University Of Guam Research Articles

Factors Related to Suicidal Ideation among College Students in GUAM

The risk and protective factors related to suicidal ideation among college students in Guam remains unknown. The purpose of this study is to identify the rates of suicidal ideation and suicide attempt, and explore the risk and protective factors of suicidal ideation among college students in Guam. A total of 207 college students at the University of Guam were surveyed in 2009. The rate of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts was 10.2% and 8.2%. respectively. In multivariate logistic regression analyses, previous suicide attempts, shorter period of living in Guam, high scores on cultural difference and negative affect, and low scores on family meaning were identified as independent predictors of suicidal ideation. These risk and protective factors for suicidal ideation among college students, including stress and social support, should be considered in planning campus suicide prevention programs.

Abstract A82: University of Guam/University of Hawaii Cancer Center Partnership: Celebrating 10 years of research, training, education, and outreach to reduce cancer health disparities among Pacific Islanders

Abstract Americans of Pacific Islander ancestry are highly underrepresented within the cancer research community. Critical to reducing cancer health disparities in Hawaii, Guam and the neighboring US-affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPI) is research designed and conducted by, for, and with Pacific Islanders. Similarly, dedicated efforts are required to provide education and training opportunities for Pacific Islanders to prepare them for future careers in health disparities research. Currently, eleven jointly-conducted U54-supported projects are addressing research questions: the associations of betel nut use and health related conditions and behaviors among users in Micronesia; sociocultural factors affecting betel nut chewing in Guam; the influence of betel nut use on the oral microbiome; the identification of alkaloids present in the varieties of betel nut on Guam; identification of salivary biomarkers in betel nut consumption; the functional assessment of molecular components of betel nut involved in pro-inflammatory mechanisms of immune cells; community-based participatory approaches to youth tobacco use prevention/cessation in Guam; the effectiveness of a social network-based approach to reducing cancer risk; health information trends and needs in the Pacific among adults and youth; and breast cancer risk factors among Pacific Islander women. Approximately 30 papers have been published, and several new grants have been received as an outcome of this partnership. Since 2003, a growing number of Pacific Island graduate students have received education and training in cancer health disparities research at the University of Guam (UOG) and University of Hawaii Cancer Center (UHCC). Over the past four years, UOG has developed with U54 support a cancer health disparities curriculum unique to the Pacific region, now permanently sustained by UOG. Multiple masters degree students at UOG have received support from the U54, and two UOG graduates are enrolled in doctoral programs at US mainland institutions. Two PhD students and one masters degree student at UHCC are currently receiving U54 support, and one U54-supported masters degree student recently graduated from UH. In addition, mentorship and career development is provided to early career faculty/investigators at UOG. In conclusion, our partnership has significantly increased over the past decade the research capacity at UOG and cultivated interest in cancer research among minority students attending the partner institutions. Outreach has resulted in model tobacco control policy in Guam, including new tobacco taxes that provide funds to support the Guam Cancer Registry and a Guam Cancer Trust Fund. A regional research infrastructure has been established and resources have been leveraged to address Pacific Islander cancer health disparities in Guam, Hawaii, and the USAPI. Supported by the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health under Award Numbers U54CA143727 and U54CA143728. Citation Format: Hali R. Robinett, Helen J.D. Whippy, John A. Peterson, Rachael T. Leon Guerrero, Robert A. Underwood, Neal A. Palafox, David C. Ward, Carl-Wilhelm Vogel. University of Guam/University of Hawaii Cancer Center Partnership: Celebrating 10 years of research, training, education, and outreach to reduce cancer health disparities among Pacific Islanders. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Sixth AACR Conference: The Science of Cancer Health Disparities; Dec 6–9, 2013; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2014;23(11 Suppl):Abstract nr A82. doi:10.1158/1538-7755.DISP13-A82

Module of Integrated Insect Pest Management on Tomato With Growers’ Participation

