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Background: Vector-borne diseases cause morbidity and mortality globally. However, some areas are more impacted than others, especially with climate change. Controlling vectors remains the primary means to prevent these diseases, but new, more effective tools are needed. The World Health Organization (WHO) prioritized evaluating novel control methods, such as sterile insect technique (SIT) for control of Aedes-borne diseases. In response, a multiagency partnership between the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR), WHO, and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) supported the operational implementation and evaluation of SIT against Aedes aegypti and arboviral diseases in the Pacific through a consortium of regional partners (PAC-SIT Consortium). Main text: A workshop was held from 2 to 6 May 2023, during which PAC-SIT country participants, researchers, and stakeholders in SIT, scientific advisory committee members, and organizational partners came together to review the principles and components of SIT, share experiences, visit field sites and the SIT facility, and officially launch the PAC-SIT project. Working in groups focused on entomology, epidemiology, and community engagement, participants addressed challenges, priorities, and needs for SIT implementation. Conclusions: The PAC-SIT workshop brought together researchers and stakeholders engaged in evaluating SIT for arboviral diseases in the Pacific region and globally. This training workshop highlighted that many countries are actively engaged in building operational capacities and phased testing of SIT. The workshop identified a key need for robust larger-scale studies tied with epidemiological endpoints to provide evidence for the scalability and impact on mosquito-borne diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Māori are over-represented in Aotearoa New Zealand morbidity and mortality statistics. Other populations with high health needs include Pacific peoples and those living with material deprivation. General practice has evolved into seven models of primary care: Traditional, Corporate, Health Care Home, Māori, Pacific, Trusts / Non-governmental organisations (Trust/NGOs) and District Health Board / Primary Care Organisations (DHB/PHO). We describe nurse work in relation to these models of care, populations with high health need and patient health outcomes. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study (at 30 September 2018) of data from national datasets and practices at patient level. Six primary outcome measures were selected because they could be improved by primary care: polypharmacy (≥ 65 years), glucose control testing in adults with diabetes, immunisations (at 6 months), ambulatory sensitive hospitalisations (0–14, 45–64 years) and emergency department attendances. Analysis adjusted for patient and practice characteristics. Results: Nurse clinical time, and combined nurse, nurse practitioner and general practitioner clinical time, were substantially higher in Trust/NGO, Māori, and Pacific practices than in other models. Increased patient clinical complexity was associated with more clinical input and higher scores on all outcome measures. The highest rates of preventative care by nurses (cervical screening, cardiovascular risk assessment, depression screening, glucose control testing) were in Māori, Trust/NGO and Pacific practices. There was an eightfold difference, across models of care, in percentage of depression screening undertaken by nurses and a fivefold difference in cervical screening and glucose control testing. The highest rates of nurse consultations afterhours and with unenrolled patients, improving access, were in PHO/DHB, Pacific, Trust/NGO and Māori practices. Work not attributed to nurses in the practice records meant nurse work was underestimated to an unknown degree. Conclusions: Transferring work to nurses in Traditional, Health Care Home, and Corporate practices, would release general practitioner clinical time for other work. Worse patient health outcomes were associated with higher patient need and higher clinical input. It is plausible that there is insufficient clinical input to meet the degree of patient need. More practitioner clinical time is required, especially in practices with high volumes of complex patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The taxonomic status of butterfly rays within the genus Gymnura remains a subject of ongoing debate among researchers. Some authors recognize up to five valid species for the Americas, while others considered several to be synonyms, which has posed a persistent challenge. We aimed to shed light on this complexity by employing molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs) based on the mitochondrial gene cytochrome oxidase I (COI). Genetic sequences were obtained from fresh muscle tissue collected in the marine ecoregions corresponding to the type locality from all the nominal butterfly ray species distributed along the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP). Our results unveiled compelling findings; all the species delimitation models used consistently identified seven MOTUs for the American continent and an extra G. altavela MOTU restricted to Africa. In addition, our results and models exceeded the worldwide accepted interspecific threshold of 2.0%. Remarkably, our results support the taxonomic reinstatement of Gymnura afuerae (Hildebrand, 1946) as a valid species, with a range expanding into the ETP in the Southern Hemisphere. Similarly, our data support the recent suggestion of resurrecting Gymnura valenciennii (Duméril, 1865) as a valid species in the western Atlantic. These findings urge a reassessment of the conservation status and a comprehensive taxonomic revision of American butterfly rays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pacific Island Countries and Territories are highly exposed to natural disasters, intensified by increases in frequency and force of extreme weather events. Pacific societies, like in Vanuatu, have been shaped in many ways by such natural disasters; reflected in customary practices and social fabric of rural coastal communities. When a natural disaster occurs, government attention justifiably focuses on channelling and coordinating international humanitarian aid to fill gaps in capacity and resourcing national recovery efforts. However, central to disaster recovery, particularly in the immediate aftermath of disruption, are the ways that local people support each other (within and between communities). Disconnects between national and local recovery efforts are common and stand to inhibit effective responses. This study aims to understand horizontal, self-organised community-to-community support systems and communities’ post-disaster engagement with external aid. It draws from two different datasets: i) the observations collected through the emergency relief work led by the National Disaster Management Office in Vanuatu shortly after the 2023 twin tropical cyclones Judy and Kevin hit the country, as well as ii) the loss and damage survey led by the Vanuatu Fisheries Department to estimate the level of damage these cyclones caused in various regions of Vanuatu. Through this process, we highlight the social systems that enable community-to-community support, as well as potential opportunities for external-aid to support communities in a more efficient manner. Results reveal that community-to-community support is critical in the first weeks post-disaster. Recognizing the roles that different support networks play at different stages of disaster response is critical not only to improving people's and institutions' ability to bounce back from particular disruptions, but also in broader efforts to strengthen community resilience in the face of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sense-making processes shape the messages and impacts of qualitative research. Using qualitative data analysis methods embedded within a Pacific-Indigenous research paradigm decolonises research. This article discusses the Pacific-Indigenous data analysis processes of talanoa and fa'afaletui employed within a study of Pacific elder care in Aotearoa New Zealand, conducted by scholars of Pacific/Moana heritage. While research literature has primarily identified talanoa and fa'afaletui as data collection methods, we discuss our use of talanoa and fa'afaletui as methods of analysis. Talanoa and fa'afaletui were engaged as collective processes of orality weaving understanding from the researchers' lived experiences and navigating across languages. Enhancing authenticity and actionability are identified as benefits of talanoa and fa'afaletui collective data analysis. Considerations for implementing these methods are language, logistics and location. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acanthocephalans in the polymorphid genus Bolbosoma Porta, 1908 utilize marine mammals and seabirds as the definitive host, and marine fish as the paratenic host. As in many other groups of acanthocephalans, morphology-based species identification at the cystacanth stage of Bolbosoma is challenging; at present, DNA barcoding is the most reliable approach for larval identification. However, sequence data currently available for Bolbosoma are scarce. In this study, we report the morphology and DNA sequence information (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and 18S rRNA genes) of Bolbosoma cystacanths from six marine fish species collected in Japan.

