French Guyana Research Articles

About this title ‐ Transform Margins: Development, Controls and Petroleum Systems

This volume covers the linkage between new transform margin research and increasing transform margin exploration. It offers a critical set of predictive tools via an understanding of the mechanisms involved in the development of play concept elements at transform margins. It ties petroleum systems knowledge to the input coming from research focused on dynamic development, kinematic development, structural architecture and thermal regimes, together with their controlling factors. The volume does this by drawing from geophysical data (bathymetry, seismic, gravity and magnetic studies), structural geology, sedimentology, geochemistry, plate reconstruction and thermo-mechanical numerical modelling. It combines case studies (covering the Andaman Sea, Arctic, Coromandal, Guyana, Romanche, St. Paul and Suriname transform margins, the French Guyana hyper-oblique margin, the transtensional margin between the Caribbean and North American plates, and the Davie transform margin and its neighbour transform margins) with theoretical studies.

Recurrent TET2 Mutations in Adult T Cell Leukemia (ATL) and Identification of a Single Nucleotide Polymorphism in TET2 Region Predisposing to ATL Development

ATL (Adult T cell leukemia) is a rare and mature T cell malignancy due to HTLV-1 retrovirus infection that bears poor prognosis. Four subtypes are described: two indolent forms (smoldering and chronic) and two aggressive forms (acute and lymphoma) that are mostly resistant to conventional therapies. The clinical story of the disease begins by viral infection mostly during childhood and leads, in around 5% of infected individuals, to transformation of T lymphocyte CD4 with a long latency period. Beside the role of the two viral oncoproteins Tax and HBZ and some others human genes as TP53, p16, TCF8, little is known about other somatic genomic alterations that contribute to lymphomagenesis. Little is also known about genetic risk factors being susceptible to ATL development after HTLV-1 infection. Only few studies have shown that specific HLA haplotypes can predispose to ATL in Japanese population.Deregulation of DNA methylation, such as inactivation of the Ten-ElevenTranslocation 2 (TET2) gene by haplo-insufficiency, has been identified in malignant hematologic diseases. Inactivating mutations of TET2 were first described in myeloid disorders and more recently in peripheral T-cell lymphomas especially those that are harboring T follicular helper features like angio-immunoblastic T cell lymphoma.In order to determine new oncogenic pathways in HTLV-1-associated adult T cell leukemia (ATL), we have investigated the presence of TET2 coding sequence mutations and their clinical relevance in a retrospective cohort of 71 ATL patients. Mono allelic inactivating mutations of the TET2 gene were found in 14 patients (20%). Out of the 60 patients with aggressive forms (acute and lymphoma), 13 (22%) had TET2 mutations versus only one (9%) out of the 11 patients with indolent forms. This last patient had nevertheless a worst outcome. Five patients present a monoallelic somatic mutation. Strikingly, 9 out of the 14 mutated patients showed the same point mutation previously described as a Single Nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), which creates a frameshift resulting in the introduction of a premature stop codon in the TET2 sequence and leads to haplo-insufficiency. In order to functionally characterize the TET2 protein encoded by the Tet2 recurrent variant, the SNP sequence was introduced in a TET2 expression vector. The WT and mutated constructs were transfected in 293T cells. Their expression and activity were analyzed. As expected, the mutation results in the production of a truncated form of TET2, whose DNA hydroxylase activity was dramatically reduced as compared to WT TET2The tet2 SNP frequency is not uniform worldwide and varies by ethnic origins. It is about 5% in the African population and less than 1% in other populations worldwide (1000 genomes database). We then addressed whether this SNP is predisposal for HTLV-1 infection or ATL development by sequencing the SNP region in 143 HTLV-1 carriers mostly originated from French Guyana, matching the African or French Caribbean origins of our ATL cohort. The frequency of this SNP in this control carrier population was 5%, similar to what is observed among African population. A significantly higher frequency was found in the ATL cohort: 13% (p=0,0416, OR=2,820; 95%CI, 1,004 to 7,921).In conclusion, we have shown that somatic TET2 mutations are associated with ATL especially in aggressive forms. Moreover, we have identified and characterized a TET2 SNP, which is associated to TET2 loss of function and that may predispose to ATL development like HLA haplotypes in Japan, while infected with HTLV-1. DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Seasonal and interannual variability of sea‐air CO2 fluxes in the tropical Atlantic affected by the Amazon River plume