Tomato, Lycopersicum esculentum L. (Solanaceae), is an important vegetable crop in the Mariana Islands (Guam, Saipan, Rota and Tinian). Because tomato is heavily attacked by both the tomato fruitworm Helicoverpa armigera Hübner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and the red spider mite Tetranychus marianae McGregor, research was begun in 2011 to develop an integrated pest management program to better protect the crop from these pests. Our previous studies have indicated nominal threshold levels for T. marianae to be 8-12 mites/leaf in the dry season and 8-14 mites/leaf during the wet season, while for H. armigera the threshold was found to be 2 eggs per 10 of the plants, followed by an additional pesticide application only if 2 damaged fruit or H. armigera larvae were detected per 50 immature fruits. Other studies have found the IPM package used here of petroleum spray oil (PSO), BotaniGard, neem, and DiPel applied 15, 30, 45 and 60 days after tomato transplant to be a viable approach, significantly reducing the pest complex and giving higher tomato yield compared to both the growers’ current practice (carbaryl or malathion, 15 applications per cropping season) and control plots. The current field study was conducted at two locations in Guam (Yigo and Inarajan), USA, in 2012 and 2013 to compare this IPM package with the growers’ current practice in larger plots designed to educate the growers. The IPM package significantly lowered the pest complex and gave higher tomato yield at both the locations. Tomato growers were invited to attend an informal IPM training program on December 16, 2013 at the University of Guam, which was attended by 48 growers from four Mariana Islands. Of these growers, 41 (85%) were aware of and understood the risks associated with traditional insecticides and recognized the concept of using an IPM package in managing tomato pests before the workshop. However, all the attendees understood the concept and benefits of IPM after the workshop. Follow up with these tomato growers found that 35 (73%) later adopted the IPM program using PSO, BotaniGard, and Dipel at 15, 30, 45 and 60 DAT in the Mariana Islands.

Pre-service teachers’ perceptions of the Internet and online courses: the case of an American Pacific Island University

Offerings of online courses continue to increase in higher education settings, as institutions attempt to meet students’ (and faculty members’) increasing demands for online access. How do pre-service teachers perceive online education? This paper reports the results of a questionnaire-based survey addressing this issue. The questionnaire focused on the degree to which teacher candidates consider the Internet useful for coursework, and their level of preparedness for taking online courses. The participants were pre-service teachers (N = 237) enrolled in education foundation courses at the University of Guam. This paper discusses educational implications of the results, and makes recommendations for future research. The results from this study may guide teacher education and its efforts to optimise online courses and, at the same time, support the University’s commitment to ensure that teacher education prepares its pre-service teachers to apply and integrate technology in their own future teaching.

Abstract 1364: Evaluation of tobacco-free policy at University of Guam.

Abstract Background Smoking is one of the biggest avoidable causes of mortality on Guam. Lung cancer accounted for an estimated 17.2% of new cancer cases, and 28.6% of cancer deaths (2003-2007). Smoking prevalence both for adults and youth remains high on Guam, about 25.8% (BRFSS, 2010), and 12.6% (YRBR, 2011), respectively. Recognizing the destructive role of tobacco on health, University of Guam (UOG) introduced tobacco-free policy on August 1, 2006. This paper will evaluate students’ tobacco use and attitudes towards the policy and its implementation. Methods Seventeen courses were randomly sampled from the list of all courses offered, and all students in the courses selected were asked to participate in 23-question survey. The sample size was 279 students which are about 8% of all UOG students. The survey data was collected from October, 16 to October, 30, 2012. Results The demographics of the respondents closely matched the distribution of the demographics of the whole student population. About 12% of the respondents were current smokers, 4% reported using other tobacco products, and 5% reported chewing betel nuts. Most students (81%) said they were aware of the tobacco-free policy on the campus, however 71% of students reported reading the policy for the first time during the survey. Seventeen percent of students never read the policy before and were not aware of it. Big proportion of students (about 13%) admitted to using tobacco products on campus in the past 6 months, majority of them (88%) used cigarettes. As a result, 58% of students reported being close enough to someone who was smoking on campus to smell the smoke during the past 30 days. The survey results showed significant difference between smokers and nonsmokers in attitudes toward tobacco-free policy and its implementation. Only 31.25% students who smoke everyday support 100% tobacco-free environment whereas 84.12% of nonsmokers support it. Ninety four percent of smokers and 68% of nonsmokers either agreed or strongly agreed that UOG should provide the designated smoking areas. Significantly smaller proportion of current smokers than nonsmokers (55.9% and 78.1% respectively, p-value = 0.000) feels that UOG should provide resources for smoking prevention and cessation. Similarly, significantly smaller proportion of current smokers than nonsmokers (41.2% and 84.1% respectively, p-value = 0.000) feels that UOG should place increased emphasis on enforcement and disciplinary action for non-compliance. Overwhelming majority of students (81%) was not aware of Guam Tobacco Free Quit Line. Conclusions, Future Research The visibility and communication of the policy could be improved at UOG. The data collected can be used as a baseline data for future research. By conducting a similar survey in the following years, we will be able track any changes in students’ smoking rates and changes in attitudes. Citation Format: Grazyna Badowski, Johnny Silbanuez, Annette David, Angelina Mummert, Helen Whippy. Evaluation of tobacco-free policy at University of Guam. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1364. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-1364