Abstract Background Māori are over-represented in Aotearoa New Zealand morbidity and mortality statistics. Other populations with high health needs include Pacific peoples and those living with material deprivation. General practice has evolved into seven models of primary care: Traditional, Corporate, Health Care Home, Māori, Pacific, Trusts / Non-governmental organisations (Trust/NGOs) and District Health Board / Primary Care Organisations (DHB/PHO). We describe nurse work in relation to these models of care, populations with high health need and patient health outcomes. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study (at 30 September 2018) of data from national datasets and practices at patient level. Six primary outcome measures were selected because they could be improved by primary care: polypharmacy (≥ 65 years), glucose control testing in adults with diabetes, immunisations (at 6 months), ambulatory sensitive hospitalisations (0–14, 45–64 years) and emergency department attendances. Analysis adjusted for patient and practice characteristics. Results Nurse clinical time, and combined nurse, nurse practitioner and general practitioner clinical time, were substantially higher in Trust/NGO, Māori, and Pacific practices than in other models. Increased patient clinical complexity was associated with more clinical input and higher scores on all outcome measures. The highest rates of preventative care by nurses (cervical screening, cardiovascular risk assessment, depression screening, glucose control testing) were in Māori, Trust/NGO and Pacific practices. There was an eightfold difference, across models of care, in percentage of depression screening undertaken by nurses and a fivefold difference in cervical screening and glucose control testing. The highest rates of nurse consultations afterhours and with unenrolled patients, improving access, were in PHO/DHB, Pacific, Trust/NGO and Māori practices. Work not attributed to nurses in the practice records meant nurse work was underestimated to an unknown degree. Conclusions Transferring work to nurses in Traditional, Health Care Home, and Corporate practices, would release general practitioner clinical time for other work. Worse patient health outcomes were associated with higher patient need and higher clinical input. It is plausible that there is insufficient clinical input to meet the degree of patient need. More practitioner clinical time is required, especially in practices with high volumes of complex patients.

Traditionally, sleep science is grounded in biology, physiology, and medicine. But socio-cultural considerations provide a crucial lens into sleep health. Exploring the sociology of sleep in Aotearoa New Zealand (AoNZ) could broaden our understandings and better represent sleep-related practices among our diverse communities. This scoping review represents the pre-existing literature concerning sleep as a social or cultural practice in AoNZ. The initial search (via Discover and Scopus) search yielded 2,442 results. Of these results, 113 manuscripts were characterised of interest, but only 20 were directly related and included in the review. This literature was presented in relation to Meadows’ (2005) modes of ‘sleep embodiment’ including sleep practice norms, the pragmatics of sleep and social roles, individual experiences and feelings related to sleep, and the visceral need for sleep. The findings highlight the progress of sleep literature in AoNZ. This covers diverse sleep practices, perspectives and experiences of sleep and sleeping, as well as the broader socio-cultural factors and unique AoNZ context that influence sleep. However, gaps in the field of local sleep research are also identified. Findings lay the foundation for further research in AoNZ to explore sleep-related discourses and practices that will ultimately broaden existing perspectives.

The taxonomic status of butterfly rays within the genus Gymnura remains a subject of ongoing debate among researchers. Some authors recognize up to five valid species for the Americas, while others considered several to be synonyms, which has posed a persistent challenge. We aimed to shed light on this complexity by employing molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs) based on the mitochondrial gene cytochrome oxidase I (COI). Genetic sequences were obtained from fresh muscle tissue collected in the marine ecoregions corresponding to the type locality from all the nominal butterfly ray species distributed along the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP). Our results unveiled compelling findings; all the species delimitation models used consistently identified seven MOTUs for the American continent and an extra G. altavela MOTU restricted to Africa. In addition, our results and models exceeded the worldwide accepted interspecific threshold of 2.0%. Remarkably, our results support the taxonomic reinstatement of Gymnura afuerae (Hildebrand, 1946) as a valid species, with a range expanding into the ETP in the Southern Hemisphere. Similarly, our data support the recent suggestion of resurrecting Gymnura valenciennii (Duméril, 1865) as a valid species in the western Atlantic. These findings urge a reassessment of the conservation status and a comprehensive taxonomic revision of American butterfly rays.

Abstract Hikitia te Ora (Certificate in Health Sciences) is a 1 year Indigenous bridging foundation programme at the University of Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand. The programme aims to increase Māori and Pacific health workforce representation. This qualitative study applied a Kaupapa Māori positioning to elucidate the strengths, challenges, and opportunities of the programme. Data were collected through two workshops and seven focus groups with a total of 67 participants who were students of Hikitia te Ora from past and present cohorts, or their family members. Using a general inductive thematic analysis, the primary themes identified were that programme successes encompassed whanaungatanga (process of establishing relationships), academic and pastoral support, programme structure and the teaching content. Challenges included social cliques and divisive social groupings, timetabling of courses and high workloads. The three areas that emerged for further development include extending Pacific content, increasing the number of students in the programme, and maintaining a programme-specific study space for students. Implementing the findings from this study into Hikitia te Ora is expected to improve educational outcomes for Māori and Pacific students and may have the potential to benefit other bridging foundation courses aiming to promote Indigenous health workforce development.