AbstractCO2 fugacities obtained from a merchant ship sailing from France to French Guyana were used to explore the seasonal and interannual variability of the sea‐air CO2 exchange in the western tropical North Atlantic (TNA; 5–14°N, 41–52°W). Two distinct oceanic water masses were identified in the area associated to the main surface currents, i.e., the North Brazil Current (NBC) and the North Equatorial Current (NEC). The NBC was characterized by permanent CO2 oversaturation throughout the studied period, contrasting with the seasonal pattern identified in the NEC. The NBC retroflection was the main contributor to the North Equatorial Counter Current (NECC), thus spreading into the central TNA, the Amazon River plume, and the CO2‐rich waters probably originated from the equatorial upwelling. Strong CO2 undersaturation was associated to the Amazon River plume. Total inorganic carbon drawdown due to biological activity was estimated to be 154 µmol kg−1 within the river plume. As a consequence, the studied area acted as a net sink of atmospheric CO2 (from −72.2 ± 10.2 mmol m−2 month−1 in February to 14.3 ± 4.5 mmol m−2 month−1 in May). This contrasted with the net CO2 efflux estimated by the main global sea‐air CO2 flux climatologies. Interannual sea surface temperature changes in the TNA caused by large‐scale climatic events could determine the direction and intensity of the sea‐air CO2 fluxes in the NEC. Positive temperature anomalies observed in the TNA led to an almost permanent CO2 outgassing in the NEC in 2010.

Taxonomía y distribución de Vampyriscus brocki Peterson, 1968 (Phyllostomidae: Chiroptera) en Perú y primer registro para Ucayali

Introduction: The bat genus Vampyriscus Thomas, 1990 (Phyllostomidae) comprises V. bidens, V. brocki, and V. nymphaea, all occurring in the Neotropics, but only the first two are in Peru. We review the taxonomy and distribution of V. brocki in Peru, provide a new record, and compare with other similar species. Methods: Taxonomy and distribution of Vampyriscus brocki were reviewed based on voucher specimens and literature, morphologically compared with similar species, Vampyressa thyone and Vampyriscus bidens, and statistically analyzed with ANOVA (α = 0.05) and PCA. Results: Distribution of V. brocki comprises four departments in Peru from 120 to 1,000 m, including the first report presented here for Ucayali. Discrete and discriminating characters between V. brocki, V. bidens and Vampyressa thyone are provided, which is significantly supported by ANOVA (α = 0.05), and PCA. Discussion: Vampyriscus brocki from Peru are smaller than the specimens from French Guyana, suggesting the existence of interspecific variation. Presence of V. brocki is considered rare, migration and specialization for canopy are discussed as possible explanations. A biased sexual ratio in capture is found, with the females more represented than males. The sexual “disproportion” is probably because females fall more in the mist nets to explore more resources in more rainforest layers. The species has not yet been assessed by the IUCN Red List; we suggest it should be considered as Data Deficient.

Recurrent TET2 mutations in adult T cell leukemia (ATL) and identification of a Single Nucleotide polymorphism in TET2 region predisposing to ATL development

Deregulation of DNA methylation, such as inactivation of the Ten-Eleven Translocation 2 (TET2) gene by haplo-insufficiency, has been recently identified in malignant hematologic diseases. Inactivating mutations of TET2 were first described in myeloid disorders and more recently in peripheral T-cell lymphomas especially those that are harboring T follicular helper features like angio-immunoblastic T cell lymphoma. In order to determine new oncogenic pathways in Adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL), we investigated the presence of TET2 coding sequence mutations and their clinical relevance in a retrospective cohort of 66 ATL patients. We identified mono allelic inactivating mutations of TET2 gene in 12 patients of 66 analyzed (18%). Of the 51 patients with aggressive forms (acute and lymphoma), 11 (22%) had TET2 mutations while only one (7%) of the 12 patients with indolent forms had a TET2 mutation. Of the 12 mutated patients, 8 showed the same recurrent point mutation known as a Single Nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), which creates a frameshift resulting in the introduction of premature stop codon in one allele and lead to haplo-insufficiency. We have characterized this SNP and demonstrated that the mutated gene encodes for a truncated form of Tet2 that is no longer catalytically active. We then addressed whether this mutation could predispose to ATL development by sequencing the TET2 SNP region in 50 HTLV-1 carriers from French Guyana matching the African or French Caribbean origins of the patients. We found that the percentage of the mutation in this control population was around 4%, which is similar to that of the African population and is three fold less than in our ATL cohort. This finding suggests that this mutation could be a predisposal factor for developing an ATL. In conclusion, we have showed that TET2 mutations are frequently associated with ATL, notably the aggressive forms, and that a TET2 SNP may predispose to ATL development.