Pacific Storms Climatology Products (PSCP): Understanding Extreme Events

E xtreme events: the f loods that displace us from our homes, the high waves that wash out coastal roads, or the toppling of trees and power poles from a passing storm. For locations around the Pacific Basin, where remote island chains sit perilously close to sea level and where rainfall is the primary source of water, questions arise concerning the return frequency and duration of such events, and whether or not they are getting more extreme. Understanding the long-term variability and change in coastal climate extremes has grown in public awareness given the potentially severe impacts related to sea-level rise coupled with coastal storms. To reduce vulnerability to the economic, social, and environmental risks associated with these phenomena, decision makers in coastal communities need timely access to accurate and contextually relevant information that affords them an opportunity to plan and respond accordingly. To address this need, the Pacific Storms Climatology Products (PSCP) project—or Pacific Storms— was established under the direction of the NOAA National Climatic Data Center (NCDC). Pacific Storms is focused on improving our understanding of patterns and trends in storm frequency and intensity—“storminess”—within the Pacific Basin. Pacific Storms is exploring how the climate-related processes that govern extreme storm events are expressed within and between three thematic areas: strong winds, heavy rains, and high seas. Theme-specif ic data integration and product development teams were formed to conduct analyses and create a broad suite of derived data products, which are publicly available online (www.pacificstormsclimatology.org). These teams included representatives from NCDC, as well as NOAA’s Center for Operational Products and Services (CO-OPS), Coastal Services Center (CSC), and National Weather Service (NWS), and the University of Hawaii, University of Alaska, University of Guam, and Oregon State University. Sources of information include NOAA’s Integrated Surface Hourly (ISH) mean sea-level pressure and wind speed data, the Global Historical Climate Network-Daily (GHCN-D) precipitation dataset, the National Water Level Observing Network (NWLON) tide gauge records, the University of Hawaii Sea Level Center (UHSLC) Joint Archive for Sea Level research quality dataset and Global Sea Level Observing System (GLOSS)/Climate Variability and Predictability (CLIVAR) “fast delivery” sea level dataset, the National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) wave buoy records, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Coastal Data Information (CDIP) buoy data, and other data sources. The data analysis and product development framework and guidelines outlined below are innovative in a number of ways. First, they focus on extreme events, and integrate data and products across a range of storm-related phenomena. Furthermore, they also paint a comprehensive picture of changes and variation in extreme-event magnitude and frequency for a mix of theme-specific parameters on seasonal, annual, and interannual time frames. The resulting extremes climatology datasets are unique, as are some of the specific products. Finally, success of the project is fundamentally tied to the collaborative efforts of the data integration and product development teams.

Abstract B24: Stimulating the development of research and training in cancer health disparities through the University of Guam (UOG)/University of Hawaii Cancer Center (UHCC) partnership.