Con su poesía, las poetas afrocolombianas revelan la relación entre el ser humano y su entorno, demuestran la interconexión e interdependencia entre los seres vivos y no vivos, y exponen cómo la protección y el cuidado del medioambiente son claves para la huma-nidad. En este artículo se analiza la producción poética de las autoras Sonia Nadhezda Truque y María Elcina Valencia Córdoba, quienes reflejan sus vivencias y perspectivas res-pecto al entorno, al ser afectadas por la violencia, el desplazamiento y las condiciones de raza, género y clase. La poesía de estas mujeres del Pacífico presenta una ética e inter-conexión con sus territorios, lo que evidencia una significativa conexión con lo terrenal y lo natural (tal como la filosofía africana ambiental). Se concluye que en su poesía se encuentran aspectos de la teoría african-ecocriticism y ecowomanism, como resultado de sus experiencias como activistas ambientales, mujeres y miembros de la diáspora africana. Afro-Colombian women poets, by their poetry, reveal the relationship of human beings with their environment They present the interconnection and interdependence of all living and non-living beings, and show how the protection and care of the environment are key aspects for humanity. In this paper, I analyze the poetry works of Sonia Nadhezda Truque and María Elcina Valencia Córdoba whose poems reflect their experiences and views on the environment affected by violence, displacement, and the conditions of race, gender, and class. I contend that both poets demonstrate an ethic and interconnection with their territories, evidencing their cosmovision of the self and their connection with the earth and nature, as reflected in the African environmental philosophy. I argue that within their poetry, there are aspects of African-ecocriticism and ecowomanism theories due to their experience as environmental activists, women, and members of the African Diaspora.

Benthic δ18O stacks are the benchmarks by which paleoceanographic data are stratigraphically aligned and compared. However, a recent study found that between 1.8 and 1.9 million years ago (Ma) several Ceara Rise records differed substantially from the widely used LR04 global stack. Here, we use new Bayesian stacking software to construct regional stacks and demonstrate a geographical divergence in benthic δ18O features from 1.8 to 1.9 Ma. The pattern of isotopic stage features observed in the Ceara Rise is widespread throughout the Atlantic and differs notably from Pacific records. We propose that this regional difference in isotopic stages may be the result of relatively strong precession forcing and weaker obliquity forcing between 1.8 and 1.9 Ma. In accordance with the Antiphase Hypothesis, our results highlight a period of apparent sensitivity to regional precession forcing that is masked during most of the 41‐Kyr world due to the amplitude modulation of obliquity forcing. Plain Language Summary: To determine the age of deep‐sea sediments, often the oxygen isotope ratios of microfossils are measured and compared to a previously compiled global benchmark. Recently, one of the most widely used oxygen isotope benchmarks has been challenged based on a comparison with several Atlantic records. In this study we assess several lines of evidence including utilizing newly available data and software. We confirm the challenge to the global oxygen isotope benchmark and find that it is more widespread than originally realized. Particularly, we find that oxygen isotope records display different patterns between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans from 1.8 to 1.9 million years ago (Ma). We propose that this difference is the result of the opposing seasonal solar radiation anomalies received by the northern and southern hemispheres, which exhibited particularly large amplitudes during this time. Our study adds supporting evidence to a hypothesis that explains the dominant frequency of oxygen isotopic cycles from 1.2 to 2.6 Ma. Key Points: New Atlantic and Pacific benthic δ18O stacks show different patterns between 1.8 and 1.9 MaThe Atlantic‐Pacific difference in this portion of the 41‐Kyr world may be caused by regional sensitivity to relatively strong precessionRegional benthic δ18O stacks are preferable to global stacks for stratigraphic alignment [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salmon lice, Lepeophtheirus salmonis (family Caligidae), are ectoparasites that have negatively impacted the salmon aquaculture industry and vulnerable wild salmon populations. Researchers have studied salmon lice to better understand their biology to develop effective control strategies. In this study, we updated the chromosome-level reference genome assembly of the Pacific subspecies of L. salmonis using Hi-C data. The previous version placed contigs/scaffolds using an Atlantic salmon louse genetic map. By utilizing Hi-C data from Pacific salmon lice, we were able to properly assign locations to contigs/scaffolds previously unplaced or misplaced. This resulted in a more accurate genome assembly and a more comprehensive characterization of the sex chromosome unique to females (W). We found evidence that the same ZW-ZZ mechanism is common in both Atlantic and Pacific subspecies of salmon lice using PCR assays. The W chromosome was approximately 800 kb in size, which is ∼30 times smaller than the Z chromosome (24 Mb). The W chromosome contained 61 annotated genes, including 32 protein-coding genes, 27 long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) genes, and 2 pseudogenes. Among these 61 genes, 39 genes shared homology to genes found on other chromosomes, while 20 were unique to the W chromosome. Two genes of interest on the W chromosome, prohibitin-2 and kinase suppressor of ras-2, were previously identified as potential sex-linked markers in the salmon louse. However, we prioritized the 20 unique genes on the W chromosome as sex-determining candidates. This information furthers our understanding of the biology of this ectoparasite and may help in the development of more effective management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the multifaceted learning experiences University of the South Pacific (USP) journalism students gain from practical training. It is the latest in a series of papers on applied learning and teaching at USP journalism. Applied training methods take into account the challenges of the Pacific news reporting terrain in which USP journalism graduates will operate once they start work. The article reiterates that the best way to condition future journalists for their work environment is to expose them to the elements. The article uses USP student journalists' coverage of the 2018 and 2022 Fiji elections as background case studies of practical experience and learning outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hikitia te Ora (Certificate in Health Sciences) is a 1 year Indigenous bridging foundation programme at the University of Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand. The programme aims to increase Māori and Pacific health workforce representation. This qualitative study applied a Kaupapa Māori positioning to elucidate the strengths, challenges, and opportunities of the programme. Data were collected through two workshops and seven focus groups with a total of 67 participants who were students of Hikitia te Ora from past and present cohorts, or their family members. Using a general inductive thematic analysis, the primary themes identified were that programme successes encompassed whanaungatanga (process of establishing relationships), academic and pastoral support, programme structure and the teaching content. Challenges included social cliques and divisive social groupings, timetabling of courses and high workloads. The three areas that emerged for further development include extending Pacific content, increasing the number of students in the programme, and maintaining a programme-specific study space for students. Implementing the findings from this study into Hikitia te Ora is expected to improve educational outcomes for Māori and Pacific students and may have the potential to benefit other bridging foundation courses aiming to promote Indigenous health workforce development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on food system framework development has increased substantially in recent years to better understand how we can best transform food systems. However, these frameworks generally take a one-size-fits-all approach, with food system indicators lacking relevance in many countries and territories. This research, centred on the Solomon Islands as a case study, employed a participatory approach involving stakeholders to identify context-specific indicators across three food systems pathways. These pathways, reflecting context-specific goals and a collective vision, encompassed strengthening and connecting rural food systems, enhancing the national policy environment, and advocating for food environments supporting healthy food accessibility, affordability, and convenience. The research identified a range of contextspecific indicators and evaluated their alignment with existing data sources. Results underscored the need for data collection and analysis efforts to inform evidence-based decision-making. The study also emphasised the importance of engaging diverse stakeholders to ensure a comprehensive and representative set of indicators, aligning with regional and global efforts to advance food system resilience and sustainability. This research lays the foundation for future endeavours to enhance food system monitoring and assessment, acknowledging nuances and complexities specific to the Solomon Islands and similar contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Introduction: Health Professions Education (HPE) leadership development is advocated for success at the individual, team, and institutional levels. Many leadership theories exist informed mainly by Western perspectives, however, Pacific HPE leadership has not been investigated. Therefore, this research aimed to understand Pacific HPE leaders’ perspectives to develop substantive theory to guide faculty development in this setting and add nuanced perspectives to the international HPE leadership discourse. Methods: Using an interpretivist case-study methodology, seven HPE leaders were purposefully recruited. Data collection tools included Rich Pictures, Talanoa Zoom interviews, and reflective journals. Participants drew a picture on ‘Being an HPE leader’, subsequently explaining their depiction, and then reflected on leadership events in their journals over six months. Codes and themes were identified using Miles, Huberman and Saldaña’s approach. Results: Metaphors were assigned to three HPE leadership styles identified: The ‘Bridge’- helping students from novice to competent; the ‘Coconut Tree’- multiple roles and sturdy in the storm; and the ‘Boat’ - navigating towards the vision. Conclusions: Rich Pictures, interviews and reflective journals allowed HPE leaders to reflect on ‘Being an HPE Leader’ and revealed tacit perspectives. This study suggests there are different styles of leadership, pertinent to the Pacific context, depending on the aims, strategies, and attributes of different HPE leaders. Although grounded in the Pacific, certain aspects may resonate in similar contexts. Notwithstanding that many facets of leadership identified align with current leadership models, intrapersonal emotional intelligence and cultural aspects of HPE leadership should be considered when designing contextually embedded faculty development.

