Guinea.

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Prescott, Thomas A K; Kiapranis, Robert; Maciver, Sutherland K

2012-01-31

The island of New Britain in Papua New Guinea is an area of great floristic and cultural diversity that has received little attention from ethnobotanists. Here we present the results of a comparative medicinal ethnobotanical survey of the Bulu and inland Kaulong; two distinct people groups inhabiting lowland rainforest on different sides of the island. A high proportion of species are used in the treatment of bacterial infections and plants with antibacterial activity were identified in the field using a specially developed antibacterial assay kit. Follow up testing with human pathogens was used to evaluate active plant material in more detail. Rapid appraisal techniques were used to survey both people groups with all data corroborated by three or more separate sources. Plants from both groups were tested in-the-field with a portable antibacterial test kit based on the agar diffusion assay, using a pressure cooker to sterilise glassware and media. Follow up laboratory based tests were carried out using standardised agar dilution protocols for drug resistant and drug sensitive strains of Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae. We find surprisingly little overlap in the plant species used by the two people groups with only 1 out of 70 species used for the same purpose. There is also a difference in emphasis in the conditions treated with 53% of Kaulong medicinal plants dedicated to treating tropical ulcers compared with only 8% of in the Bulu group. In-the-field testing identified Garcinia dulcis bark (a Kaulong tropical ulcer treatment) to have antibacterial activity and follow up tests against a drug resistant strain of Staphylococcus aureus (a pathogen implicated in tropical ulcer pathogenesis) revealed the crude bark extract to be potently active with an MIC of just 1 mg/ml. The results demonstrate extreme differences in medicinal plant use between two people groups living a mere 100 km apart and suggests the two medicinal plant systems have developed

Mine waste disposal leads to lower coral cover, reduced species richness and a predominance of simple coral growth forms on a fringing coral reef in Papua New Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

Haywood, M D E; Dennis, D; Thomson, D P; Pillans, R D

2016-04-01

A large gold mine has been operating at the Lihir Island Group, Papua New Guinea since 1997. The mine disposes of waste rock in nearshore waters, impacting nearby coral communities. During 2010, 2012 we conducted photographic surveys at 73 sites within 40 km of the mine to document impacts of mining operations on the hard coral communities. Coral communities close to the mine (∼2 km to the north and south of the mine) were depaurperate, but surprisingly, coral cover and community composition beyond this range appeared to be relatively similar, suggesting that the mine impacts were limited spatially. In particular, we found mining operations have resulted in a significant decrease in coral cover (4.4% 1.48 km from the disposal site c.f. 66.9% 10.36 km from the disposal site), decreased species richness and a predominance of less complex growth forms within ∼2 km to the north and south of the mine waste disposal site. In contrast to the two 'snapshot' surveys of corals performed in 2010 and 2012, long term data (1999-2012) based on visual estimates of coral cover suggested that impacts on coral communities may have been more extensive than this. With global pressures on the world's coral reefs increasing, it is vital that local, direct anthropogenic pressures are reduced, in order to help offset the impacts of climate change, disease and predation. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Untitled

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The concentration was checked spectrophotometrically before runs. Solutions of Na,SO, (J.T. Baker) were standardized before use [41). Analar grade HCIOand NaNO, were obtained from BDH. *Department of Chemistry. University of Papua New Guinea, P.O. Box 320, University. NCD Papua New. Guinea and Department ...

Partner testing, linkage to care, and HIV-free survival in a program to prevent parent-to-child transmission of HIV in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea

Science.gov (United States)

Carmone, Andy; Bomai, Korai; Bongi, Wayaki; Frank, Tarua Dale; Dalepa, Huleve; Loifa, Betty; Kiromat, Mobumo; Das, Sarthak; Franke, Molly F.

2014-01-01

Background To eliminate new pediatric HIV infections, interventions that facilitate adherence, including those that minimize stigma, enhance social support, and mitigate the influence of poverty, will likely be required in addition to combination antiretroviral therapy (ART). We examined the relationship between partner testing and infant outcome in a prevention of parent-to-child transmission of HIV program, which included a family-centered case management approach and a supportive environment for partner disclosure and testing. Design We analyzed routinely collected data for women and infants who enrolled in the parent-to-child transmission of HIV program at Goroka Family Clinic, Eastern Highlands Provincial Hospital, Papua New Guinea, from 2007 through 2011. Results Two hundred and sixty five women were included for analysis. Of these, 226 (85%) had a partner, 127 (56%) of whom had a documented HIV test. Of the 102 HIV-infected partners, 81 (79%) had been linked to care. In adjusted analyses, we found a significantly higher risk of infant death, infant HIV infection, or loss to follow-up among mother–infant pairs in which the mother reported having no partner or a partner who was not tested or had an unknown testing status. In a second multivariable analysis, infants born to women with more time on ART or who enrolled in the program in later years experienced greater HIV-free survival. Conclusions In a program with a patient-oriented and family-centered approach to prevent vertical HIV transmission, the majority of women's partners had a documented HIV test and, if positive, linkage to care. Having a tested partner was associated with program retention and HIV-free survival for infants. Programs aiming to facilitate diagnosis disclosure, partner testing, and linkage to care may contribute importantly to the elimination of pediatric HIV. PMID:25172429

Genogeography and Immune Epitope Characteristics of Hepatitis B Virus Genotype C Reveals Two Distinct Types: Asian and Papua-Pacific.

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Meta Dewi Thedja

Full Text Available Distribution of hepatitis B virus (HBV genotypes/subgenotypes is geographically and ethnologically specific. In the Indonesian archipelago, HBV genotype C (HBV/C is prevalent with high genome variability, reflected by the presence of 13 of currently existing 16 subgenotypes. We investigated the association between HBV/C molecular characteristics with host ethnicity and geographical distribution by examining various subgenotypes of HBV/C isolates from the Asia and Pacific region, with further analysis on the immune epitope characteristics of the core and surface proteins. Phylogenetic tree was constructed based on complete HBV/C genome sequences from Asia and Pacific region, and genetic distance between isolates was also examined. HBV/C surface and core immune epitopes were analyzed and grouped by comparing the amino acid residue characteristics and geographical origins. Based on phylogenetic tree and geographical origins of isolates, two major groups of HBV/C isolates--East-Southeast Asia and Papua-Pacific--were identified. Analysis of core and surface immune epitopes supported these findings with several amino acid substitutions distinguishing the East-Southeast Asia isolates from the Papua-Pacific isolates. A west-to-east gradient of HBsAg subtype distribution was observed with adrq+ prominent in the East and Southeast Asia and adrq- in the Pacific, with several adrq-indeterminate subtypes observed in Papua and Papua New Guinea (PNG. This study indicates that HBV/C isolates can be classified into two types, the Asian and the Papua-Pacific, based on the virus genome diversity, immune epitope characteristics, and geographical distribution, with Papua and PNG as the molecular evolutionary admixture region in the switching from adrq+ to adrq-.

Host associations and beta diversity of fungal endophyte communities in New Guinea rainforest trees.

Science.gov (United States)

Vincent, J B; Weiblen, G D; May, G

2016-02-01

Processes shaping the distribution of foliar fungal endophyte species remain poorly understood. Despite increasing evidence that these cryptic fungal symbionts of plants mediate interactions with pathogens and herbivores, there remain basic questions regarding the extent to which dispersal limitation and host specificity might shape fungal endophyte community composition in rainforests. To assess the relative importance of spatial pattern and host specificity, we isolated fungi from a sample of mapped trees in lowland Papua New Guinea. Sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region were obtained for 2079 fungal endophytes from three sites and clustered into molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs) at 95% similarity. Multivariate analyses suggest that host affinity plays a significant role in structuring endophyte community composition whereas there was no evidence of endophyte spatial pattern at the scale of tens to hundreds of metres. Differences in endophyte communities between sampled trees were weakly correlated with variation in foliar traits but not with tree species relatedness. The dominance of relatively few generalist endophytes and the presence of a large number of rare MOTUs was a consistent observation at three sites separated by hundreds of kilometres and regional turnover was low. Host specificity appears to play a relatively weak but more important role than dispersal limitation in shaping the distribution of fungal endophyte communities in New Guinea forests. Our results suggest that in the absence of strong ecological gradients and host turnover, beta diversity of endophyte communities could be low in large areas of contiguous forest. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 in Papua New Guinea: High frequency of previously uncharacterized CYP2D6 alleles and heterozygote excess.

