Nuptiality and fertility in the Dominican Republic

Women in marital unions had more live births than those in consensual unions. The relationship between cumulative fertility and the number of fertile sexual unions is positive for the early childbearing years and negative for the later ones. There is no consistent pattern of relationship between fertility and the sociocultural independent variables for different subgroups according to nuptiality pattern. The relationship between fertility and nuptiality in the Dominican Republic is consistent with that for the Caribbean region.     

Dissociative Symptoms and Reported Trauma Among Patients with Spirit Possession and Matched Healthy Controls in Uganda

Spirit possession is a common, worldwide phenomenon with dissociative features. Studies in Europe and the United States have revealed associations among psychoform and somatoform dissociation and (reported) potential traumatic events. The aim of this study was to explore the relationships among spirit possession, dissociative symptoms and reported potentially traumatizing events in Uganda. One hundred nineteen persons with spirit possession, diagnosed by traditional healers, were compared to a matched control group of 71 nonpossessed persons. Assessments included demographic items and measures of dissociation and potentially traumatizing events. Compared to the nonpossessed group, the possessed group reported more severe psychoform dissociation and somatoform dissociation and more potentially traumatizing events. The associations between these events and both types of dissociation were significant. Yet, consistent with the cultural perception of dissociative symptoms, the participants subjectively did not associate dissociative symptoms with potentially traumatizing events. In conclusion, spirit possession deserves more interest as a possible idiom of distress and a culture-specific expression of dissociation related to potential traumatizing events.     

Two Studies of Spirit Possession in Niger

Spirit Possession and Personhood among the Kel Ewey Tuareg. Susan J. Rasmussen. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995. 178 pp.
Embodying Colonial Memories: Spirit Possession, Power, and the Hauka in West Africa. Paul StoIIer. New York: Routledge, 1995. 226 pp.     

A Case of Spirit Possession and Glossolalia

Culture, Medicine, and Psychiatry -     

Vegetation of the dry bioclimatic areas in the Dominican Republic

We conduct a study of the dry forest in areas of scant rainfall in the Dominican Republic; these are sites with particular endemic habitats, as the samples reveal a high rate of local and insular endemic species, with 84 (24.85%) endemisms. This work covers dry forests rich in coarse spiny plants and includes a statistical (multivariate analysis), phytosociological and catenal study of the vegetation. We analyse the floristic composition, ecology, distribution and richness in endemisms of each association. The bioclimatic analysis reveals the different thermotypes and ombrotypes on the island, and locates the proposed plant associations in the infra- and thermotropical thermotypes, and in the arid, semiarid and dry ombrotypes. As a result of this phytosociological analysis, we propose the new alliance Harrio nashii–Acacion skleroxylae and four plant associations: Harrisio nashii–Prosopidetum juliflorae, Crotono poitaei–Erythroxyletum rotundifolii, Lonchocarpo pycnophylli–Cylindropuntietum caribaeae and Neoabbottio paniculatae–Guaiacetum officinali; these associations connect catenally with the subhumid forest and mangrove swamps.     

Mycoleptodiscus terrestris from black pepper roots in the Dominican Republic

Mycoleptodiscus terrestris from black pepper roots in the Dominican Republic is described together with some notes and photomicrographs.     

Phytosociological study of the Pinus occidentalis forests in the Dominican Republic

Abstract

The article deals both with the Pinus occidentalis pine tree forests growing on high mountain limestones and siliceous substrates, and with the copses growing on serpentines in Dajabón (Cibao Valley), Dominican Republic. The samplings carried out in these forests reveal the occurrence of numerous endemic species and, consequently, the habitats can be considered as endemic, priority habitats of the Antilles. The article relies on some previous surveys carried out by us, Cano E, Velóz Ramirez A, Cano-Ortiz A, Esteban FJ. (2009b). Analysis of the Pterocarpus officinalis forests in the Gran Estero (Dominican Republic). Acta Botanica Gallica 156(4):559–570, that made use of the data provided by 87 weather stations of the Dominican Republic. With the values of the Ci, Oi, Cti, etc. indexes, we make a bioclimatical proposal for Hispaniola. Our preliminary analysis of the studies published on the vegetation of the Island of Hispaniola and nearby islands, along with the samples taken by us, lead us to propose two new alliances: Ilici tuerckheimi–Pinion occidentalis and Phyllario mummularioidi–Leptogonion buchi, and three new associations: Dendropemon phycnophylli–Pinetum occidentalis, Cocotrino scopari–Pinetum occidentalis and Leptogono buchi–Pinetum occidentalis.     