Capacitor Failure and Helicopter Accident

Abstract This article explains how safety investigators with the French Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA) used chip-level recovery procedures to retrieve recorded flight data that helped them piece together the events that led up to helicopter accident that recently occurred in French Guyana. The recovered data along with eyewitness accounts and findings from an assortment of tests indicated that the failure of a capacitor filtering the output of a current generator inside the engine fuel automatic regulation system obliged the pilot to control fuel regulation manually. Although other factors were involved, as the article explains, the capacitor failure played a major role in the crash.

New records of Amblyomma goeldii (Acari: Ixodidae) and description of the nymphal stage

Since its original description from the Amazonian region, the tick species Amblyomma goeldii Neumann, 1899 has been misidentified with Amblyomma rotundatum Koch, 1844 in different countries of the Neotropical region. Because of this, some authors have considered that the only confirmed records of A. goeldii were from French Guyana. Herein, we reviewed all specimens of A. goeldii that have been deposited at two tick collections in Brazil. In addition, we describe the nymphal stage of A. goeldii for the first time. A total of 10 unpublished records of the adult stage of A. goeldii are recorded from the Amazonian region of Brazil, confirming the occurrence of A. goeldii in this country. Except for one record on the snake Boa constrictor Linnaeus, all records of A. goeldii reported in the present study were from anteaters (Pilosa: Myrmecophagidae). Our results, in conjunction with previous literature records, indicate that anteaters and large snakes are important hosts for the adult stage of A. goeldii. The nymph of A. goeldii is morphologically similar to the nymphs of Amblyomma romitii Tonelli-Rondelli, 1939, Amblyomma dissimile Koch, 1844, and A. rotundatum. We present a modification of a previously published taxonomic key of Amblyomma nymphs from Brazil, in order to perform taxonomic identification of the nymph of A. goeldii based on external morphology. The geographical distribution of A. goeldii appears to be restricted to the Amazonian region. There were no previous host records for the immature stages of A. goeldii, thus it is expected that the present nymphal description will facilitate further works on the ecology of this poorly studied tick species.

Revision of the genus Eadmuna Schaus, 1928 (Lepidoptera, Mimallonidae) with a description of a new species from French Guiana.

The genus Eadmuna Schaus, 1928 is revised to include four species. Eadmuna guianensis sp. n., is described from French Guiana and Guyana. The holotype of Perophora pulverula Schaus, 1896, currently placed in Cicinnus Blanchard, 1852, is determined to be a previously unrecognized female Eadmuna, and is transferred accordingly as Eadmuna pulverula comb. n.. Eadmuna paloa Schaus, 1933, rev. status, is removed from synonymy with the type species Eadmuna esperans (Schaus, 1905). Eadmuna esperans, Eadmuna paloa, and Eadmuna pulverula may be of conservation concern due to their limited extent of occurrence and endemicity to the highly imperiled Brazilian Atlantic forest.

Medical particularities during prolonged demanding activity in a tropical forest Experience of the tropical forest training center (French Guyana)

A tropical forest is a hostile environment for humans. The military physician supporting these immersion activities must cope with varied clinical situations with limited resources to reduce operational unavailability. This article reports a prospective cross-sectional epidemiologic study conducted from January to May 2012, observing the daily activity at sick call during the rainy season at the tropical forest training center (CEFE) advanced jungle commando training, located in French Guyana. The aim was to observe the distribution of traumatic injuries and specific diseases in this tropical environment. In all, 9,221 army staff members participated in the training (mean age: 30.8 years) during the 120-day study period. There were 486 medical visits, for a mean daily incidence of 5.3% (trainees: 83.8%, trainers: 16.5%). Skin lesions were most frequent (39%), principally irritative dermatitis and skin maceration (moisture/dressing associated dermatitis). A third (34%) of these conditions were due to trauma, mainly limb contusions and ligament injuries. Tropical diseases accounted for 3% of the reasons for consultation, with rare problems related to equatorial fauna or flora. The remaining conditions (24%) were not specific to the environment or activity. Operational attrition averaged five days. Removal from the training course was necessary in 13.8% of the cases. In an isolated area with a demanding environment , edical practice in a tropical forest requires health prevention actions and close medical follow-up. The permanent presence of a physician provides both care and expertise and is an important asset for both trainees and trainers.