Abstract Drivers and dynamics of initial human migrations across individual islands and archipelagos are poorly understood, hampering assessments of subsequent modification of island biodiversity. We developed and tested a new statistical-simulation approach for reconstructing the pattern and pace of human migration across islands at high spatiotemporal resolutions. Using Polynesian colonisation of New Zealand as an example, we show that process-explicit models, informed by archaeological records and spatiotemporal reconstructions of past climates and environments, can provide new and important insights into the patterns and mechanisms of arrival and establishment of people on islands. We find that colonisation of New Zealand required there to have been a single founding population of approximately 500 people, arriving between 1233 and 1257 AD, settling multiple areas, and expanding rapidly over both North and South Islands. These verified spatiotemporal reconstructions of colonisation dynamics provide new opportunities to explore more extensively the potential ecological impacts of human colonisation on New Zealand’s native biota and ecosystems.

Abstract Background The Census of Populations and Dwellings’ is the five yearly population count of Aotearoa New Zealand. Best available populations (BAP) are subnational projections based on census data and demographic assumptions developed for healthcare planning and funding allocation but are also used as the denominator for health indicator monitoring. Pacific people are systematically undercounted, but the impact on health statistics is not well studied. For COVID-19 vaccination coverage, health service user (HSU) data were considered a more reliable denominator than BAP but introduced new biases. We aimed to understand how the choice of denominator population impacts estimates of population size and health system performance for Pacific people at a local level. Methods We described how declining census response rates affected population data quality. We compared BAP and HSU data at district level. For the indicators ‘access to primary care’ and ‘cervical cancer screening uptake’ we replaced currently used BAP denominators with HSU and examined the impact for different ethnic groups in different geographic districts. Results Overall Census 2018 response declined by 10%, but for Māori and Pacific people by 21% and 23%, respectively. This inequitably affected BAP accuracy. Census undercount was highest in the district with the largest Pacific populations, where HSU exceeded BAP most. Notably, ‘access to primary care’ for Pacific people in this district consistently exceeds 100%. Using BAP, both health indicators are currently estimated as highest for Pacific people compared to other ethnic groups, but when based on HSU, they dropped to lowest. Similar, but less pronounced trends occurred in other districts. Changes in trends over time for both indicators coincided mostly with adjustments in BAP, rather than changes in the numerators. Conclusions The current use of BAP denominators for health statistics does not enable reliable monitoring of key health indicators for Pacific people. HSU denominators are also unsuitable for monitoring health. Exploring the feasibility of a real-time population register is strongly recommended as a new, transparent, way of obtaining more reliable, timely population data to guide policymaking and underpin a more equitable health system under the health reforms. Meanwhile, reporting of ethnic specific outcomes need to include a clear assessment of the potential for bias due to inaccurate population estimates.

Abstract On May 27, 2022, the Asia Pacific Heart Rhythm Society and the Heart Rhythm Society convened a meeting of leaders from different professional societies of healthcare providers committed to arrhythmia care from the Asia Pacific region. The overriding goals of the meeting were to discuss clinical and health policy issues that face each country for providing care for patients with electrophysiologic issues, share experiences and best practices, and discuss potential future solutions. Participants were asked to address a series of questions in preparation for the meeting. The format of the meeting was a series of individual country reports presented by the leaders from each of the professional societies followed by open discussion. The recorded presentations from the Asia Summit can be accessed at https://www.heartrhythm365.org/URL/asiasummit‐22. Three major themes arose from the discussion. First, the major clinical problems faced by different countries vary. Although atrial fibrillation is common throughout the region, the most important issues also include more general issues such as hypertension, rheumatic heart disease, tobacco abuse, and management of potentially life‐threatening problems such as sudden cardiac arrest or profound bradycardia. Second, there is significant variability in the access to advanced arrhythmia care throughout the region because of differences in workforce availability, resources, drug availability, and national health policies. Third, collaboration in the area already occurs between individual countries, but no systematic regional method for working together is present.