Peripheral Migrants: Haitians and Dominican Republic Sugar Plantations

Peripheral Migrants: Haitians and Dominican Republic Sugar Plantations. Samuel Martinez. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 1995. 228 pp.     

Postfire Vegetation Recovery in Highland Pine Forests of the Dominican Republic

We surveyed postfire vegetation at five sites at high elevations (> 2000 m) in the Cordillera Central, Dominican Republic. Highlands of the Cordillera Central are dominated by a single pine species, Pinus occidentalis, but plant communities are rich with endemics and conservation and fire management efforts in these systems are ongoing. The burns were 2–7 yr in age and had consumed nearly all shrub crowns. Pines suffered high mortality (> 50%, all sites combined), but shrubs resprouted at high rates (88%, N = 957) after fire. All shrub taxa produced basal resprouts; eight of 11 shrub taxa measured had resprouting rates > 90 percent, while Baccharis myrsinites had the lowest (56%). Most taxa grew to prefire height quickly (within 5–7 yr), with regrowth of stem diameters lagging behind. Patterns and rates of shrub recovery resembled those documented in high elevation shrublands in Costa Rica and Brazil. Pinus occidentalis does not resprout, but larger individuals can survive fire. Survival increases dramatically when trees attain > 13-cm dbh, when bark becomes thick enough to protect cambial tissue. Overall, pines are regenerating much more slowly than shrubs, but seedling establishment varied considerably between sites. Frequent fires may cause a decline in pines and an increase in shrub- or grass-dominated communities. Succession in these high elevation fire-dependent pine forests favors taxa already present in the preburn vegetation, with woody composition changing little after fire, in contrast to lower-elevation cloud forest, where postfire vegetation has been shown to bear little resemblance to mature forest even after several years.     

Ecology and taphonomy of Dominican Republic amber and its inclusions

The taphonomic influences upon fossil faunas are generally assumed to be substantial, but in amber they have been little investigated. By comparing the inclusions in Tertiary amber from the Dominican Republic (Smithsonian Institution's Brodzinsky-Lopez Peña collection) with modern insect populations sampled using various methods and from different habitats, it is possible to test taphonomic hypotheses that bear on interpretations of amber faunas. The biota trapped in amber is here viewed as analogous to modem faunas sampled with man-made traps. Using cluster analysis (Manhattan and Euclidian distance measures -UPGMA clustering algorithm) to compare faunas, the amber-trap fauna is most closely reproduced by present day collection using emergence traps and also shows a strong similarity to the fauna of pitfall trap samples. Faunal dissimilarities indicate that the utility of Dominican Republic amber fossils is limited for ecological studies of the canopy and shrub layers of forests, or of the Orders Coleoptera, Diptera or Hymenoptera. Similarities between modern faunas and the amber fauna allow predictions about the ecological setting of Tertiary amber production: this is indicated as primary rain forest, with regenerating patches of secondary growth, in a low-altitude riparian location. □ Amber, Dominican Republic, Palaeogene, ecology, taphonomy.     

Fungi associated with roots and fruits of black peppers in the Dominican Republic

Several soilborne diseases have occurred in black pepper (Piper nigrum) plantations in the Dominican Republic since 1977. To understand environments in which the disease occurs fungal floras associated with them were studied. A total of 1,119 isolates, 603 from root segments of 12 vines, and 516 from fruit samples of 30 vines were identified as belonging to a total of 39 genera, namely, 31 from roots and 26 from fruits, excluding unsporulated fungi. The most dominant fungi wereFusarium in both root and fruit samples, followed byRhizoctonia, Diplodia, andPythium from roots, andDiplodia, Colletotrichum andPestalotia from the fruits. Preliminary pathogenicity tests towards leaves or roots of black pepper were conducted.     