Description of five new species of Cnemomis, with a key to the known species (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Coreidae: Discogastrini).

Five new species of the genus Cnemomis Stål, 1859 are described: C. kondratieffi from Brazil and French Guyana, C. lepida from French Guyana, C. nigroscutellata from Brazil, C. primigena from Peru, and C. refulgens from Venezuela. New distributional records for some previously known species are added. Dorsal view photographs and a key for the 13 known species are included. The male genital capsule of C. kondratieffi and C. lepida are illustrated.

Unravelling the calls of discrete hunters: acoustic structure of echolocation calls of furipterid bats (Chiroptera, Furipteridae)

Detailed descriptions of echolocation calls for most of the Neotropical bat species have been published only recently. Yet, the available descriptions are from bats that emit high-intensity calls. The families of insectivorous bats that emit low-intensity calls, such as Furipteridae, are less frequently recorded by more traditional equipment; thus, there are no detailed descriptions of echolocation calls for these species. The family Furipteridae includes only two species of small insectivorous bats from Neotropics, the thumbless bat Furipterus horrens and the smoky bat Amorphochilus schnablii. The ecology, behaviour and even the natural history of both species are barely known. In order to contribute to the description of echolocation calls of Neotropical bat species and to the knowledge of these two poorly known species, here we describe in more detail the echolocation calls of furipterids. Thumbless bats were recorded from two colonies, one located in south-western Bahia, Brazil, and another located in the Amazon forest of Matoury, French Guyana, whereas the smoky bats were recorded in the Pacific coast of Arequipa, south-western Peru. Echolocation calls of both species were characterized by pulses of downward broadband frequency-modulated sweeps of short duration. Our results show that the ultrasound calls emitted by thumbless bats is one of the highest in frequency among Neotropical bats. This detailed characterization of furipterid calls and their distinct features, like very high frequencies and wide bandwidth, making it relatively easy to identify, aids in the inclusion of these species in acoustic surveys and monitoring.

Dissemination of nonpandemic Caribbean HIV-1 subtype B clades in Latin America.

To estimate the prevalence of the HIV-1 subtype B pandemic (BPANDEMIC) and Caribbean (BCAR) clades in Latin America and to reconstruct the spatiotemporal dynamics of dissemination of the BCAR clades in the region. A total of 7654 HIV-1 subtype B pol sequences collected from 18 different Latin American countries between 1989 and 2011 were analyzed together with subtype B reference sequences representative of the BPANDEMIC (US/France = 300) and the BCAR (Caribbean = 279, Panama = 37) clades. Phylogeographic and evolutionary parameters were estimated from sequence data using maximum likelihood and Bayesian coalescent-based methods. Nonpandemic BCAR strains were probably disseminated from the Caribbean islands of Hispaniola and Trinidad and Tobago into Latin America since the early 1970s. The BCAR strains reached nearly all countries from Latin America here analyzed and in some of them were spread locally, although their overall prevalence in the region is low. The BPANDEMIC clade comprises more than 90% of subtype B infections in most countries analyzed, with exception of Suriname, French Guyana and probably Guyana, where both BPANDEMIC and BCAR clades seem to circulate at a similar prevalence. This study demonstrates that nonpandemic subtype B lineages of Caribbean origin have been disseminated into Latin America shortly after the estimated introduction of subtype B in the continent. Despite their early dissemination, the BCAR strains account for a minor fraction of current HIV-1 subtype B infections in the region that are mainly driven by spreading of the globally disseminated BPANDEMIC clade.