The culturally diverse region of Moananui Oceania, is where many of the world's nations that are most impacted by climate change are located, including Samoa. Nature-based solutions (NbS) offer significant potential for effective climate change adaptation and are increasingly being explored and utilized in the region both in terms of (re)exploring traditional human designed living-systems created over connected land and oceanscapes, and in relation to contemporary NbS strategies. To explore nature-based adaptation agendas that link closely to Indigenous ecological knowledge and understandings of wellbeing, and that can enhance cultural connections to NbS in an urban climate change adaptation context, the Nature-based Urban design for Wellbeing and Adaptation in Oceania (NUWAO) Vaisigano Project in Samoa was conceived. The project examines and draws upon contemporary and traditional relationships between human settlements and nature in Samoa, as a means to advocate for regenerative urban environments that enhance entwined socio-ecological wellbeing and resilience as a climate change adaptation measure. We conducted a series of household interviews along a ridge-to-reef transect in the Vaisigano Catchment and then conducted fa'afaletui focus groups to ascertain community understandings and priorities related to NbS for climate change adaptation. Findings include that there is great potential in combining local Indigenous knowledges and worldviews with contemporary nature-based approaches to create culturally effective, just, and resilient climate change adaptation measures in Samoa, and in wider Moananui Oceania.

ABSTRACTIn Aotearoa New Zealand, there has been a marked decrease in the uptake of routine childhood vaccinations since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly among Māori and Pacific children. This Māori and Pacific-centered research used an interpretive description methodology. We undertook culturally informed interviews and discussions with Māori and Pacific caregivers (n = 24) and healthcare professionals (n = 13) to understand their perceptions of routine childhood vaccines. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis and privileged respective Māori and Pacific worldviews. Four themes were constructed. “We go with the norm” reflected how social norms, health personnel and institutions promoted (and sometimes coerced) participants’ acceptance of routine vaccines before the pandemic. “Everything became difficult” explains how the pandemic added challenges to the daily struggles of whānau (extended family networks) and healthcare professionals. Participants noted how information sources influenced disease and vaccine perceptions and health behaviors. “It needed to have an ethnic-specific approach” highlighted the inappropriateness of Western-centric strategies that dominated during the initial pandemic response that did not meet the needs of Māori and Pacific communities. Participants advocated for whānau-centric vaccination efforts. “People are now finding their voice” expressed renewed agency among whānau about vaccination following the immense pressure to receive COVID-19 vaccines. The pandemic created an opportune time to support informed parental vaccine decision-making in a manner that enhances the mana (authority, control) of whānau. Māori and Pacific-led vaccination strategies should be embedded in immunization service delivery to improve uptake and immunization experiences for whānau.