Abstract a) Americans of Pacific Islander ancestry are highly underrepresented among cancer researchers and cancer health care professionals. Research designed and conducted by, for and with Pacific Islanders is critical to reducing cancer health disparities (CHD) and effectively delivering cancer health advances in Hawaii, Guam, and the neighboring US-associated Pacific Islands (USAPI). b) Graduate students are provided education and training in cancer health disparities research at both partner institutions. A CHD curriculum at UOG addresses cancer health outcomes and challenges unique to the Pacific region. Summer fellowships and annual workshops provide opportunities for faculty mentorship and development. The partnership's scientific and administrative leadership provides mentorship and consultation in the development of research projects with regional importance. c) Many Master's students at UOG have benefitted from the partnership, including several UOG graduates now enrolled in PhD programs at mainland universities. Three PhD students at UHCC are currently receiving mentorship and graduate student assistantships. All student scholars are involved in cancer research at both partner institutions. A cancer health disparities track established by the UOG's Micronesian Studies Program is now sustained by UOG. Approximately 20 peer-reviewed publications have resulted from the partnership since its inception, and a growing body of faculty at UOG and UHCC is participating in the partnership. Eight jointly-conducted projects are addressing research questions identifying: the associations of betel nut use and health related conditions and behaviors among users in Micronesia; sociocultural factors affecting betel nut chewing in Guam; the influence of betel nut use on the oral microbiome; the presence of alkaloids in the varieties of betel nut on Guam; the functional assessment of molecular components of betel nut involved in pro-inflammatory mechanisms of immune cells; community-based participatory approaches to youth tobacco use prevention/cessation in Guam; health information trends and needs in the Pacific; and breast cancer risk factors unique to Pacific Islander women. d) Over the past decade, this partnership has increased research capacity at UOG and among minority students attending the partner institutions, and increased research involvement, expertise, and resources at UHCC and UOG to address research priorities and cancer health disparities in Guam, Hawaii, and the USAPI. Supported by NIH U54 CA143727 and U54 CA143728. Citation Format: Hali R. Robinett, Helen JD Whippy, Carl-Wilhelm Vogel. Stimulating the development of research and training in cancer health disparities through the University of Guam (UOG)/University of Hawaii Cancer Center (UHCC) partnership. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Fifth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2012 Oct 27-30; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2012;21(10 Suppl):Abstract nr B24.

Abstract B26: Building capacity in cancer research, training, and outreach through a Partnership to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities in Guam, Hawaii, and the U.S.-associated Pacific Island jurisdictions

Abstract The University of Guam(UOG)/University of Hawaii Cancer Center (UHCC) Partnership aims to: a) increase the cancer research activities and the number of faculty involved in cancer research at UOG; b) increase the number of minority scientists of Pacific Island ancestry engaged in cancer research while providing them with pertinent undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate education and training opportunities; c) further strengthen the research focus at UHCC on cancer health disparities (CHD) with particular emphasis on aspects unique to Guam and the Pacific region; and d) enhance the awareness of cancer and cancer prevention, and ultimately reduce the impact of cancer on the Territory of Guam, neighboring U.S.-associated Pacific Island jurisdictions, and Hawaii. The Partnership's Cancer Health Disparities Seminar Series enhances education and training made available to minority students at the undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate levels. Funding is available at UOG to support new faculty recruitment, and summer fellowships and annual workshops provide opportunities for faculty mentorship and development. Concepts for pilot and full research projects and programs are cultivated through a developmental process involving significant mentorship and consultation provided by the Partnership's scientific and administrative leadership. Partnering investigators with well developed concepts are invited to submit proposals for initial peer review conducted by the Partnership's Internal Advisory Committee, followed by an external peer review process. Scientific evidence and Guam Cancer Registry data are presented by the Partnership to influence public health policy and resource allocation. Cancer related research was nonexistent at UOG prior to 2003 with the establishment of the UOG/UHCC Partnership. Today, 10% of the UOG faculty participate in the Partnership. Four faculty have been recruited to UOG and 3 faculty have enjoyed summer fellowships supported by the existing grant. Over 20 students have benefitted from the training, education and mentorship provided through the collaboration; 7 master's and 3 doctoral students are supported by the current grant. Four jointly conducted projects are addressing research questions of particular relevance to Guam and the neighboring Pacific islands. Funded projects are identifying: breast cancer risk factors unique to Pacific Islander women; the associations of betel nut use and health-related conditions/behaviors among users in Micronesia; sociocultural factors affecting betel nut chewing among Pacific Islanders on Guam; and community-based participatory approaches to tobacco use prevention and cessation among youth on Guam. The Partnership has made a positive impact on cancer awareness and public health policy, having advised the Territory's legislature in establishing Guam's comprehensive smoke-free legislation and, more recently, model tobacco tax legislation. Tobacco tax revenues now support cancer screening, treatment and support services as well as the Guam Cancer Registry. Twenty-four peer-reviewed articles have been published over the history of the Partnership. A stable, longstanding partnership between the University of Guam and the UH Cancer Center supports the recruitment and development of a new and growing body of faculty investigators at UOG, and an expanding emphasis on cancer health disparities research at UHCC. Students and faculty are exploring and addressing cancer research priorities in the region while delivering cancer advances to ethnically diverse communities served by the partnering institutions. The visibility and credibility of the Partnership will continue to positively influence public health policy and cancer prevention and control services in Guam and, ultimately, in neighboring Pacific Island jurisdictions. Citation Information: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2011;20(10 Suppl):B26.