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von Ahsen, Nicolas; Tzvetkov, Mladen; Karunajeewa, Harin A; Gomorrai, Servina; Ura, Alice; Brockmöller, Jürgen; Davis, Timothy M E; Mueller, Ivo; Ilett, Kenneth F; Oellerich, Michael

2010-08-18

A high frequency of previously unknown CYP2D6 alleles have been reported in Oceania populations. Genetic and functional properties of these alleles remain unknown. We performed analyses of the genetic variability of CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 genes using AmpliChip genotyping in cohorts from two distinct Papua New Guinea (PNG) populations (Kunjingini, n=88; Alexishafen, n=84) focussing on the genetic characterisation of PNG-specific alleles by re-sequencing. Previously unknown CYP2D6 alleles have population frequencies of 24% (Kunjingini) and 12% (Alexishafen). An allele similar to CYP2D6*1, but carrying the 1661G>C substitution, was the second most frequent CYP2D6 allele (20% Kunjingini and 10% Alexishafen population frequency). Sequencing suggests the CYP2D6* 1661G>C allele originated from a cross-over between CYP2D6*1 and *2 and thus is predicted to confer fully active CYP2D6 enzyme. Two additional predicted full activity alleles [1661G>C;4180G>C] and 31G>A were found in the Kunjingini cohort (frequencies 3 c/c and 1%, respectively) and a novel predicted reduced activity allele [100C>T;1039C>T] was found in the Alexishafen cohort (frequency 2%). A high frequency of ultra-rapid (15%) and notably low frequencies of intermediate and poor CYP2D6 metabolizers (exogamy and recent introduction of alleles by migration that are yet to reach HWE in relatively isolated populations. The CYP2D6*1661 allele common in Oceania may be regarded as functionally equivalent to the full activity CYP2D6*1 allele.

CUSO Librarians: Stories to Tell.

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Canadian Library Journal, 1985

1985-01-01

Reports from five librarians who recently worked for the Canadian University Service Overseas on 2-year contracts in the Third World are excerpted: Molly Walsh Miller (Nigeria); Peggy Sinclair (Papua New Guinea); Doug Arnott (The Gambia, West Africa); and Shirley Giggey (Sierra Leone, West Africa, and Papua New Guinea). (EJS)

Listening to diverse community voices: the tensions of responding to community expectations in developing a male circumcision program for HIV prevention in Papua New Guinea

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background The success of health programs is influenced not only by their acceptability but also their ability to meet and respond to community expectations of service delivery. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) have recommended medical male circumcision (MC) as an essential component of comprehensive HIV prevention programs in high burden settings. This study investigated community-level perceptions of MC for HIV prevention in Papua New Guinea (PNG), a setting where diverse traditional and contemporary forms of penile foreskin cutting practices have been described. Methods A multi-method qualitative study was undertaken in four provinces in two stages from 2009 to 2011. A total of 82 in-depth interviews, and 45 focus group discussions were completed during Stage 1. Stage 2 incorporated eight participatory workshops that were an integral part of the research dissemination process to communities. The workshops also provided opportunity to review key themes and consolidate earlier findings as part of the research process. Qualitative data analysis used a grounded theory approach and was facilitated using qualitative data management software. Results A number of diverse considerations for the delivery of MC for HIV prevention in PNG were described, with conflicting views both between and within communities. Key issues included: location of the service, service provider, age eligibility, type of cut, community awareness and potential shame amongst youth. Key to developing appropriate health service delivery models was an appreciation of the differences in expectations and traditions of unique cultural groups in PNG. Establishing strong community coalitions, raising awareness and building trust were seen as integral to success. Conclusions Difficulties exist in the implementation of new programs in a pluralistic society such as PNG, particularly if tensions arise between biomedical knowledge and medico

Listening to diverse community voices: the tensions of responding to community expectations in developing a male circumcision program for HIV prevention in Papua New Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

Tynan, Anna; Hill, Peter S; Kelly, Angela; Kupul, Martha; Aeno, Herick; Naketrumb, Richard; Siba, Peter; Kaldor, John; Vallely, Andrew

2013-08-13

The success of health programs is influenced not only by their acceptability but also their ability to meet and respond to community expectations of service delivery. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) have recommended medical male circumcision (MC) as an essential component of comprehensive HIV prevention programs in high burden settings. This study investigated community-level perceptions of MC for HIV prevention in Papua New Guinea (PNG), a setting where diverse traditional and contemporary forms of penile foreskin cutting practices have been described. A multi-method qualitative study was undertaken in four provinces in two stages from 2009 to 2011. A total of 82 in-depth interviews, and 45 focus group discussions were completed during Stage 1. Stage 2 incorporated eight participatory workshops that were an integral part of the research dissemination process to communities. The workshops also provided opportunity to review key themes and consolidate earlier findings as part of the research process. Qualitative data analysis used a grounded theory approach and was facilitated using qualitative data management software. A number of diverse considerations for the delivery of MC for HIV prevention in PNG were described, with conflicting views both between and within communities. Key issues included: location of the service, service provider, age eligibility, type of cut, community awareness and potential shame amongst youth. Key to developing appropriate health service delivery models was an appreciation of the differences in expectations and traditions of unique cultural groups in PNG. Establishing strong community coalitions, raising awareness and building trust were seen as integral to success. Difficulties exist in the implementation of new programs in a pluralistic society such as PNG, particularly if tensions arise between biomedical knowledge and medico-legal requirements, compared to existing

Brucella abortus surveillance of cattle in Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands and a case for active disease surveillance as a training tool.

Science.gov (United States)

Tukana, Andrew; Hedlefs, Robert; Gummow, Bruce

2016-10-01

There have been no surveys of the cattle population for brucellosis in the Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) for more than 15 years. This study used disease surveillance as a capacity building training tool and to examine some of the constraints that impede surveillance in PICTs. The study also developed and implemented a series of surveys for detecting antibodies to B. abortus in cattle in Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands contributing to OIE requirements. The findings indicated lack of funds, lack of technical capacity, shortage of veterinarians, high turnover of in-country officials and lack of awareness on the impacts of animal diseases on public health that were constraining active disease surveillance. During the development and implementation of the surveys, constraints highlighted were outdated census data on farm numbers and cattle population, lack of funds for mobilisation of officials to carry out the surveys, lack of equipment for collecting and processing samples, lack of staff knowledge on blood sampling, geographical difficulties and security in accessing farms. Some of the reasons why these were constraints are discussed with likely solutions presented. The detection surveys had the objectives of building capacity for the country officials and demonstrating freedom from brucellosis in cattle for PNG, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands. PNG, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands all demonstrated freedom from bovine brucellosis in the areas surveyed using the indirect ELISA test. Fiji had an outbreak of brucellosis, and the objective was to determine its distribution and prevalence on untested farms. The Muaniweni district surveyed during the training had a 95 % confidence interval for true prevalence between 1.66 and 5.45 %. The study showed that active disease surveillance could be used as a tool for training officials thus, improves surveillance capacity in resource poor countries.

Rural health workers and their work environment: the role of inter-personal factors on job satisfaction of nurses in rural Papua New Guinea

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Jayasuriya Rohan

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Job satisfaction is an important focal attitude towards work. Understanding factors that relate to job satisfaction allows interventions to be developed to enhance work performance. Most research on job satisfaction among nurses has been conducted in acute care settings in industrialized countries. Factors that relate to rural nurses are different. This study examined inter-personal, intra-personal and extra-personal factors that influence job satisfaction among rural primary care nurses in a Low and Middle Income country (LMIC, Papua New Guinea. Methods Data was collected using self administered questionnaire from rural nurses attending a training program from 15 of the 20 provinces. Results of a total of 344 nurses were available for analysis. A measure of overall job satisfaction and measures for facets of job satisfaction was developed in the study based on literature and a qualitative study. Multi-variate analysis was used to test prediction models. Results There was significant difference in the level of job satisfaction by age and years in the profession. Higher levels of overall job satisfaction and intrinsic satisfaction were seen in nurses employed by Church facilities compared to government facilities (P Conclusions This study provides empirical evidence that inter-personal relationships: work climate and supportive supervision are the most important influences of job satisfaction for rural nurses in a LMIC. These findings highlight that the provision of a conducive environment requires attention to human relations aspects. For PNG this is very important as this critical cadre provide the frontline of primary health care for more than 70% of the population of the country. Many LMIC are focusing on rural health, with most of the attention given to aspects of workforce numbers and distribution. Much less attention is given to improving the aspects of the working environment that enhances intrinsic satisfaction and