Estimated Acrylamide Intake from Coffee Consumption in Latin America

The presence of acrylamide in foods such as coffee can pose risks to human health. Coffee consumption and production in Latin America have increased in recent years. According to the FAO, world coffee consumption is divided into five groups of countries according to average yearly per capita consumption: (i) between 8.0 kg and 12 kg; (ii) between 4.1 kg and 8.0 kg; (iii) between 2.4 kg and 4.5 kg; (iv) between 0.8 kg and 2.4 kg; and (v) less than 0.8 kg. In this work, the countries of Latin America are divided into three groups according to annual per capita coffee consumption: group 1: between 4.1 kg and 8.0 kg (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia and Costa Rica); group 2: between 2.4 kg and 4.5 kg (Guyana, French Guyana, Honduras, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela); and group 3: between 0.8 kg and 2.4 kg (Bolivia, Chile, Cuba, El Salvador, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic). There are great differences in the consumption of acrylamide-forming foods among populations from different countries. The literature shows a range from 0.5 to 4.21 µg of acrylamide per 300 mL of coffee and the World Health Organization recommends a maximum daily limit for acrylamide intake of 1 µg/kg bw. Thus, coffee is a beverage that contributes greatly to acrylamide intake in almost all population groups. From the calculated data on acrylamide intake in Latin America, it was possible to estimate the daily intake in the region’s countries. According to the maximum limit set by the WHO of 1 µg acrylamide per day per bw, for people in the countries of group 1, coffee makes a large contribution to the intake of acrylamide. Thus, there should be focus on reducing the levels of acrylamide in foods, since they are the predominant sources of this substance for some populations.

Repulsive, irritant and toxic activities of essential oils against yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti

There has been renewed interest in finding a use for natural plant extracts as alternative sources for pesticides since these extracts and their constituent compounds are normally considered safer than chemicals for human health and environment [1]. In this respect, medicinal and aromatic plants from the French Guyana and Martinique (Carribean Island) were evaluated for anti-mosquito activity against Aedes aegypti. The essential oils were obtained by hydrodistillation and their chemical profiles were determined using GC/FID and GC-MS. The identification of the separated volatile organic compounds was accomplished through comparison of mass spectra of peaks with those stored in NIST and Wiley libraries Additional confirmation was achieved by comparison of retention indices from compound peaks. Repulsive, irritant and toxic effects of essential oil were tested at 1 and 0.1% on adult female. Interesting results were found with some essential oils inducing strong toxicity compared to DEET (N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide). Furthermore noteworthy knock-down effect, similar to commercial pyrethroid, was also observed. In this case, essential oil exposure at both concentrations (1 and 0.1%) induced physiological troubles for mosquitoes.

Molecular phylogenetics and phylogeography of all the Saimiri taxa (Cebidae, Primates) inferred from mt COI and COII gene sequences.

Some previous genetic studies have been performed to resolve the molecular phylogenetics of the squirrel monkeys (Saimiri). However, these studies did not show consensus in how many taxa are within this genus and what the relationships among them are. For this reason, we sequenced 2,237 base pairs of the mt COI and COII genes in 218 Saimiri individuals. All, less 12 S. sciureus sciureus from French Guyana, were sampled in the wild. These samples represented all the living Saimiri taxa recognized. There were four main findings of this study. (1) Our analysis detected 17 different Saimiri groups: albigena, cassiquiarensis, five polyphyletic macrodon groups, three polyphyletic ustus groups, sciureus, collinsi, boliviensis, peruviensis, vanzolinii, oerstedii and citrinellus. Four different phylogenetic trees showed the Central American squirrel monkey (S. oerstedii) as the most differentiated taxon. In contrast, albigena was indicated to be the most recent taxon. (2) There was extensive hybridization and/or historical introgression among albigena, different macrodon groups, peruviensis, sciureus and collinsi. (3) Different tests showed that our maximum likelihood tree was consistent with two species of Saimiri: S. oerstedii and S. sciureus. If no cases of hybridization were detected implicating S. vanzolinii, this could be a third recognized species. (4) We also estimated that the first temporal splits within this genus occurred around 1.4-1.6 million years ago, which indicates that the temporal split events within Saimiri were correlated with Pleistocene climatic changes. If the biological species concept is applied because, in this case, it is operative due to observed hybridization in the wild, the number of species within this genus is probably more limited than recently proposed by other authors. The Pleistocene was the fundamental epoch when the mitochondrial Saimiri diversification process occurred.