Drivers and dynamics of initial human migrations across individual islands and archipelagos are poorly understood, hampering assessments of subsequent modification of island biodiversity. We developed and tested a new statistical-simulation approach for reconstructing the pattern and pace of human migration across islands at high spatiotemporal resolutions. Using Polynesian colonisation of New Zealand as an example, we show that process-explicit models, informed by archaeological records and spatiotemporal reconstructions of past climates and environments, can provide new and important insights into the patterns and mechanisms of arrival and establishment of people on islands. We find that colonisation of New Zealand required there to have been a single founding population of approximately 500 people, arriving between 1233 and 1257 AD, settling multiple areas, and expanding rapidly over both North and South Islands. These verified spatiotemporal reconstructions of colonisation dynamics provide new opportunities to explore more extensively the potential ecological impacts of human colonisation on New Zealand's native biota and ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Health Professions Education (HPE) leadership development is advocated for success at the individual, team, and institutional levels. Many leadership theories exist informed mainly by Western perspectives, however, Pacific HPE leadership has not been investigated. Therefore, this research aimed to understand Pacific HPE leaders' perspectives to develop substantive theory to guide faculty development in this setting and add nuanced perspectives to the international HPE leadership discourse. Methods: Using an interpretivist case-study methodology, seven HPE leaders were purposefully recruited. Data collection tools included Rich Pictures, Talanoa Zoom interviews, and reflective journals. Participants drew a picture on 'Being an HPE leader', subsequently explaining their depiction, and then reflected on leadership events in their journals over six months. Codes and themes were identified using Miles, Huberman and Saldan~a's approach. Results: Metaphors were assigned to three HPE leadership styles identified: The 'Bridge'-helping students from novice to competent; the 'Coconut Tree'-multiple roles and sturdy in the storm; and the 'Boat' - navigating towards the vision. Conclusions: Rich Pictures, interviews and reflective journals allowed HPE leaders to reflect on 'Being an HPE Leader' and revealed tacit perspectives. This study suggests there are different styles of leadership, pertinent to the Pacific context, depending on the aims, strategies, and attributes of different HPE leaders. Although grounded in the Pacific, certain aspects may resonate in similar contexts. Notwithstanding that many facets of leadership identified align with current leadership models, intrapersonal emotional intelligence and cultural aspects of HPE leadership should be considered when designing contextually embedded faculty development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Durvalumab has been administered to patients with unresectable stage III non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, it remains unclear whether durvalumab benefits these patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation. We conducted a retrospective, multicenter study of patients with EGFR mutation who received chemoradiotherapy (CRT) between June 2018 and March 2021. We assessed patient characteristics, efficacy of durvalumab, and durvalumab safety before and after targeted therapy. We collected data on a total of 673 patients, of whom 401 (59.6%) underwent EGFR mutation testing. Fifty‐one patients were EGFR positive and 311 were EGFR negative. In the EGFR‐positive group, there were higher proportions of females, never‐smokers, and patients with adenocarcinoma histology. Of the 51 patients in the positive group and 311 in the negative group who received CRT, 45 (88.2%) and 247 (79.4%) received durvalumab, with median progression‐free survival of 23.0 and 24.2 months in the positive and negative groups, respectively (hazard ratio 1.03; 95% confidence interval: 0.64–1.67). The main adverse event was pneumonitis (positive group: 62.2%; 4.4% grade 3; negative group: 62.3%; 6.9% grade 3). No treatment‐related deaths were observed. Of the 45 patients in the positive group who received durvalumab, 14 (31.1%) received targeted therapy after durvalumab at the data cutoff. One patient discontinued targeted therapy after developing pneumonitis. In patients with unresectable stage III NSCLC with EGFR mutation, durvalumab after CRT is potentially safe and effective. This may be a suitable treatment sequence for these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethical consumerism is one of this century's retail success stories and has continued to grow despite the global pandemic and economic contraction. Consumers worldwide are increasingly putting their money where their values are in purchases of food and drink, clothing, housing, and financial and other services. Understanding these consumers is key to competing successfully in markets for ethically sourced products and presents opportunities for reducing poverty in developing countries where food and agricultural production is the dominant economic activity, such as small island developing states (SIDS) in the Pacific. While ethical consumerism is an expanding research field, findings rarely are analysed in detail for market development. Rarer still is segmentation in terms of product attributes aimed explicitly at poverty reduction in slow-growth, emerging economies like those of the Pacific. Here we report a latent class cluster analysis of survey responses by ethically conscious Australian consumers (n = 637) associated with Oxfam, the development charity. Four distinct consumer segments were identified with implications for Pacific producers. Product origin and 'the story behind the product' were particularly important to these consumers. The findings provide practical insights to agricultural stakeholders in the Pacific and those similarly situated around the globe that are in need of new economic opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The timing and geographic extent of a potential "4.2 ky event" remain highly contested. Here we present records of ENSO variability at 3.8 kyBP and 4.1 kyBP derived from a Borneo stalagmite, which suggest a significant change in ENSO properties between these time intervals. The Borneo records show evidence of significantly reduced ENSO activity at 4.1 kyBP, relative to other measured windows within the Holocene. This reduced ENSO activity coincides with a period of drier conditions and enhanced dust events in the Middle East that took place ∼4.0–4.3 kyBP. The Borneo records show evidence of enhanced ENSO activity at 3.8 kyBP. Various hydroclimate changes attributed to the "4.2 ky event" in many regions may thus be reflecting a shift from reduced to enhanced El Niño activity that occurred between 3.8 kyBP to 4.0 kyBP. Plain Language Summary: Research suggests that a significant climate shift may have occurred around 4,000 years ago, though the exact timing and global extent of the event remain uncertain. A change in the frequency or magnitude of the El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is one hypothesized cause, however there are currently few high‐resolution records which resolve ENSO variability 4,000 years ago. We present a new western tropical Pacific stalagmite‐based record of ENSO activity, which shows a significant minimum in ENSO variability around 4,100 years ago. This reduced ENSO activity coincides with a centennial‐scale climate event in the Middle East characterized by drier conditions and enhanced dust events. The Borneo record also shows a significant increase in El Niño/La Niña activity that took place by 3,800 years ago. Hydroclimate changes around 4,000 years ago found in records from multiple regions around the world may therefore reflect a shift from reduced to enhanced El Niño activity. Key Points: Borneo stalagmite record shows anomalously low El Niño‐Southern Oscillation variability in a 135‐year‐long window, centered at 4.1 kyBPBorneo stalagmite record suggests an abrupt shift from low to high El Niño‐Southern Oscillation variability between 3.8 and 4.0 kyBPRecords of tropical hydroclimate change ∼4,000 years ago may reflect a significant increase in El Niño variability [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Census of Populations and Dwellings’ is the five yearly population count of Aotearoa New Zealand. Best available populations (BAP) are subnational projections based on census data and demographic assumptions developed for healthcare planning and funding allocation but are also used as the denominator for health indicator monitoring. Pacific people are systematically undercounted, but the impact on health statistics is not well studied. For COVID-19 vaccination coverage, health service user (HSU) data were considered a more reliable denominator than BAP but introduced new biases. We aimed to understand how the choice of denominator population impacts estimates of population size and health system performance for Pacific people at a local level. Methods: We described how declining census response rates affected population data quality. We compared BAP and HSU data at district level. For the indicators ‘access to primary care’ and ‘cervical cancer screening uptake’ we replaced currently used BAP denominators with HSU and examined the impact for different ethnic groups in different geographic districts. Results: Overall Census 2018 response declined by 10%, but for Māori and Pacific people by 21% and 23%, respectively. This inequitably affected BAP accuracy. Census undercount was highest in the district with the largest Pacific populations, where HSU exceeded BAP most. Notably, ‘access to primary care’ for Pacific people in this district consistently exceeds 100%. Using BAP, both health indicators are currently estimated as highest for Pacific people compared to other ethnic groups, but when based on HSU, they dropped to lowest. Similar, but less pronounced trends occurred in other districts. Changes in trends over time for both indicators coincided mostly with adjustments in BAP, rather than changes in the numerators. Conclusions: The current use of BAP denominators for health statistics does not enable reliable monitoring of key health indicators for Pacific people. HSU denominators are also unsuitable for monitoring health. Exploring the feasibility of a real-time population register is strongly recommended as a new, transparent, way of obtaining more reliable, timely population data to guide policymaking and underpin a more equitable health system under the health reforms. Meanwhile, reporting of ethnic specific outcomes need to include a clear assessment of the potential for bias due to inaccurate population estimates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On May 27, 2022, the Asia Pacific Heart Rhythm Society and the Heart Rhythm Society convened a meeting of leaders from different professional societies of healthcare providers committed to arrhythmia care from the Asia Pacific region. The overriding goals of the meeting were to discuss clinical and health policy issues that face each country for providing care for patients with electrophysiologic issues, share experiences and best practices, and discuss potential future solutions. Participants were asked to address a series of questions in preparation for the meeting. The format of the meeting was a series of individual country reports presented by the leaders from each of the professional societies followed by open discussion. The recorded presentations from the Asia Summit can be accessed at https://www.heartrhythm365.org/URL/asiasummit‐22. Three major themes arose from the discussion. First, the major clinical problems faced by different countries vary. Although atrial fibrillation is common throughout the region, the most important issues also include more general issues such as hypertension, rheumatic heart disease, tobacco abuse, and management of potentially life‐threatening problems such as sudden cardiac arrest or profound bradycardia. Second, there is significant variability in the access to advanced arrhythmia care throughout the region because of differences in workforce availability, resources, drug availability, and national health policies. Third, collaboration in the area already occurs between individual countries, but no systematic regional method for working together is present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Benthic δ18O stacks are the benchmarks by which paleoceanographic data are stratigraphically aligned and compared. However, a recent study found that between 1.8 and 1.9 million years ago (Ma) several Ceara Rise records differed substantially from the widely used LR04 global stack. Here, we use new Bayesian stacking software to construct regional stacks and demonstrate a geographical divergence in benthic δ18O features from 1.8 to 1.9 Ma. The pattern of isotopic stage features observed in the Ceara Rise is widespread throughout the Atlantic and differs notably from Pacific records. We propose that this regional difference in isotopic stages may be the result of relatively strong precession forcing and weaker obliquity forcing between 1.8 and 1.9 Ma. In accordance with the Antiphase Hypothesis, our results highlight a period of apparent sensitivity to regional precession forcing that is masked during most of the 41‐Kyr world due to the amplitude modulation of obliquity forcing.