Rural health workers and their work environment: the role of inter-personal factors on job satisfaction of nurses in rural Papua New Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

Jayasuriya, Rohan; Whittaker, Maxine; Halim, Grace; Matineau, Tim

2012-06-12

Job satisfaction is an important focal attitude towards work. Understanding factors that relate to job satisfaction allows interventions to be developed to enhance work performance. Most research on job satisfaction among nurses has been conducted in acute care settings in industrialized countries. Factors that relate to rural nurses are different. This study examined inter-personal, intra-personal and extra-personal factors that influence job satisfaction among rural primary care nurses in a Low and Middle Income country (LMIC), Papua New Guinea. Data was collected using self administered questionnaire from rural nurses attending a training program from 15 of the 20 provinces. Results of a total of 344 nurses were available for analysis. A measure of overall job satisfaction and measures for facets of job satisfaction was developed in the study based on literature and a qualitative study. Multi-variate analysis was used to test prediction models. There was significant difference in the level of job satisfaction by age and years in the profession. Higher levels of overall job satisfaction and intrinsic satisfaction were seen in nurses employed by Church facilities compared to government facilities (P job satisfaction. The factors contributing most were work climate (17%) and supervisory support (10%). None of these factors were predictive of an intention to leave. This study provides empirical evidence that inter-personal relationships: work climate and supportive supervision are the most important influences of job satisfaction for rural nurses in a LMIC. These findings highlight that the provision of a conducive environment requires attention to human relations aspects. For PNG this is very important as this critical cadre provide the frontline of primary health care for more than 70% of the population of the country. Many LMIC are focusing on rural health, with most of the attention given to aspects of workforce numbers and distribution. Much less attention is

Association between visual inspection of the cervix with acetic acid examination and high-risk human papillomavirus infection, Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Trichomonas vaginalis in Papua New Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

Vallely, Andrew J; Toliman, Pamela J; Ryan, Claire; Rai, Glennis; Wapling, Johanna; Gabuzzi, Josephine; Kumbia, Antonia; Kombuk, Benny; Kombati, Zure; Vallely, Lisa M; Kelly-Hanku, Angela; Wand, Handan; Tabrizi, Sepehr N; Mola, Glen D L; Kaldor, John M

2018-01-30

Papua New Guinea (PNG) has among the highest estimated burdens of cervical cancer globally but currently has no national cervical screening program. Visual inspection of the cervix with acetic acid (VIA) is a low-cost screening strategy endorsed by the World Health Organization that has been adopted in many low-resource settings but not previously evaluated in PNG. To evaluate the association between VIA examination findings and high-risk HPV (hrHPV) infection; and the impact of concomitant genital Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Trichomonas vaginalis on the interpretation of VIA findings. A prospective clinical cohort study among women aged 30-59 years attending Well Woman Clinics in PNG. Main outcome measures were VIA examination findings and laboratory-confirmed hrHPV, C. trachomatis, N. gonorrhoeae and T. vaginalis. A total of 614 women were enrolled, of whom 87.5% (537/614) underwent VIA, and 12.5% (77/614) did not due to pre-existing cervicitis or inability to visualise the transformation zone. Among the 537 women who underwent VIA, 21.6% were VIA positive, 63.7% VIA negative, and 14.7% had indeterminate findings. The prevalence of hrHPV infection (n = 614) was 14.7%; C. trachomatis, 7.5%; N. gonorrhoeae, 8.0%; and T. vaginalis, 15.0%. VIA positive women were more likely to have HPV16 (odds ratio: 5.0; 95%CI: 1.6-15.6; P = 0.006) but there was no association between HPV18/45, all hrHPV types (combined), C. trachomatis, N. gonorrhoeae or T. vaginalis. VIA positivity was associated with HPV16, but not with other hrHPV infections, nor with genital C. trachomatis, N. gonorrhoeae or T. vaginalis in this setting. © 2018 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

The usefulness of twenty-four molecular markers in predicting treatment outcome with combination therapy of amodiaquine plus sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine against falciparum malaria in Papua New Guinea

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Reeder John C

2008-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In Papua New Guinea (PNG, combination therapy with amodiaquine (AQ or chloroquine (CQ plus sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP was introduced as first-line treatment against uncomplicated malaria in 2000. Methods We assessed in vivo treatment failure rates with AQ+SP in two different areas in PNG and twenty-four molecular drug resistance markers of Plasmodium falciparum were characterized in pre-treatment samples. The aim of the study was to investigate the association between infecting genotype and treatment response in order to identify useful predictors of treatment failure with AQ+SP. Results In 2004, Day-28 treatment failure rates for AQ+SP were 29% in the Karimui and 19% in the South Wosera area, respectively. The strongest independent predictors for treatment failure with AQ+SP were pfmdr1 N86Y (OR = 7.87, p pfdhps A437G (OR = 3.44, p pfcrt K76T, A220S, N326D, and I356L did not help to increase the predictive value, the most likely reason being that these mutations reached almost fixed levels. Though mutations in SP related markers pfdhfr S108N and C59R were not associated with treatment failure, they increased the predictive value of pfdhps A437G. The difference in treatment failure rate in the two sites was reflected in the corresponding genetic profile of the parasite populations, with significant differences seen in the allele frequencies of mutant pfmdr1 N86Y, pfmdr1 Y184F, pfcrt A220S, and pfdhps A437G. Conclusion The study provides evidence for high levels of resistance to the combination regimen of AQ+SP in PNG and indicates which of the many molecular markers analysed are useful for the monitoring of parasite resistance to combinations with AQ+SP.

A Life Cycle Analysis on a Bio-DME production system considering the species of biomass feedstock in Japan and Papua New Guinea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Higo, Masashi; Dowaki, Kiyoshi

2010-01-01

This paper describes the performance and/or CO 2 intensities of a Bio-DME (Biomass Di-methyl Ether) production system, considering the differences of biomass feedstock. In the past LCA studies on an energy chain model, there is little knowledge on the differences of biomass feedstock and/or available condition. Thus, in this paper, we selected Papua New Guinea (PNG) which has good potential for supply of an energy crop (a short rotation forestry), and Japan where wood remnants are available, as model areas. Also, we referred to 9 species of biomass feedstock of PNG, and to 8 species in Japan. The system boundary on our LCA consists of (1) the pre-treatment process, (2) the energy conversion process, and (3) the fuel transportation process. Especially, since the pre-treatment process has uncertainties related to the moisture content of biomass feedstock, as well as the distance from the cultivation site to the energy plant, we considered them by the Monte Carlo simulation. Next, we executed the process design of the Bio-DME production system based on the basic experimental results of pyrolysis and char gasification reactions. Due to these experiments, the gas components of pyrolysis and the gasification rate under H 2 O (steam) and CO 2 were obtained. Also, we designed the pressurized fluid-bed gasification process. In a liquefaction process, that is, a synthesis process of DME, the result based on an equilibrium constant was used. In the proposed system, a steam turbine for an auxiliary power was assumed to be equipped, too. The energy efficiencies are 39.0-56.8 LHV-%, depending upon the biomass species. Consequently, CO 2 intensities in the whole system were 16.3-47.2 g-CO 2 /MJ-DME in the Japan case, and 12.2-36.7 g-CO 2 /MJ-DME in the PNG one, respectively. Finally, using the results of CO 2 intensities and energy efficiencies, we obtained the regression equations as parameters of hydrogen content and heating value of a feedstock. These equations will be

Re-establishing safer medical-circumcision-integrated initiation ceremonies for HIV prevention in a rural setting in Papua New Guinea. A multi-method acceptability study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Clement Morris Manineng

Full Text Available Efforts to stem the spread of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV in Papua New Guinea (PNG are hampered by multiple interrelated factors including limited health services, extreme diversities in culture and language and highly prevalent gender inequity, domestic violence and poverty. In the rural district of Yangoru-Saussia, a revival of previously ceased male initiation ceremonies (MICs is being considered for a comprehensive approach to HIV prevention. In this study, we explore the local acceptability of this undertaking including replacing traditional penile cutting practices with medical male circumcision (MMC.A multi-method study comprising three phases. Phase one, focus group discussions with male elders to explore locally appropriate approaches to HIV prevention; Phase two, interviews and a cross-sectional survey with community men and women to assess views on MICs that include MMC for HIV prevention; Phase three, interviews with cultural leaders and a cross sectional survey to assess the acceptability of replacing traditional penile bleeding with MMC.Cultural leaders expressed that re-establishing MICs was locally appropriate for HIV prevention given the focus on character building and cultural preservation. Most surveyed participants (81.5% supported re-establishing MICs and 92.2% supported adapting MICs with MMC. Changes to penile bleeding emerged as a contentious and contested issue given its cultural significance in symbolizing initiates' transition from childhood to adulthood. Participants were concerned about potential clash with modern education, introduced religious beliefs and limited government support in leadership and funding.Most people in this study in Yangoru-Saussia support re-establishing MICs and replacing traditional penile bleeding with MMC. This culturally-sensitive alignment of MMC (and HIV prevention with revived MICs responds to a national health priority in PNG and acts as an example of providing culturally

Rhysacephala novacaledonica sp. nov. (Hymenoptera: Xiphydriidae), the first xiphydriid woodwasp from New Calendonia

Science.gov (United States)

John T. Jennings; Andrew D. Austin; Natham M. Schiff

2007-01-01

Xiphydriid woodwasps have been very rarely collected in Australasia although they are widely distributed in the region. Species have been described from the Aru, Ambon and Buru Islands, Indonesia, eastern mainland Australia, Papua New Guinea, and New Zealand. Here Rhysacephala novacaledonica Jennings & Austin, sp. nov., is described, which is the...

