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PubMed1982

Cancer in Polynesians.

Cancer patterns in the Polynesian population of Hawaii and New Zealand were compared with their European counterparts and with the Polynesian population of Samoa. In general, the cancer patterns of the Polynesians are similar; rates are higher for stomach, breast, lung, prostate, and liver cancers and lower for colon and rectal cancers. Cigarette smoking may explain most, if not all, of the lung cancer excess in Polynesians. However, no clear dietary differences between Polynesians and Europeans are evident that could explain the high risk of the former population to stomach cancer and of the Europeans to colon and rectal cancers.

Aged↗
PubMed1982

The Polynesian head: growth and form.

We consider the cranial base to be the primordial determinant of the head form and mandibular shape so common amongst (but not exclusive to) adult Polynesians. The flatness of the cranial base manifests its full influence only when growth of the upper facial skeleton is complete in early adulthood. We argue that during growth and maturation the upper facial skeleton and the maxillary occlusal plane are required to adjust in position to a major extent according to the template set out by the flat cranial base, with consequent obligatory and extreme adjustment in shape and position of the mandible in order that occlusion be maintained. The base is constrained from adjusting its own shape significantly by virtue of its intimate relationship with the brain and the emerging cranial nerves. The structural consequences of these adaptations are seen in the bony profile, which is vertically disposed and orthognathic, and in the large nasopharynx, while functionally the relative inefficiency of the mandible as a lever requires extensive compensatory development of masticatory musculature which influences the shape of the face and vault.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

Polynesian mandibles.

Adult Polynesian mandibles are predominantly of the rocker form. Polynesian crania have an open cranial base angle, and a rather large upper facial height in the adult. The mandibular growth rotations necessary for normal occlusion to be maintained in the presence of this cranial morphology lead to development of a particularly small gonial angle. There is an increased 'bowing' of the basal component of the bone. Such 'bowing' leads to a sufficiently posterior displacement of the basal component in the gonial region for the development of a distinct angular process (for muscle attachment) to be unnecessary.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Human leptospiroses in the overseas departments and territories: 10 years' immunological diagnosis (1970-1979)].

In French overseas Departments and Territories, Leptospiroses exist. In the Caribbean zone, human Leptospiroses are frequently found; in Martinique island, and some cases are recorded in French Guyana. In the Indian Ocean, "La Réunion" island, approximately 40 cases are diagnosed every year (mortality rate: 17%). In Polynesian areas, 3 serovars are found. Biological diagnosis is easier now with screening tests. Sera are to be sent to the National Leptospirosis Centre, Paris, for confirmatory test. In fact, the high incidence of Icterohaemorrhagiae serogroup does not seem to reflect the real situation, but represents the severe cases diagnosed in hospitalized patients. Minor cases remain often unnoticed. A survey of human and animal Leptospiroses would give another classification of serogroups frequency. It is important to know that 80% of Leptospiroses occur without jaundice.

French Guiana↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[The health community auxiliaries; their capital role in remote and scattered areas. The example of Tuamotu-Gambier Islands (author's transl)].

To provide adequate health care in many islands or atolls scattered on a surface equal to Europe, raises many problems. Physicians cannot have a full-time presence. Sanitary education given to the local population by auxiliaries born in the islands or living in, seems the recommendable way to improve the health situation. This on-the-spot basic action must associate Officers from various Departments (Health and Social Welfare, Fisheries, Agriculture, Education).

Allied Health Personnel↗
PubMed1981

Polynesian head form: an interpretation of a factor analysis of Cartesian co-ordinate data.

The three dimensional co-ordinates of a large number of landmarks on a series of Polynesian skulls have been obtained by means of a diagraph, and from standard lateral cephalograms. The method is accurate, and a very large amount of data is stored in the concise form of the standardized co-ordinates. A factor analysis of some of these data defines a number of distinct craniofacial segments showing independent variation in positioning, and therefore presumably growth, along defined axes. The segments thus defined relate well to the conclusions of other studies of skull growth and form, and support the view that the basis of cranial variation is the same for all Homo sapiens. It is suggested that the strict independence of the isolated craniofacial segments may be a consequence of the particular method, and may not truly reflect the situation in the growing skull.

Cephalometry↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Transcultural psychiatry of heva behavior among natives of Easter Island].

The heva of the Easter Island presents itself as a rite, founded on an antique myth--the text of which we have obtained through a contemporary reporter of the Pascua Island. Transcultural psychiatric investigation is useful for the understanding of heva behaviour, as it allows us to discard, from the formal point of view, its character of psychiatric entity. It is possible that, due to the cultural importance of the heva myth and ritual manifestations, it has turned into a model to express psychiatric situations of the type English speaking authors call cultural-bound syndrome. In the course of our study we have been able to ascribe this behaviour to other rituals of mourning and vengeance, and we have stated that, as social expression of violence, it oscillates between forms of group manifestation, as it can be seen among the African Konso, and individualized manifestation, as seen among the Tauade of Papua New Guinea.