Teaching History through Service Learning at the University of Guam

Scholars across Oceania have long bemoaned various forms of cultural alienation that have resulted from the imposition of colonial education in the region. Chamorro educator Dr Katherine Bordallo A...

Abstract B45: Partnering to reduce cancer health disparities in Guam, Hawaii, and the U.S.-associated Pacific Islands through research, training, and outreach

Abstract Significance: Americans of Pacific Islander ancestry are a highly underserved minority with a significant burden of cancer health disparities (CHD). Pacific Islanders are also highly underrepresented among cancer researchers and cancer health care professionals. Progress has been slow to increase the pool of minority scientists with interests in CHD research. Methods: Since 2003, the University of Guam (UOG) and the Cancer Research Center of Hawaii (CRCH) at the University of Hawaii have been engaged in a partnership designed to develop research capacity at UOG and direct interest, expertise and resources to address CHD unique to Hawaii, Guam and the US-associated Pacific Islands. Education and training at the undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate levels for minority students, combined with faculty development at UOG, is expected to grow the number of minority scientists in cancer research. Funding is available to support investigator-initiated research and programs designed to reduce CHD in the region. Results: Prior to establishing the UOG/CRCH Partnership, there was no cancer related research conducted at UOG. Today, nearly 10% of the UOG faculty participate in the Partnership, and over 20 students have benefitted from the training, education and mentorship provided through the collaboration. Additionally, the Guam Cancer Registry and a Cancer Research Center of Guam have been established on the campus of UOG. At CRCH, an increasing number of faculty are addressing cancer health disparities in the Hawaii/Pacific region. Jointly conducted projects have addressed issues of particular relevance to the populations served by the Partnership, including chronic disease risk factors for adults in Guam, and the associations of betel nut use and health-related conditions/behaviors. An outreach pilot addresses tobacco and youth prevention and cessation. The Partnership has made a positive impact on cancer awareness and public health policy, leading in 2006 to UOG's smoke-free campus and the Territory's comprehensive smoke-free legislation. In 2010, model tobacco tax legislation for the region resulted in the largest single-time tobacco tax increase in the entire US. Guam's tobacco tax revenues now support cancer screening, treatment and support services as well as the Guam Cancer Registry, a full member of the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries. Over 15 peer-reviewed publications have resulted from the Partnership. Discussion/Conclusions: Reducing cancer health disparities is an important and integral component of our nation's effort to improve the health of all Americans. Funding from National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities has successfully teamed researchers from NCI-designated cancer centers with faculty members at a minority-serving institutions to address cancer health disparities through research, training/education and outreach. Citation Information: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2010;19(10 Suppl):B45.

Toward a General Theory for How Climate Change Will Affect Infectious Disease

Toward a General Theory for How Climate Change Will Affect Infectious Disease

RyR1-mediated Ca2+ Leak and Ca2+ Entry Determine Resting Intracellular Ca2+ in Skeletal Myotubes

The control of resting free Ca(2+) in skeletal muscle is thought to be a balance of channels, pumps, and exchangers in both the sarcolemma and sarcoplasmic reticulum. We explored these mechanisms using pharmacologic and molecular perturbations of genetically engineered (dyspedic) muscle cells that constitutively lack expression of the skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) release channels, RyR1 and RyR3. We demonstrate here that expression of RyR1 is responsible for more than half of total resting Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](rest)) measured in wild type cells. The elevated [Ca(2+)](rest) in RyR1-expressing cells is not a result of active gating of the RyR1 channel but instead is accounted for by the RyR1 ryanodine-insensitive Ca(2+) leak conformation. In addition, we demonstrate that basal sarcolemmal Ca(2+) influx is also governed by RyR1 expression and contributes in the regulation of [Ca(2+)](rest) in skeletal myotubes.