Dorsal longitudinal foreskin cut is associated with reduced risk of HIV, syphilis and genital herpes in men: a cross-sectional study in Papua New Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

Vallely, Andrew J; MacLaren, David; David, Matthew; Toliman, Pamela; Kelly-Hanku, Angela; Toto, Ben; Tommbe, Rachael; Kombati, Zure; Kaima, Petronia; Browne, Kelwyn; Manineng, Clement; Simeon, Lalen; Ryan, Claire; Wand, Handan; Hill, Peter; Law, Greg; Siba, Peter M; McBride, W John H; Kaldor, John M

2017-04-03

Various forms of penile foreskin cutting are practised in Papua New Guinea. In the context of an ecological association observed between HIV infection and the dorsal longitudinal foreskin cut, we undertook an investigation of this relationship at the individual level. We conducted a cross-sectional study among men attending voluntary confidential HIV counselling and testing clinics. Following informed consent, participants had a face-to-face interview and an examination to categorize foreskin status. HIV testing was conducted on site and relevant specimens collected for laboratory-based Herpes simplex type-2 (HSV-2), syphilis, Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG), and Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) testing. Overall, 1073 men were enrolled: 646 (60.2%) were uncut; 339 (31.6%) had a full dorsal longitudinal cut; 72 (6.7%) a partial dorsal longitudinal cut; and 14 (1.3%) were circumcised. Overall, the prevalence of HIV was 12.3%; HSV-2, 33.6%; active syphilis, 12.1%; CT, 13.4%; NG, 14.1%; and TV 7.6%. Compared with uncut men, men with a full dorsal longitudinal cut were significantly less likely to have HIV (adjusted odds ratio [adjOR] 0.25, 95%CI: 0.12, 0.51); HSV-2 (adjOR 0.60, 95%CI: 0.41, 0.87); or active syphilis (adjOR 0.55, 95%CI: 0.31, 0.96). This apparent protective effect was restricted to men cut prior to sexual debut. There was no difference between cut and uncut men for CT, NG or TV. In this large cross-sectional study, men with a dorsal longitudinal foreskin cut were significantly less likely to have HIV, HSV-2 and syphilis compared with uncut men, despite still having a complete (albeit morphologically altered) foreskin. The protective effect of the dorsal cut suggests that the mechanism by which male circumcision works is not simply due to the removal of the inner foreskin and its more easily accessible HIV target cells. Exposure of the penile glans and inner foreskin appear to be key mechanisms by which male circumcision confers

Spleens and holoendemic malaria in West New Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

METSELAAR, D

1956-01-01

The author describes the results obtained in recent malaria surveys in West New Guinea, where what is essentially holoendemic malaria prevails. However, the spleen-rate in adults differs markedly from what is regarded as normal under holoendemic conditions according to the definition put forward at the Malaria Conference in Equatorial Africa in 1950. The author therefore concludes that that definition is not properly applicable to New Guinea.

The choice of healthcare providers for febrile children after introducing non-professional health workers in a malaria endemic area in Papua New Guinea

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Takahiro eTsukahara

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Background: Disease burden of malaria in Papua New Guinea (PNG is the highest in Asia and the Pacific, and prompt access to effective drugs is the key strategy for controlling malaria. Despite the rapid economic growth, primary healthcare services have deteriorated in rural areas; the introduction of non-professional health workers [village health volunteers (VHVs] is expected to improve antimalarial drug deliveries. Previous studies on PNG suggested that distance from households negatively affected the utilization of health services; however, price effect on healthcare demand decisions has not been explored. Empirical studies on household’s affordability as well as accessibility of healthcare services contribute to policy implications such as efficient introduction of out-of-pocket costs and effective allocation of health facilities. Therefore, we investigate price responsiveness and other determinants of healthcare provider choice for febrile children in a malaria endemic rural area wherein VHVs were introduced.Methods: Cross-sectional surveys were conducted using a structured questionnaire distributed in a health center’s catchment area of East Sepik Province in the 2011/2012 rainy seasons. Caretakers were interviewed and data on fever episodes of their children in the preceding two weeks were collected. Mixed logit model was employed to estimate the determinants of healthcare provider choice.Results: Among 257 fever episodes reported, the main choices of healthcare providers were limited to self-care, VHV, and a health center. Direct cost and walking distance negatively affected the choice of a VHV and the health center. An increase of VHV’s direct cost or walking distance did not much affect predicted probability of the health center, but rather that of self-care. While, drug availability and illness severity increased the choice probability of a VHV and the health center. Conclusion: The results suggest that the net healthcare demand

Rural health workers and their work environment: the role of inter-personal factors on job satisfaction of nurses in rural Papua New Guinea

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

Background Job satisfaction is an important focal attitude towards work. Understanding factors that relate to job satisfaction allows interventions to be developed to enhance work performance. Most research on job satisfaction among nurses has been conducted in acute care settings in industrialized countries. Factors that relate to rural nurses are different. This study examined inter-personal, intra-personal and extra-personal factors that influence job satisfaction among rural primary care nurses in a Low and Middle Income country (LMIC), Papua New Guinea. Methods Data was collected using self administered questionnaire from rural nurses attending a training program from 15 of the 20 provinces. Results of a total of 344 nurses were available for analysis. A measure of overall job satisfaction and measures for facets of job satisfaction was developed in the study based on literature and a qualitative study. Multi-variate analysis was used to test prediction models. Results There was significant difference in the level of job satisfaction by age and years in the profession. Higher levels of overall job satisfaction and intrinsic satisfaction were seen in nurses employed by Church facilities compared to government facilities (P job satisfaction. The factors contributing most were work climate (17%) and supervisory support (10%). None of these factors were predictive of an intention to leave. Conclusions This study provides empirical evidence that inter-personal relationships: work climate and supportive supervision are the most important influences of job satisfaction for rural nurses in a LMIC. These findings highlight that the provision of a conducive environment requires attention to human relations aspects. For PNG this is very important as this critical cadre provide the frontline of primary health care for more than 70% of the population of the country. Many LMIC are focusing on rural health, with most of the attention given to aspects of workforce numbers and

Sources of metals in the Porgera gold deposit, Papua New Guinea: Evidence from alteration, isotope, and noble metal geochemistry

Science.gov (United States)

Richards, Jeremy P.; McCulloch, Malcolm T.; Chappell, Bruce W.; Kerrich, Robert

1991-02-01

The Porgera gold deposit is spatially and temporally associated with the Late Miocene, mafic, alkalic, epizonal Porgera Intrusive Complex (PIC), located in the highlands of Papua New Guinea (PNG). The highlands region marks the site of a Tertiary age continent-island-arc collision zone, located on the northeastern edge of the Australasian craton. The PIC was emplaced within continental crust near the Lagaip Fault Zone, which represents an Oligocene suture between the craton and volcano-sedimentary rocks of the Sepik terrane. Magmatism at Porgera probably occurred in response to the Late Miocene elimination of an oceanic microplate, and subsequent Early Pliocene collision between the craton margin and an arc system located on the Bismarck Sea plate. Gold mineralization occurred within 1 Ma of the time of magmatism. Metasomatism accompanying early disseminated Au mineralization in igneous host rocks resulted in additions of K, Rb, Mn, S, and CO 2, and depletions of Fe, Mg, Ca, Na, Ba, and Sr; rare-earth and high-field-strength elements remained largely immobile. Pervasive development of illite-K-feldspar-quartz-carbonate alteration assemblages suggests alteration by mildly acidic, 200 to 350°C fluids, at high water/ rock ratios. Strontium and lead isotopic compositions of minerals from early base-metal sulphide veins associated with K-metasomatism, and later quartz-roscoelite veins carrying abundant free gold and tellurides, are remarkably uniform (e.g., 87Sr /86Sr = 0.70745 ± 0.00044 [n = 10] , 207Pb /204Pb = 15.603 ± 0.004 [n = 15] ). These compositions fall between those of unaltered igneous and sedimentary host rocks, and specifically sedimentary rocks from the Jurassic Om Formation which underlies the deposit (igneous rocks: 87Sr /86Sr ≈ 0.7035 , 207Pb /204Pb ≈ 15.560 ; Om Formation: 87Sr /86Sr |t~ 0.7153 , 207Pb /204Pb ≈ 15.636 ). It is therefore suggested that the hydrothermal fluids acquired their Sr and Pb isotopic signatures by interaction with, or

On a new bird of paradise from Central New Guinea, Falcinellus meyeri albicans

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Oort, van E.D.