Anthropology, Cultural↗
PubMed1994

Rhesus polymorphism in New Caledonia. II. Genetic comparison with other Oceanians.

Rhesus haplotype frequencies computed for 804 and 546 Wallisians from New Caledonia are compared to the data collected for 13 Oceanian samples belonging to the same Austronesian linguistic family. Genetic distances are computed between the 15 populations and used for a principal coordinate analysis. Kanaks are genetically close to Fidjians, while the Wallisian sample share a high genetic similarity with the Tonga islanders. The results obtained for the whole area including the Wallis homeland for the Wallisian sample indicate a tight relationship between geographical and genetic differentiations in the Pacific, supported by a high correlation coefficient between the two distance matrices. However, the observed patterns are better explained by the history of migrations reconstructed from archaeological and linguistic data than by a pure isolation-by-distance model.

Black People↗
PubMed1994

Gastric cell phenotypes and intestinal metaplasia in Polynesian and non-Polynesian residents of New Zealand.

Previous studies have indicated that the frequency of different cell phenotypes as well as of the mucosal extension of intestinal metaplasia (IM) in the gastric mucosa varies in different geographic regions (Scandinavia, Japan, Mexico, Hawaii, and mainland U.S.A.). These variations appear to be influenced by environmental factors but not by the race of the individuals. In the present work, 241 gastrectomy specimens from the two main racial groups in New Zealand, indigenous Pacific Island Polynesians (mainly Maoris) and non-Polynesian settlers (mainly of European ancestry), were examined. The occurrence of histologic changes known to be influenced by the environment such as intramucosal gastric cysts, intestinal metaplasia (IM), ciliated metaplastic cells, and cells with large vacuoles were recorded. The mucosal extension of IM was classified into low IM (having one to five areas with IM in at least one of the sections) and high IM (having one area with IM in all microscopic fields in at least one of the sections or occupying entire fields in one or more sections). Polynesians with adenocarcinomas and peptic ulcers were younger than non-Polynesians. The gastric mucosa in younger Polynesians harboring an intestinal type carcinoma or a peptic ulcer differed from that of non-Polynesians; Polynesians more often had intramucosal cysts, high IM scores, or ciliated metaplastic cells at a younger age than non-Polynesians. These results suggest that the gastric mucosa of Polynesians may be exposed to environmental factors (ulcerogenic or carcinogenic) at an earlier age than the gastric mucosa of non-Polynesians in New Zealand.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Polynesian genetic affinities with Southeast Asian populations as identified by mtDNA analysis.

Polynesian genetic affinities to populations of Asia were studied using mtDNA markers. A total of 1,037 individuals from 12 populations were screened for a 9-bp deletion in the intergenic region between the COII and tRNA(Lys) genes that approaches fixation in Polynesians. Sequence-specific oligonucleotide probes that identify specific mtDNA control region nucleotide substitutions were used to describe variation in individuals with the 9-bp deletion. The 9-bp deletion was not observed in northern Indians, Bangladeshis, or Pakistanis but was seen at low to moderate frequencies in the nine other Southeast Asian populations. Three substitutions in the control region at positions 16217, 16247, and 16261 have previously been observed at high frequency in Polynesian mtDNAs; this "Polynesian motif" was observed in 20% of east Indonesians with the 9-bp deletion but was observed in only one additional individual. mtDNA types related to the Polynesian motif are highest in frequency in the corridor from Taiwan south through the Philippines and east Indonesia, and the highest diversity for these types is in Taiwan. These results are consistent with linguistic evidence of a Taiwanese origin for the proto-Polynesian expansion, which spread throughout Oceania by way of Indonesia.

Asia, Southeastern↗
PubMed1995

Asymmetry in the human skeleton. A study on prehistoric Polynesians and Thais.

Atlantal, long bone, and craniofacial measurements of prehistoric Polynesian and Thai skeletons were analysed to ascertain the extent and direction of bilateral asymmetry. The atlantal articular mass was constantly and significantly higher on the right side than on the left. In Thais, the midlongitudinal axis of the atlanto-occipital facet on the right side had a steeper inclination than that on the left. In both groups the dental occlusion was less mesial on the right side and the mandible was shorter, significantly so in the Thais. The long bones were more asymmetric in the Polynesians than in the Thais. Height asymmetry of atlas lateral tuberculum correlated inversely with mandibular ramal width asymmetry. Atlanto-occipital facet length asymmetry correlated with asymmetry of the gonial angle and facet angulation asymmetry correlated inversely with radial length asymmetry. Our results suggest a pervading asymmetry of skeletal structures which we ascribe as local adaptations to functional demands rather than as due to a uniform asymmetric growth pattern.

Animals↗