A single algorithm to retrieve turbidity from remotely-sensed data in all coastal and estuarine waters

Ocean color remote sensing has been shown to be a useful tool to map turbidity (T) and suspended particulate matter (SPM) concentration in turbid coastal waters. Different algorithms to retrieve T and/or SPM from water reflectance already exist, however there are important questions as to whether these algorithms need to be calibrated specifically for different regions. In the present work the potential generality of a semi-empirical single band turbidity retrieval algorithm using the near infrared (NIR) band at 859nm in highly turbid waters is assessed. For completeness the use of 645nm in medium to low turbidity waters is also proposed. Radiative transfer simulations and in situ measurements from various European and South American coastal and shallow estuarine environments characterized by high concentrations of suspended sediments are analyzed. Reflectance and turbidity measurements were performed in the southern North Sea (SNS) and French Guyana (FG) coastal waters, and Scheldt (SC), Gironde (GIR) and Río de la Plata (RdP) estuaries. Simulations showed that uncertainty for turbidity estimation associated with different particle types and bidirectional effects is typically less than 6%. When applied to field data from the five different sites, the semi-analytical algorithm performed well: turbidity estimates were within 12% and 22% of in situ values. A good performance was also found when the entire database was analyzed (n=106) with a mean relative error of 13.7% and bias of 4.8%. The good performance of the algorithm for all these regions, despite differences in sediment characteristics, and the results of the radiative transfer simulations suggest the global applicability of the algorithm to map turbidity up to 1000FNU. Consequently regional algorithms to retrieve SPM concentration from reflectance can be designed by combining this global algorithm to retrieve T from water reflectance with a regional relationship to convert T to SPM. This has the very practical advantage that the measurements needed to calibrate the latter T/SPM conversion for any new region are much easier and cheaper than in situ reflectance measurements.

Free and French in the Caribbean: Toussaint Louverture, Aimé Césaire and Narratives of Loyal Opposition by John Patrick Walsh (review)

Reviewed by: Free and French in the Caribbean: Toussaint Louverture, Aimé Césaire and Narratives of Loyal Opposition by John Patrick Walsh Tomaz Cunningham Free and French in the Caribbean: Toussaint Louverture, Aimé Césaire and Narratives of Loyal Opposition. By John Patrick Walsh. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2013. ISBN 0253006309. 206 pp. $26.00 paperback. In his book Free and French in the Caribbean: Toussaint Louverture, Aimé Césaire and Narratives of Loyal Opposition, John Patrick Walsh offers a detailed study of the lives and writing of two iconic figures in the history of the French Caribbean: Toussaint Louverture and Aimé Césaire. Walsh’s examination of these two statesmen-authors brings together two events that redefined [End Page 213] France’s relationship with its colonial holdings: the Haitian Revolution and the 1946 departmentalization of Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guyana. The approach to this study is unique: Walsh undertakes close readings of Toussaint Louverture’s extant writings and 1801 constitution and analyzes them alongside Aimé Césaire’s essay Toussaint Louverture: La Révolution française et le problème colonial (1962) and play La Tragédie du roi Christophe (1963). By examining Toussaint Louverture’s and Aimé Césaire’s writings together, Walsh positions them in a literary and historical dialogue “within the larger, interconnected stories of Caribbean autonomy and assimilation” (15). Walsh makes three central claims. First, he argues that there is a deep historical connection between the Haitian Revolution (1791–1803) and the 1946 departmentalization of the French Caribbean that resulted from the revolutionary history shared between France and Saint-Domingue. Secondly, Walsh claims that the leaders of these two events had much in common that can be observed by close readings of the texts that each man produced. Both Toussaint Louverture and Aimé Césaire found themselves in various permutations of a colonial family romance that required the two leaders to hold the concepts of autonomy and assimilation in precarious tension. The third claim is that these statesman-authors created a literature with a specific narrative, a narrative that brings to light the problems these leaders faced as they attempted to negotiate both the terrain of French Republican ideology and the realities of racial inequality. The book consists of six chapters divided into two parts. In the first four chapters, Walsh examines the life of Toussaint Louverture as a freed slave, devoted father, rebel leader, and skilled politician who could “move between worlds” and “who likely concealed the practice of power within the art of diplomacy” (30). Borrowing heavily from Lynn Hunt’s seminal work on French revolutionary ideology The Family Romance of the French Revolution (1992), Walsh explores how Toussaint Louverture negotiated the complex and often contradictory roles of rebel leader, “son” of French Republicanism, and “father” of a new nation. The concept of the colonial family romance is central to Walsh’s examination of Toussaint Louverture, as it allows Walsh to demonstrate the filial relationship Louverture seemed to have with Governor Étienne Lavaux. In chapter one, titled “Toussaint Louverture and the Family of Saint-Domingue,” Walsh uses a letter written by Louverture to his sons Isaac and Placide as a springboard to demonstrate Toussaint’s devotion to his sons in the face of growing distrust of French politics. Written to the teenagers when they were attending the Institution Nationale des Colonies in Paris, [End Page 214] Toussaint’s letter reflects the difficult posit ion he occupied as he consolidated political power in Saint-Domingue while staying attuned to the changing political climate in metropolitan France. This relationship is analogous to the relationship Toussaint held politically; he was simultaneously the “father” of the freed black slaves with whom he shared common heritage and France’s adopted, though rebellious, son (41). In chapter two, titled “Under the Stick of Maître Toussaint,” Walsh explores the conflict between Toussaint Louverture and General Sonthonax. The colonial family romance is again central to Walsh’s reading of Toussaint’s letters to Sonthonax, as the relationship between these two men is presented as a kind of sibling rivalry. Chapter two is also where Walsh explores the role Toussaint Louverture may have played as a forerunner of Francophone literature. Citing...