1915-01-01

Among the collection of birdskins brought home by the third expedition to Mount Wilhelmina in the Snow Mountains of New Guinea there are some specimens, males and females, of a bird of paradise, much resembling Falcinellus meyeri (Finsch) from South-east New Guinea, but differing in some points.

Geochemistry of hydrothermal fluids from the PACMANUS, Northeast Pual and Vienna Woods hydrothermal fields, Manus Basin, Papua New Guinea

Science.gov (United States)

Reeves, Eoghan P.; Seewald, Jeffrey S.; Saccocia, Peter; Bach, Wolfgang; Craddock, Paul R.; Shanks, Wayne C.; Sylva, Sean P.; Walsh, Emily; Pichler, Thomas; Rosner, Martin

2011-01-01

Processes controlling the composition of seafloor hydrothermal fluids in silicic back-arc or near-arc crustal settings remain poorly constrained despite growing evidence for extensive magmatic-hydrothermal activity in such environments. We conducted a survey of vent fluid compositions from two contrasting sites in the Manus back-arc basin, Papua New Guinea, to examine the influence of variations in host rock composition and magmatic inputs (both a function of arc proximity) on hydrothermal fluid chemistry. Fluid samples were collected from felsic-hosted hydrothermal vent fields located on Pual Ridge (PACMANUS and Northeast (NE) Pual) near the active New Britain Arc and a basalt-hosted vent field (Vienna Woods) located farther from the arc on the Manus Spreading Center. Vienna Woods fluids were characterized by relatively uniform endmember temperatures (273-285 degrees C) and major element compositions, low dissolved CO2 concentrations (4.4 mmol/kg) and high measured pH (4.2-4.9 at 25 degrees C). Temperatures and compositions were highly variable at PACMANUS/NE Pual and a large, newly discovered vent area (Fenway) was observed to be vigorously venting boiling (358 degrees C) fluid. All PACMANUS fluids are characterized by negative delta DH2O values, in contrast to positive values at Vienna Woods, suggesting substantial magmatic water input to circulating fluids at Pual Ridge. Low measured pH (25 degrees C) values (~2.6-2.7), high endmember CO2 (up to 274 mmol/kg) and negative delta 34SH2S values (down to -2.7 permille) in some vent fluids are also consistent with degassing of acid-volatile species from evolved magma. Dissolved CO2 at PACMANUS is more enriched in 13C (-4.1 permille to -2.3 permille) than Vienna Woods (-5.2 permille to -5.7 permille), suggesting a contribution of slab-derived carbon. The mobile elements (e.g. Li, K, Rb, Cs and B) are also greatly enriched in PACMANUS fluids reflecting increased abundances in the crust there relative to the Manus

Changes in malaria burden and transmission in sentinel sites after the roll-out of long-lasting insecticidal nets in Papua New Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

Hetzel, Manuel W; Reimer, Lisa J; Gideon, Gibson; Koimbu, Gussy; Barnadas, Céline; Makita, Leo; Siba, Peter M; Mueller, Ivo

2016-06-14

Papua New Guinea exhibits a complex malaria epidemiology due to diversity in malaria parasites, mosquito vectors, human hosts, and their natural environment. Heterogeneities in transmission and burden of malaria at various scales are likely to affect the success of malaria control interventions, and vice-versa. This manuscript assesses changes in malaria prevalence, incidence and transmission in sentinel sites following the first national distribution of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs). Before and after the distribution of LLINs, data collection in six purposively selected sentinel sites included clinical surveillance in the local health facility, household surveys and entomological surveys. Not all activities were carried out in all sites. Mosquitoes were collected by human landing catches. Diagnosis of malaria infection in humans was done by rapid diagnostic test, light microscopy and PCR for species confirmation. Following the roll-out of LLINs, the average monthly malaria incidence rate dropped from 13/1,000 population to 2/1,000 (incidence rate ratio = 0.12; 95 % CI: 0.09-0.17; P < 0.001). The average population prevalence of malaria decreased from 15.7 % pre-LLIN to 4.8 % post-LLIN (adjusted odds ratio = 0.26; 95 % CI: 0.20-0.33; P < 0.001). In general, reductions in incidence and prevalence were more pronounced in infections with P. falciparum than with P. vivax. Additional morbidity indicators (anaemia, splenomegaly, self-reported fever) showed a decreasing trend in most sites. Mean Anopheles man biting rates decreased from 83 bites/person/night pre-LLIN to 31 post-LLIN (P = 0.008). Anopheles species composition differed between sites but everywhere diversity was lower post-LLIN. In two sites, post-LLIN P. vivax infections in anophelines had decreased but P. falciparum infections had increased despite the opposite observation in humans. LLIN distribution had distinct effects on P. falciparum and P. vivax. Higher resilience of

The influence of tectonic inheritance on crustal extension style following failed subduction of continental crust: applications to metamorphic core complexes in Papua New Guinea

Science.gov (United States)

Biemiller, J.; Ellis, S. M.; Little, T.; Mizera, M.; Wallace, L. M.; Lavier, L.

2017-12-01

The structural, mechanical and geometric evolution of rifted continental crust depends on the lithospheric conditions in the region prior to the onset of extension. In areas where tectonic activity preceded rift initiation, structural and physical properties of the previous tectonic regime may be inherited by the rift and influence its development. Many continental rifts form and exhume metamorphic core complexes (MCCs), coherent exposures of deep crustal rocks which typically surface as arched or domed structures. MCCs are exhumed in regions where the faulted upper crust is displaced laterally from upwelling ductile material along a weak detachment fault. Some MCCs form during extensional inversion of a subduction thrust following failed subduction of continental crust, but the degree to which lithospheric conditions inherited from the preceding subduction phase control the extensional style in these systems remains unclear. For example, the Dayman Dome in Southeastern Papua New Guinea exposes prehnite-pumpellyite to greenschist facies rocks in a smooth 3 km-high dome exhumed with at least 24 km of slip along one main detachment normal fault, the Mai'iu Fault, which dips 21° at the surface. The extension driving this exhumation is associated with the cessation of northward subduction of Australian continental crust beneath the oceanic lithosphere of the Woodlark Plate. We use geodynamic models to explore the effect of pre-existing crustal structures inherited from the preceding subduction phase on the style of rifting. We show that different geometries and strengths of inherited subduction shear zones predict three distinct modes of subsequent rift development: 1) symmetric rifting by newly formed high-angle normal faults; 2) asymmetric rifting along a weak low-angle detachment fault extending from the surface to the brittle-ductile transition; and 3) extension along a rolling-hinge structure which exhumes deep crustal rocks in coherent rounded exposures. We

Tamuarawai (EQS) : an early lapita site on Emirau, New Ireland, PNG

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Summerhayes, G.R.; Matisoo-Smith, E.; Mandui, H.; Allen, J.; Specht, J.; Hogg, N.; McPherson, S.

2010-01-01

In 2007 a new Early Lapita site called Tamuarawai (EQS) was located on Emirau Island, Papua New Guinea. Two seasons of excavation (2007, 2008) have been undertaken. This paper describes the site and some of the preliminary analyses undertaken. Some unusual results suggest that Tamuarawai will make an important contribution to modelling the Early Lapita occupation of the Bismarck Archipelago. (author). 29 refs., 11 figs., 11 tabs.