This article examines the multifaceted learning experiences University of the South Pacific (USP) journalism students gain from practical training. It is the latest in a series of papers on applied learning and teaching at USP journalism. Applied training methods take into account the challenges of the Pacific news reporting terrain in which USP journalism graduates will operate once they start work. The article reiterates that the best way to condition future journalists for their work environment is to expose them to the elements. The article uses USP student journalists’ coverage of the 2018 and 2022 Fiji elections as background case studies of practical experience and learning outcomes.

Background: This article pays tribute to Dr Sulley Gariba, a pioneer of global and African evaluation, by examining the growing movement of culturally responsive evaluation (CRE) and culturally responsive Indigenous evaluation (CRIE) in the Asia Pacific. Objectives: The article aims to describe initiatives to increase awareness and uptake of CRE and CRIE as well as good practice examples across the Asia Pacific. Method: A literature review was conducted guided by evaluation, CRE and CRIE experts. Results: While Western-derived evaluation practice still dominates the region, particularly in international development, there are increasing examples of CRE and CRIE in the Asia Pacific. The movement to mainstream CRE and CRIE is redressing decades of colonisation and power imbalances in the Asia Pacific and such approaches will in turn, contribute to decolonising policy and practice. Conclusion: Integrating CRE and CRIE into mainstream evaluation practice in the Asia Pacific will play a vital role in ensuring that evaluation contributes to meaningful, culturally relevant and appropriate improvements in people’s lives. Contribution: This article contributes to inter-regional awareness of, and learning about, CRE and CRIE by sharing perspectives and good practice from the Asia Pacific.

Research on food system framework development has increased substantially in recent years to better understand how we can best transform food systems. However, these frameworks generally take a one-size-fits-all approach, with food system indicators lacking relevance in many countries and territories. This research, centred on the Solomon Islands as a case study, employed a participatory approach involving stakeholders to identify context-specific indicators across three food systems pathways. These pathways, reflecting context-specific goals and a collective vision, encompassed strengthening and connecting rural food systems, enhancing the national policy environment, and advocating for food environments supporting healthy food accessibility, affordability, and convenience. The research identified a range of context-specific indicators and evaluated their alignment with existing data sources. Results underscored the need for data collection and analysis efforts to inform evidence-based decision-making. The study also emphasised the importance of engaging diverse stakeholders to ensure a comprehensive and representative set of indicators, aligning with regional and global efforts to advance food system resilience and sustainability. This research lays the foundation for future endeavours to enhance food system monitoring and assessment, acknowledging nuances and complexities specific to the Solomon Islands and similar contexts.

Abstract Background Despite a low rate of infant mortality, Aotearoa New Zealand has a high rate of Sudden Unexpected Death in Infants (SUDI), with disproportionate impact for Pacific infants. This study explored the infant care practices, factors and relationships associated with increased risk of SUDI amongst Tongan, Samoan, Cook Islands Māori, and Niuean mothers in New Zealand, to inform evidence-based interventions for reducing the incidence of SUDI for Pacific families and their children. Methods Analysis comprised of data collected in 2009–2010 from 1089 Samoan, Tongan, Cook Islands Māori and Niuean mothers enrolled in the Growing Up in New Zealand longitudinal cohort study. The sleeping environment (bed-sharing and sleep position) of the infants was assessed at 6 weeks. Multivariable logistic regression analysis were conducted, controlling for sociodemographic factors to explore the association between selected maternal and pregnancy support and environment factors and the sleeping environment for infants. Results Mothers who converse in languages other than English at home, and mothers who consulted alternative practitioners were less likely to follow guidelines for infant sleeping position. Similarly language, smoking, alcohol, household dwelling, crowding and access to a family doctor or GP were associated with mothers following guidelines for bed-sharing. Conclusion The impact of SUDI on Pacific infants may be lessened or prevented if communication about risk factors is more inclusive of diverse ethnic, cultural worldviews, and languages. Societal structural issues such as access to affordable housing is also important. This research suggests a need for more targeted or tailored interventions which promote safe sleeping and reduce rates of SUDI in a culturally respectful and meaningful way for Pasifika communities in Aotearoa, New Zealand.