The implementation and reception of policies for preventing dengue fever epidemics: a comparative study of Martinique and French Guyana

In this article, we use an analytical framework based on the sociology of risk to provide a qualitative analysis of the implementation and reception of public risk-prevention policies for dengue epidemics in Martinique and French Guyana. The data are derived from 116 semi-structured interviews and direct observation conducted in 2012 and 2013. The two overseas departments studied provide an opportunity to draw on the social theory of risk and uncertainty in multicultural contexts. Our analysis highlights that the rise of several technical, economic, legal and entomological constraints has recently led to a public policy shift from biological and chemical mosquito control to awareness-raising campaigns focused on domestic spaces. This change involves a shift in responsibility from public authorities to the private sphere. However, there is strong demand from the local population for mosquito control and the involvement of public authorities. This reciprocal passing of responsibility is exacerbated by the colonial past and heritage of slavery in these multiethnic overseas territories located over 7000 km from the seat of the French government.

Checklist of Helminth parasites of Amphibians from South America.

Parasitological studies on helminths of amphibians in South America have increased in the past few years. Here, we present a list with summarized data published on helminths of South American amphibians from 1925 to 2012, including a list of helminth parasites, host species, and geographic records. We found 194 reports of helminths parasitizing 185 amphibian species from eleven countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Equador, French Guyana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. Helminth biodiversity includes 278 parasite species of the groups Acanthocephala, Nematoda, Cestoda, Monogenea and Trematoda. A list of helminth parasite species per host, and references are also presented. This contribution aims to document the biodiversity of helminth parasites in South American amphibians, as well as identify gaps in our knowledge, which in turn may guide subsequent studies.

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND ANTI-INFLAMMATORY ACTIVITIES OF AN UNSAPONIFIABLE FRACTION OF PULP OIL FROM AWARA (ASTROCARYUM VULGARE M.)

Awara is a palm tree common in the French Guyana, used for the nutritional properties of the fruit and in the traditional pharmacopoeia of the country. The pulp of this fruit is rich in oil of which the unsaponitiable fraction contains a lot of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory molecules. The aim of this study was to characterize the chemical composition of the unsaponitiable fraction of awara pulp oil and to evaluate the in vitro anti-inflammatory activities. In a first part, chemical analyses of the unsaponitiable fraction allowed us to determined for 1 mg of unsaponitiable fraction: 6.8 11g of a-tocopherol, 125.7 11g of carotenoids (mainly p-carotene), and 152.6 11g of phytosterols (mainly P-sitosterol). In a second part, the unsaponitiable fraction has shown a significant inhibition of the cyclooxygenase I and 2 activities (COX-I and -2 respectively). On LPS/1 F'Ny-stimulated J774 macrophages, it strongly inhibited the PGE2 production in a dose dependent manner. The unsaponitiable fraction produced a decrease of an important proinflammatory mediator, which might be due by the inhibition of the corresponding enzyme activity showing potential anti-inflammatory properties. These effects could be explained by the presence of antioxidant molecules like tocopherols and carotenoids, and anti-inflammatory molecules like sterols. (Resume d'auteur)