Bioerosion Accretion Replicate (BAR) data covering in situ calcification and bioerosion rates along pH gradients at two volcanically acidified reefs in Papua New Guinea from 2013-01-18 to 2014-11-10 (NCEI Accession 0156692)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Bioerosion Accretion Replicate (BAR) data covering in situ calcification and bioerosion rates along pH gradients at two volcanically acidified reefs in Papua New...

A new fish of the family Scorpaenidae from New Guinea

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mees, G.F.

1964-01-01

The ichthyological collections brought together in various parts of New Guinea by staff members of the Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijke Historie in 1954 and 1955 (cf. Boeseman, 1963), contain a series of scorpion-fishes which are here described as a new species, representing a new genus. Cheroscorpaena

Plasmodium falciparum resistance to anti-malarial drugs in Papua New Guinea: evaluation of a community-based approach for the molecular monitoring of resistance

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Reeder John C

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Molecular monitoring of parasite resistance has become an important complementary tool in establishing rational anti-malarial drug policies. Community surveys provide a representative sample of the parasite population and can be carried out more rapidly than accrual of samples from clinical cases, but it is not known whether the frequencies of genetic resistance markers in clinical cases differ from those in the overall population, or whether such community surveys can provide good predictions of treatment failure rates. Methods Between 2003 and 2005, in vivo drug efficacy of amodiaquine or chloroquine plus sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine was determined at three sites in Papua New Guinea. The genetic drug resistance profile (i.e., 33 single nucleotide polymorphisms in Plasmodium falciparum crt, mdr1, dhfr, dhps, and ATPase6 was concurrently assessed in 639 community samples collected in the catchment areas of the respective health facilities by using a DNA microarray-based method. Mutant allele and haplotype frequencies were determined and their relationship with treatment failure rates at each site in each year was investigated. Results PCR-corrected in vivo treatment failure rates were between 12% and 28% and varied by site and year with variable longitudinal trends. In the community samples, the frequencies of mutations in pfcrt and pfmdr1 were high and did not show significant changes over time. Mutant allele frequencies in pfdhfr were moderate and those in pfdhps were low. No mutations were detected in pfATPase6. There was much more variation between sites than temporal, within-site, variation in allele and haplotype frequencies. This variation did not correlate well with treatment failure rates. Allele and haplotype frequencies were very similar in clinical and community samples from the same site. Conclusions The relationship between parasite genetics and in vivo treatment failure rate is not straightforward. The

Skin Histology and Microtopography of Papuan White Snake (Micropechis ikaheka in Relation to Their Zoogeographical Distribution

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KELIOPAS KREY

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Papuan white snake (Micropechis ikaheka is endemic to New Guinea (the region of the Papua and Papua New Guinea. Internal histology of skin layer and the microtopography structure on the surface scales of M. ikaheka were the aims of the study. This study also related to zoogeographical of the snake in Papua. Geographical skin color variation of M. ikaheka can be described in three groups, i.e. brown, yellow and black group. The three groups of the snake have specific zoogeography in the mainland of Papua and satellite islands to Papua New Guinea. Paraffin method used in this work showed approximately five layers i.e. oberhautchen, the beta (β-layer, the mesos layer, the alpha (α-layer, and the dermis in the snake skin. Although the paraffin method cannot explain the arrangement of pigment cells, however, the dark color on the dermis might contain melanophores that might cause dark color of the snake body. Overlapping scales formed the hinge region were flexible to assist the snakes when they moved across substrate. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM of the oberhautchen of all of M. ikaheka revealed no microornamentation. However, dorsal and ventral scales showed many follicles on the entire surface of the boundary scales.

The Incidence and Differential Seasonal Patterns of Plasmodium vivax Primary Infections and Relapses in a Cohort of Children in Papua New Guinea.

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Amanda Ross

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Plasmodium vivax has the ability to relapse from dormant parasites in the liver weeks or months after inoculation, causing further blood-stage infection and potential onward transmission. Estimates of the force of blood-stage infections arising from primary infections and relapses are important for designing intervention strategies. However, in endemic settings their relative contributions are unclear. Infections are frequently asymptomatic, many individuals harbor multiple infections, and while high-resolution genotyping of blood samples enables individual infections to be distinguished, primary infections and relapses cannot be identified. We develop a model and fit it to longitudinal genotyping data from children in Papua New Guinea to estimate the incidence and seasonality of P vivax primary infection and relapse. The children, aged one to three years at enrolment, were followed up over 16 months with routine surveys every two months. Blood samples were taken at the routine visits and at other times if the child was ill. Samples positive by microscopy or a molecular method for species detection were genotyped using high-resolution capillary electrophoresis for P vivax MS16 and msp1F3, and P falciparum msp2. The data were summarized as longitudinal patterns of success or failure to detect a genotype at each routine time-point (eg 001000001. We assume that the seasonality of P vivax primary infection is similar to that of P falciparum since they are transmitted by the same vectors and, because P falciparum does not have the ability to relapse, the seasonality can be estimated. Relapses occurring during the study period can be a consequence of infections occurring prior to the study: we assume that the seasonal pattern of primary infections repeats over time. We incorporate information from parasitological and entomology studies to gain leverage for estimating the parameters, and take imperfect detection into account. We estimate the force of P

Kinematic Analysis of Fault-Slip Data in the Central Range of Papua, Indonesia

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Benyamin Sapiie

2016-01-01

Full Text Available DOI:10.17014/ijog.3.1.1-16Most of the Cenozoic tectonic evolution in New Guinea is a result of obliquely convergent motion that ledto an arc-continent collision between the Australian and Pacific Plates. The Gunung Bijih (Ertsberg Mining District(GBMD is located in the Central Range of Papua, in the western half of the island of New Guinea. This study presentsthe results of detailed structural mapping concentrated on analyzing fault-slip data along a 15-km traverse of theHeavy Equipment Access Trail (HEAT and the Grasberg mine access road, providing new information concerning thedeformation in the GBMD and the Cenozoic structural evolution of the Central Range. Structural analysis indicatesthat two distinct stages of deformation have occurred since ~12 Ma. The first stage generated a series of en-echelonNW-trending (π-fold axis = 300° folds and a few reverse faults. The second stage resulted in a significant left-lateralstrike-slip faulting sub-parallel to the regional strike of upturned bedding. Kinematic analysis reveals that the areasbetween the major strike-slip faults form structural domains that are remarkably uniform in character. The changein deformation styles from contractional to a strike-slip offset is explained as a result from a change in the relativeplate motion between the Pacific and Australian Plates at ~4 Ma. From ~4 - 2 Ma, transform motion along an ~ 270°trend caused a left-lateral strike-slip offset, and reactivated portions of pre-existing reverse faults. This action had aprofound effect on magma emplacement and hydrothermal activity.

Characterization of the gut microbiota of Papua New Guineans using reverse transcription quantitative PCR.

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Andrew R Greenhill

Full Text Available There has been considerable interest in composition of gut microbiota in recent years, leading to a better understanding of the role the gut microbiota plays in health and disease. Most studies have been limited in their geographical and socioeconomic diversity to high-income settings, and have been conducted using small sample sizes. To date, few analyses have been conducted in low-income settings, where a better understanding of the gut microbiome could lead to the greatest return in terms of health benefits. Here, we have used quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction targeting dominant and sub-dominant groups of microorganisms associated with human gut microbiome in 115 people living a subsistence lifestyle in rural areas of Papua New Guinea. Quantification of Clostridium coccoides group, C. leptum subgroup, C. perfringens, Bacteroides fragilis group, Bifidobacterium, Atopobium cluster, Prevotella, Enterobacteriaceae, Enterococcus, Staphylococcus, and Lactobacillus spp. was conducted. Principle coordinates analysis (PCoA revealed two dimensions with Prevotella, clostridia, Atopobium, Enterobacteriaceae, Enterococcus and Staphylococcus grouping in one dimension, while B. fragilis, Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus grouping in the second dimension. Highland people had higher numbers of most groups of bacteria detected, and this is likely a key factor for the differences revealed by PCoA between highland and lowland study participants. Age and sex were not major determinants in microbial population composition. The study demonstrates a gut microbial composition with some similarities to those observed in other low-income settings where traditional diets are consumed, which have previously been suggested to favor energy extraction from a carbohydrate rich diet.

Characterization of the gut microbiota of Papua New Guineans using reverse transcription quantitative PCR.