A phytosociological survey of some serpentine plant communities in the Dominican Republic

This paper presents a floristic and vegetation study of the serpentinised territories of the Dominican Republic, corresponding to the Yamasá and Prieta mountains, Dajabón, Puerto Plata and Gaspar Henández. These sites are very important at a local level as they act as speciation centres and have a specific ultramafic flora with a high endemicity rate. The floristic analysis revealed the existence of 219 species, of which 54 (24.7%) are endemic. Twenty-one plots of vegetation distributed in five areas dominated by serpentines have been analysed in this study. The phytosociological approach is based on the Braun-Blanquet method. The study was combined with statistical techniques such as multivariate analyses. The results revealed three different kinds of forests, one dominated by the endemic Bignoniaceae, Tabebuia berterii (CC.) Britton, which is peculiar to the subhumid–humid environments of the Caribbean-Cibensean territory. The second type of forest is dominated by the serpentinophyte Polygonaceae, Leptogonum buchii Urb. which thrives in the humid ombrotype of the north territory. Finally, the third one adopts the form of the pine forest of Dajabón, dominated by Pinus occidentalis Sw. Four associations and three alliances are proposed as new syntaxa based on statistical and phytosociological analyses.     

A Fossil Myxomycete Plasmodium from Eocene-Oligocene Amber of the Dominican Republic

ABSTRACT The first known fossil slime mold with part of the plasmodium preserved, from Eocene-Oligocene amber of the northern Dominican Republic, is described here. We assign it to the myxomycetes on the basis of its cytoplasmic structure. The paleoecological and evolutionary importance of this fossil is briefly discussed.     

Catholic heritage,ethno-racial self-identification,and prejudice against Haitians in the Dominican Republic

Latin American cultures are significantly influenced by Catholicism, which partially but meaningfully represents the European legacy that situates Latin American societies into the Western world. This influence may be particularly relevant in the Dominican Republic, where local discourses have underlined the role of Catholicism as an essential characteristic of the Dominican identity. In this study, I use nationally- and regionally-representative survey data to examine whether Catholic self-identification is directly associated with self-identifications that downplay individuals’ own Afro characteristics, and whether individuals who self-identify as Catholic are significantly prejudiced against Haitians. I find regional-level evidence of direct associations between Catholic self-identification and self-identifications that downplay Afro characteristics. I also find national- and regional-level evidence of direct associations between Catholic self-identification and different indicators of prejudice against Haitians. These findings reveal the prevailing influence of Catholicism on ethno-racial self-identification and anti-Haitian sentiment in the Dominican Republic.     

A new species ofPsilochilus(Orchidaceae) from the Dominican Republic

Psilochilus crenatifolius, a new species from the Dominican Republic, is described and illustrated. It is only known from the type collection. The taxonomic affinity of the new entity is briefly discussed.     

Toxocara Awareness Among Medical Practitioners in Saudi Arabia

Human toxocariasis is a zoonotic infection with global and regional impacts. Worldwide it is underestimated and clinically overlooked. Medical practitioners are generally unaware of the extent of the resulting disease spectrum. The objective of the study was to assess knowledge and disease awareness among medical practitioners in Aseer, south-western Saudi Arabia. A questionnaire addressing knowledge about the parasite, its visceral larva migrans and the disease spectrum generated was used to interview participants. The study included 285 participants. In answer to the question what is toxocara, only 27%, answered correctly that it is a nematode, paediatricians being the majority. With regard to years of experience among participants, 56.8% of those who answered correctly had less than 5-year experience, as opposed to 35.4% for those with more than 10-year experience. The cumulative awareness about the disease manifestations and spectrum, i.e. those who knew, was less than 30% across specialties and years of experiences. Lack of awareness regarding Toxocara infection and the disease spectrum it can generate is evident. The consequence for such lack of knowledge within our practising medical community is simply unacceptable as it might translate into misdiagnosis and consequently misguided treatment.