Background: Despite a low rate of infant mortality, Aotearoa New Zealand has a high rate of Sudden Unexpected Death in Infants (SUDI), with disproportionate impact for Pacific infants. This study explored the infant care practices, factors and relationships associated with increased risk of SUDI amongst Tongan, Samoan, Cook Islands Māori, and Niuean mothers in New Zealand, to inform evidence-based interventions for reducing the incidence of SUDI for Pacific families and their children. Methods: Analysis comprised of data collected in 2009–2010 from 1089 Samoan, Tongan, Cook Islands Māori and Niuean mothers enrolled in the Growing Up in New Zealand longitudinal cohort study. The sleeping environment (bed-sharing and sleep position) of the infants was assessed at 6 weeks. Multivariable logistic regression analysis were conducted, controlling for sociodemographic factors to explore the association between selected maternal and pregnancy support and environment factors and the sleeping environment for infants. Results: Mothers who converse in languages other than English at home, and mothers who consulted alternative practitioners were less likely to follow guidelines for infant sleeping position. Similarly language, smoking, alcohol, household dwelling, crowding and access to a family doctor or GP were associated with mothers following guidelines for bed-sharing. Conclusion: The impact of SUDI on Pacific infants may be lessened or prevented if communication about risk factors is more inclusive of diverse ethnic, cultural worldviews, and languages. Societal structural issues such as access to affordable housing is also important. This research suggests a need for more targeted or tailored interventions which promote safe sleeping and reduce rates of SUDI in a culturally respectful and meaningful way for Pasifika communities in Aotearoa, New Zealand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Between the second half of the nineteenth and the first half of the twentieth century, Australia and the islands of the southwestern Pacific were the setting of a wide context of encounters between Europeans and Indigenous peoples, in regions that could be perceived as disconnected at a first glance. However, it was part of a wider project of colonization that overlapped on a not less wide set of Indigenous networks of interconnection. Such a colonial project had landscape modification as a main common goal, added to projects of ethnic and cultural separation and segregation. This article suggests an approach to cultural seascapes as an approach to power relations between European colonizers and Indigenous people in this region. I suggest that this level of analysis allows to connect realities that could be perceived as disparate, but which were coherent with global projects of imposition of colonial identities according to a dominant global matrix of power. I aim to highlight the value of local spaces of interconnection as expressions of wider realities, approachable throughout the analysis of cultural seascapes as mobile spaces of power relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Ormocarpum P.Beauv. is revised for Malesia and the Pacific region. Several new species (O. fijiense Arbainsyah, O. neocaledonicum Arbainsyah, O. philippinense Arbainsyah, O. sculptilium Arbainsyah, O. smitsii Arbainsyah, O. vanuatense Arbainsyah) are described. A key to the species of Malesia and the Pacific is presented. Diphaca cochinchinensis Lour. is lectotypified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A survey of children in the small Pacific Island state of Samoa was undertaken through focus groups and drawings. This primary study of children of different ages demonstrated that children were aware of local environmental changes including those triggered by climate change. The majority of Samoan children of both genders were aware of the multiple dimensions of climate change affecting Samoa, namely rising temperatures, heavier rainfall, stronger winds, cyclones, and how these affected to varying degrees different parts of Samoa. Sea level rise was perceived to be a feature of future, rather than, current climate change. Gender variations reflected domestic activities of children, while village location influenced observations and perceptions of change. Their knowledge was informed by their experiences of recent events triggered by climate change and tectonic activities, attending school, as well as by listening to various media sources such as television and radio, and to family members. Younger children, aged 6-9 years, had a basic understanding of climate change. Older children, aged 10-15 years, were able to conceptualize future changes, and exhibited a degree of forward thinking that suggested potential resilience in the face of change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To systematically identify and review food taxation policy changes in Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs). Design: Food taxation polices, regarding excise taxes and tariffs applied from 2000 to 2020 in twenty-two PICTs, and their key characteristics were reviewed. The search was conducted using databases, government legal repositories and broad-based search engines. Identified documents for screening included legislation, reports, academic literature, news articles and grey literature. Key informants were contacted from each PICT to retrieve further data and confirm results. Results were analysed by narrative synthesis. Setting: Noncommunicable diseases (NCD) are the leading cause of premature death in PICTs and in many jurisdictions globally. An NCD crisis has been declared in the Pacific, and food taxation policy has been recommended to address the dietary risk factors associated with. Progress is unclear. Results: Of the twenty-two PICTs included in the study, fourteen had food taxation policies and five introduced excise taxes. Processed foods, sugar and salt were the main target of excise taxes. A total of eighty-four food taxation policy changes were identified across all food groups. There was a total of 279 taxes identified by food group, of which 85 % were tariffs and 15 % were excise taxes. Individual tax rates varied substantially. The predominant tax design was ad valorem, and this was followed by volumetric. Conclusions: A quarter of PICTs have introduced food excise taxes from 2000 to 2020. Further excise taxes, specifically tiered or nutrient-specific designs, could be introduced and more systematically applied to a broader range of unhealthy foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Community-based rehabilitation (CBR) is a multi-sectoral strategy that addresses the human rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities. Justice is a core component within the social pillar of the CBR Matrix, however, there is limited understanding of how CBR and Community-Based Inclusive Development (CBID) programs are implementing this component globally. The CBR Global Network and partners facilitated five online dialogues in different regions of the world to understand current practices and the future of the field as it relates to justice, choice, and power in CBR/CBID. Analysis was completed both deductively and inductively, to explore the trends and issues and any similarities or differences in practice across the regions. Participants discussed (i) challenges in policy implementation and law enforcement; (ii) the role of CBR/CBID programs; (iii) the role of family (as both facilitator and barrier to accessing justice); and (iv) engagement of people with disabilities. Findings detail important experiences of the CBR/CBID stakeholders around the globe, and may inform future funding, practice, and advocacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Between the second half of the nineteenth and the first half of the twentieth century, Australia and the islands of the southwestern Pacific were the setting of a wide context of encounters between Europeans and Indigenous peoples, in regions that could be perceived as disconnected at a first glance. However, it was part of a wider project of colonization that overlapped on a not less wide set of Indigenous networks of interconnection. Such a colonial project had landscape modification as a main common goal, added to projects of ethnic and cultural separation and segregation. This article suggests an approach to cultural seascapes as an approach to power relations between European colonizers and Indigenous people in this region. I suggest that this level of analysis allows to connect realities that could be perceived as disparate, but which were coherent with global projects of imposition of colonial identities according to a dominant global matrix of power. I aim to highlight the value of local spaces of interconnection as expressions of wider realities, approachable throughout the analysis of cultural seascapes as mobile spaces of power relations.

Abstract The timing and geographic extent of a potential “4.2 ky event” remain highly contested. Here we present records of ENSO variability at 3.8 kyBP and 4.1 kyBP derived from a Borneo stalagmite, which suggest a significant change in ENSO properties between these time intervals. The Borneo records show evidence of significantly reduced ENSO activity at 4.1 kyBP, relative to other measured windows within the Holocene. This reduced ENSO activity coincides with a period of drier conditions and enhanced dust events in the Middle East that took place ∼4.0–4.3 kyBP. The Borneo records show evidence of enhanced ENSO activity at 3.8 kyBP. Various hydroclimate changes attributed to the “4.2 ky event” in many regions may thus be reflecting a shift from reduced to enhanced El Niño activity that occurred between 3.8 kyBP to 4.0 kyBP.

Abstract Background Traditional Polynesian medicine for children has been poorly documented, and few data are available on their efficacy and safety. In this context, the aim of this study was to identify traditional practices used for treating children and then assess the efficacy and safety of the most cited remedies by reviewing the literature. Methods In 2022, a semi-structured survey was carried out on five islands from the Society archipelago (Bora Bora, Huahine, Moorea, Raiatea, and Tahiti). A total of 86 participants were interviewed including 19 experts in herbalism. A thorough literature review was performed on the most cited plant species to gather the relevant ethnobotanical, pharmacological, and clinical data of each remedy. Results Participants mentioned using 469 remedies to treat 69 health disorders. The most represented health categories were digestive system, skin disorders, infectious diseases, and respiratory system. A total of 67 plant species (representing 731 use-reports) were mentioned and Annona muricata, Gardenia taitensis, and Hibiscus rosa-sinensis were the main plants reported. Regarding the safety of cited remedies, one plant (Microsorum grossum) showed high risk of toxicity, and its use should be avoided in infants and children. Conclusion Our survey confirms the importance of traditional medical practices for children in the Society Islands. A lack of data in children for most cited remedies demonstrate the need for more pharmacological and toxicological research on Polynesian medicinal plants. Finally, the potential risk of toxicity for some cited plant species reported calls for a better information of traditional medicine users and healers.