Science.gov (United States)

Greenhill, Andrew R; Tsuji, Hirokazu; Ogata, Kiyohito; Natsuhara, Kazumi; Morita, Ayako; Soli, Kevin; Larkins, Jo-Ann; Tadokoro, Kiyoshi; Odani, Shingo; Baba, Jun; Naito, Yuichi; Tomitsuka, Eriko; Nomoto, Koji; Siba, Peter M; Horwood, Paul F; Umezaki, Masahiro

2015-01-01

There has been considerable interest in composition of gut microbiota in recent years, leading to a better understanding of the role the gut microbiota plays in health and disease. Most studies have been limited in their geographical and socioeconomic diversity to high-income settings, and have been conducted using small sample sizes. To date, few analyses have been conducted in low-income settings, where a better understanding of the gut microbiome could lead to the greatest return in terms of health benefits. Here, we have used quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction targeting dominant and sub-dominant groups of microorganisms associated with human gut microbiome in 115 people living a subsistence lifestyle in rural areas of Papua New Guinea. Quantification of Clostridium coccoides group, C. leptum subgroup, C. perfringens, Bacteroides fragilis group, Bifidobacterium, Atopobium cluster, Prevotella, Enterobacteriaceae, Enterococcus, Staphylococcus, and Lactobacillus spp. was conducted. Principle coordinates analysis (PCoA) revealed two dimensions with Prevotella, clostridia, Atopobium, Enterobacteriaceae, Enterococcus and Staphylococcus grouping in one dimension, while B. fragilis, Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus grouping in the second dimension. Highland people had higher numbers of most groups of bacteria detected, and this is likely a key factor for the differences revealed by PCoA between highland and lowland study participants. Age and sex were not major determinants in microbial population composition. The study demonstrates a gut microbial composition with some similarities to those observed in other low-income settings where traditional diets are consumed, which have previously been suggested to favor energy extraction from a carbohydrate rich diet.

IDRA 2016 Call for Applications Word doc_EN

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Carole Labrie

2016-05-18

May 18, 2016 ... Gabon, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Maldives, Mauritania, Monserrat, Papua New Guinea, Small. Island States [including Comoros, Mauritius, São Tomé and Principe, Seychelles, Timor-Leste and. Oceania (Cook Islands, Fiji, Nauru, Kiribati, Palau, Marshall Islands, Niue, Samoa, Solomon Islands,.

High sensitivity detection of Plasmodium species reveals positive correlations between infections of different species, shifts in age distribution and reduced local variation in Papua New Guinea

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Smith Thomas A

2009-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background When diagnosed by standard light microscopy (LM, malaria prevalence can vary significantly between sites, even at local scale, and mixed species infections are consistently less common than expect in areas co-endemic for Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium malariae. The development of a high-throughput molecular species diagnostic assay now enables routine PCR-based surveillance of malaria infections in large field and intervention studies, and improves resolution of species distribution within and between communities. Methods This study reports differences in the prevalence of infections with all four human malarial species and of mixed infections as diagnosed by LM and post-PCR ligase detection reaction – fluorescent microsphere (LDR-FMA assay in 15 villages in the central Sepik area of Papua New Guinea. Results Significantly higher rates of infection by P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. malariae and Plasmodium ovale were observed in LDR-FMA compared to LM diagnosis (p P. malariae (3.9% vs 13.4% and P. ovale (0.0% vs 4.8%. In contrast to LM diagnosis, which suggested a significant deficit of mixed species infections, a significant excess of mixed infections over expectation was detected by LDR-FMA (p P. falciparum (LM: 7–9 yrs 47.5%, LDR-FMA: 10–19 yrs 74.2% and P. vivax (LM: 4–6 yrs 24.2%, LDR-FMA: 7–9 yrs 50.9% but not P. malariae infections (10–19 yrs, LM: 7.7% LDR-FMA: 21.6%. Significant geographical variation in prevalence was found for all species (except for LM-diagnosed P. falciparum, with the extent of this variation greater in LDR-FMA than LM diagnosed infections (overall, 84.4% vs. 37.6%. Insecticide-treated bednet (ITN coverage was also the dominant factor linked to geographical differences in Plasmodium species infection prevalence explaining between 60.6% – 74.5% of this variation for LDR-FMA and 81.8% – 90.0% for LM (except P. falciparum, respectively. Conclusion The present study

Naturally-acquired humoral immune responses against the N- and C-termini of the Plasmodium vivax MSP1 protein in endemic regions of Brazil and Papua New Guinea using a multiplex assay

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Alonso Pedro L

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Progress towards the development of a malaria vaccine against Plasmodium vivax, the most widely distributed human malaria parasite, will require a better understanding of the immune responses that confer clinical protection to patients in regions where malaria is endemic. Methods Glutathione S-transferase (GST and GST-fusion proteins representing the N- terminus of the merozoite surface protein 1 of P. vivax, PvMSP1-N, and the C-terminus, PvMSP1-C, were covalently coupled to BioPlex carboxylated beads. Recombinant proteins and coupled beads were used, respectively, in ELISA and Bioplex assays using immune sera of P. vivax patients from Brazil and PNG to determine IgG and subclass responses. Concordances between the two methods in the seropositivity responses were evaluated using the Kappa statistic and the Spearman's rank correlation. Results The results using this methodology were compared with the classical microtitre enzyme-linked immnosorbent assay (ELISA, showing that the assay was sensitive, reproducible and had good concordance with ELISA; yet, further research into different statistical analyses seems desirable before claiming conclusive results exclusively based on multiplex assays. As expected, results demonstrated that PvMSP1 was immunogenic in natural infections of patients from different endemic regions of Brazil and Papua New Guinea (PNG, and that age correlated only with antibodies against the C-terminus part of the molecule. Furthermore, the IgG subclass profiles were different in these endemic regions having IgG3 predominantly recognizing PvMSP1 in Brazil and IgG1 predominantly recognizing PvMSP1 in PNG. Conclusions This study validates the use of the multiplex assay to measure naturally-acquired IgG antibodies against the merozoite surface protein 1 of P. vivax.

Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis in papua new guinean children: the cost of continuing inadequate measles vaccine coverage.

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Laurens Manning

2011-01-01

Full Text Available subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE is a late, rare and usually fatal complication of measles infection. Although a very high incidence of SSPE in Papua New Guinea (PNG was first recognized 20 years ago, estimated measles vaccine coverage has remained at ≤ 70% since and a large measles epidemic occurred in 2002. We report a series of 22 SSPE cases presenting between November 2007 and July 2009 in Madang Province, PNG, including localized clusters with the highest ever reported annual incidence.as part of a prospective observational study of severe childhood illness at Modilon Hospital, the provincial referral center, children presenting with evidence of meningo-encephalitis were assessed in detail including lumbar puncture in most cases. A diagnosis of SSPE was based on clinical features and presence of measles-specific IgG in cerebrospinal fluid and/or plasma. The estimated annual SSPE incidence in Madang province was 54/million population aged 100/million/year. The distribution of year of birth of the 22 children with SSPE closely matched the reported annual measles incidence in PNG, including a peak in 2002.SSPE follows measles infections in very young PNG children. Because PNG children have known low seroconversion rates to the first measles vaccine given at 6 months of age, efforts such as supplementary measles immunisation programs should continue in order to reduce the pool of non-immune people surrounding the youngest and most vulnerable members of PNG communities.

Imaging the complex geometry of a magma reservoir using FEM-based linear inverse modeling of InSAR data: application to Rabaul Caldera, Papua New Guinea

Science.gov (United States)

Ronchin, Erika; Masterlark, Timothy; Dawson, John; Saunders, Steve; Martì Molist, Joan

2017-06-01

We test an innovative inversion scheme using Green's functions from an array of pressure sources embedded in finite-element method (FEM) models to image, without assuming an a-priori geometry, the composite and complex shape of a volcano deformation source. We invert interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) data to estimate the pressurization and shape of the magma reservoir of Rabaul caldera, Papua New Guinea. The results image the extended shallow magmatic system responsible for a broad and long-term subsidence of the caldera between 2007 February and 2010 December. Elastic FEM solutions are integrated into the regularized linear inversion of InSAR data of volcano surface displacements in order to obtain a 3-D image of the source of deformation. The Green's function matrix is constructed from a library of forward line-of-sight displacement solutions for a grid of cubic elementary deformation sources. Each source is sequentially generated by removing the corresponding cubic elements from a common meshed domain and simulating the injection of a fluid mass flux into the cavity, which results in a pressurization and volumetric change of the fluid-filled cavity. The use of a single mesh for the generation of all FEM models avoids the computationally expensive process of non-linear inversion and remeshing a variable geometry domain. Without assuming an a-priori source geometry other than the configuration of the 3-D grid that generates the library of Green's functions, the geodetic data dictate the geometry of the magma reservoir as a 3-D distribution of pressure (or flux of magma) within the source array. The inversion of InSAR data of Rabaul caldera shows a distribution of interconnected sources forming an amorphous, shallow magmatic system elongated under two opposite sides of the caldera. The marginal areas at the sides of the imaged magmatic system are the possible feeding reservoirs of the ongoing Tavurvur volcano eruption of andesitic products on the

The genus Baeturia Stål as represented in New Guinea (Homoptera, Cicadidae)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Blöte, H.C.

1960-01-01

Until now only three species of the genus Baeturia have been recorded from New Guinea, viz., B. bicolorata Distant, B. viridicata Distant, and B. nana Jacobi. As I had the opportunity to study a fairly large collection of this group from different sources, collected in New Guinea, it appeared to me

A new ostracod (Entocytheridae, Notocytherinae) on New Guinea crayfish1)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hart, D.G.; Hart, C.W.

1970-01-01

In 1967 we examined the crayfish collections in the Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijke Historie, Leiden, to determine if the crayfishes collected in New Guinea in 1954 by Dr. L. B. Holthuis, Dr. L. D. Brongersma, and Dr. M. Boeseman (Boeseman, 1963) were hosts to commensal ostracods. Of the collections

Geomorphic and Structural Evidence for Rolling Hinge Style Deformation in the Footwall of an Active Low Angle Normal Fault, Mai'iu Fault, Woodlark Rift, SE Papua New Guinea

Science.gov (United States)

Mizera, M.; Little, T.; Norton, K. P.; Webber, S.; Ellis, S. M.; Oesterle, J.

2016-12-01

While shown to operate in oceanic crust, rolling hinge style deformation remains a debated process in metamorpic core complexes (MCCs) in the continents. The model predicts that unloading and isostatic uplift during slip causes a progressive back-tilting in the upper crust of a normal fault that is more steeply dipping at depth. The Mai'iu Fault in the Woodlark Rift, SE Papua New Guinea, is one of the best-exposed and fastest slipping (probably >7 mm/yr) active low-angle normal faults (LANFs) on Earth. We analysed structural field data from this fault's exhumed slip surface and footwall, together with geomorphic data interpreted from aerial photographs and GeoSAR-derived digital elevation models (gridded at 5-30 m spacing), to evaluate deformational processes affecting the rapidly exhuming, domal-shaped detachment fault. The exhumed fault surface emerges from the ground at the rangefront near sea level with a northward dip of 21°. Up-dip, it is well-preserved, smooth and corrugated, with some fault remnants extending at least 29 km in the slip direction. The surface flattens over the crest of the dome, beyond where it dips S at up to 15°. Windgaps perched on the crestal main divide of the dome, indicate both up-dip tectonic advection and progressive back-tilting of the exhuming fault surface. We infer that slip on a serial array of m-to-km scale up-to-the-north, steeply S-dipping ( 75°) antithetic-sense normal faults accommodated some of the exhumation-related, inelastic bending of the footwall. These geomorphically well expressed faults strike parallel to the main Mai'iu fault at 110.9±5°, have a mean cross-strike spacing of 1520 m, and slip with a consistent up-to-the-north sense of throw ranging from <5 m to 120 m. Apparently the Mai'iu Fault was able to continue slipping despite having to negotiate this added fault-roughness. We interpret the antithetic faulting to result from bending stresses, and to provide the first clear examples of rolling hinge

Pre-Deployment Handbook Papua New Guinea

Science.gov (United States)

2014-03-01

other development partners has been working to improve immunization and nutrition programs. Advocacy through community based programs is...appearance does not translate to criminality. Children universally love fun and games. If appropriate an impromptu game of soccer can be a good way

A tribute to Ted Henty (1915-2002)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Barker, W.R.; Conn, B.J.; Croft, J.R.; Gideon, O.G.

2002-01-01

Ted Henty, noted for his work in the Papua New Guinea National Herbarium (LAE), died aged 86 at East Keilor, near Melbourne on 23 February 2002 after an illness of 6-8 months. Those dealing with New Guinea plants will know of his extensive collections in the NGF and subsequent LAE series from all

Rationale and methods of a randomized controlled trial of immunogenicity, safety and impact on carriage of pneumococcal conjugate and polysaccharide vaccines in infants in Papua New Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

Lehmann, Deborah; Kirarock, Wendy; van den Biggelaar, Anita H J; Passey, Megan; Jacoby, Peter; Saleu, Gerard; Masiria, Geraldine; Nivio, Birunu; Greenhill, Andrew; Orami, Tilda; Francis, Jacinta; Ford, Rebecca; Kirkham, Lea-Ann; Solomon, Vela; Richmond, Peter C; Pomat, William S

2017-01-01

Children in third-world settings including Papua New Guinea (PNG) experience early onset of carriage with a broad range of pneumococcal serotypes, resulting in a high incidence of severe pneumococcal disease and deaths in the first 2 years of life. Vaccination trials in high endemicity settings are needed to provide evidence and guidance on optimal strategies to protect children in these settings against pneumococcal infections. This report describes the rationale, objectives, methods, study population, follow-up and specimen collection for a vaccination trial conducted in an endemic and logistically challenging setting in PNG. The trial aimed to determine whether currently available pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV) are suitable for use under PNG's accelerated immunization schedule, and that a schedule including pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV) in later infancy is safe and immunogenic in this high-risk population. This open randomized-controlled trial was conducted between November 2011 and March 2016, enrolling 262 children aged 1 month between November 2011 and April 2014. The participants were randomly allocated (1:1) to receive 10-valent PCV (10vPCV) or 13-valent PCV (13vPCV) in a 1-2-3-month schedule, with further randomization to receive PPV or no PPV at age 9 months, followed by a 1/5 th PPV challenge at age 23 months. A total of 1229 blood samples were collected to measure humoral and cellular immune responses and 1238 nasopharyngeal swabs to assess upper respiratory tract colonization and carriage load. Serious adverse events were monitored throughout the study. Of the 262 children enrolled, 87% received 3 doses of PCV, 79% were randomized to receive PPV or no PPV at age 9 months, and 67% completed the study at 24 months of age with appropriate immunization and challenge. Laboratory testing of the many samples collected during this trial will determine the impact of the different vaccine schedules and formulations on nasopharyngeal

Notes on the fishes of western New Guinea : II. Lophichthys boschmai, a new genus and species from the Arafoera Sea

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boeseman, M.

1964-01-01

During my visit to western New Guinea (1954-1955), a rich collection of marine animals was presented to the Leiden Museum by the Fisheries Department of the Netherlands New Guinea Government. The specimens, mostly fishes, had been captured during previous trips of the Government fishing vessel "De

Notes on New Guinea Rubiaceae. Versteegia and Maschalodesme

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ridsdale, C.E.; Bakhuizen van den Brink, R.C.; Koek-Noorman, J.

1972-01-01

Within the rain forests of New Guinea there are many small pachycaul treelets belonging to the Rubiaceae. Generally these are rare in occurrence and poorly represented in the herbarium, due in part to the problem of protecting rami- or cauliflorous flowers and fruits during routine processing and

A preliminary assessment of the Nactus pelagicus species group (Squamata: Gekkonidae) in New Guinea and a new species from the Admiralty Islands

Science.gov (United States)

Zug, George R.; Fisher, Robert N.

2012-01-01

The Slender-toed Geckos (Nactus) currently have four recognized species in New Guinea, and these species divide into two sister clades: a pelagicus clade and a vankampeni clade (Heinicke et al. 2010). The latter contains three dwarf species. The former consists of five bisexual populations, of which numerous New Guinea populations are uncharacterized nomenclaturally and lumped under the epithet ‘pelagicus.’ This report and description of a new species of the pelagicus group from Manus Island in the Admiralty Islands encourages us to offer a preliminary assessment of morphology and diversity in New Guinea ‘pelagicus’ populations.

The alpine flora of Mount Wilhelm (New Guinea)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hoogland, R.D.

1958-01-01

The flora of the higher mountains of New Guinea has been the object of several extensive collecting trips in the past forty years. Until quite recently, however, a serious gap in our knowledge was the very scanty information available from the area between Mount Wilhelmina in the West and Mount