Guam

Guam Kelly G. Marsh (bio) and Tyrone J. Taitano (bio) During a year in which most of the world experienced a major economic downturn, Guam's political and economic focus was concerned with what promises to be a major boost to the economy yet comes with attendant political and social consequences. To buttress the previously announced relocation of several thousand marines and their families from Okinawa to Guam, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton traveled to Japan to sign an agreement [End Page 130] with Japanese officials to formalize the move (KUAM, 17 Feb 2009). On Guam, announcements were made of expenditures or contracts signed as part of the US Department of Defense's $10 billion in projected spending for the relocation (KUAM, 15 Oct 2009). Overall, military construction spending on the island accelerated, which in part compensated for the decrease in tourism resulting from the worldwide economic downturn (Bradley 2009). Throughout 2008 and early 2009, tourism arrivals declined from Guam's principal market, Japan. An April 2009 report from the Guam public auditor pointed out that Japan's 2008 arrival numbers were even lower than in 2004 when the tourist industry was recovering from two super typhoons and coping with the impact of the Asian sars epidemic. Visitor arrivals from other Asia-Pacific markets also declined in 2008, and the report characterized prospects for tourism in 2009 as "bleak" (KUAM, 13 April 2009). On the other hand, Guam Visitors Bureau (GVB) board chairman Dave Tydingco stated that GVB officials were surprised to see that arrivals from Japan had been rising recently. Among the reasons given for the upturn was the strengthening of the yen and the reduction in the fuel surcharge, which decreased the cost of airfare. However, with respect to Guam's other major market, Korea, visitor numbers remain challenging as that country's currency, the won, lost 30 percent of its value against the US dollar. Tydingco said, "We are hoping that with the stabilization of the Japan market the summer months are looking better but this global financial crisis is having a significant impact on travel around the world and we just need to be a little bit smarter about how we are going to be able to push tourism in our core markets" (KUAM, 18 March 2009). In April 2009, First Hawaiian Bank issued its economic forecast for Guam noting that, despite difficulties in the tourist industry, the island stands out as one of the few economies in the world that has a brighter future, primarily due to the massive military buildup. The bank's economic adviser, Dr Leroy Laney, stated, "The coming military buildup occupies center stage on Guam in 2009. It is assured that the buildup will come, and parts of it are already underway, even though some uncertainty still exists as to the exact timing of the transfer" (KUAM, 28 April 2009). Uncertainty about the buildup, though, troubled many island leaders and activists, particularly with respect to infrastructure, environmental, and social considerations. Many of these concerns were voiced in a number of forums, including a series of oversight hearings conducted by Senator Judi Guthertz, chair of the legislature's Committee on the Guam Military Buildup and Homeland Security (KUAM, 3 March 2009). The University of Guam (UOG) also held symposiums featuring speakers on the buildup. In November 2008, the UOG College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, along with Sanctuary, Incorporated, hosted a discussion about the military buildup for students and island residents (PDN, 21 Nov 2008). At a UOG symposium in April 2009, Dr Catherine Lutz of Brown University led a presentation entitled "U.S. Military Basing and Its [End Page 131] Impact on Local Communities and Global U.S. Strategy" (KUAM, 13 April 2009). Another symposium featured Meio University's Kiyoshi Nakachi and focused on Okinawa's experiences in hosting US military forces (KUAM, 15 April 2009). The US Department of Defense indicated that it needed more land than previously estimated for the buildup of troops and was exploring the possibility of leasing Government of Guam (GovGuam) property (KUAM, 17 Feb 2009). In February 2009, Senator Benjamin J F Cruz introduced legislation to allow Guam voters to decide whether they support...

Impact of a coastal dump in a tropical lagoon on trace metal concentrations in surrounding marine biota: A case study from Saipan, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI)

Water and Environmental Research Institute of the Western Pacific, University of Guam, Mangilao, Guam 96923, USA b School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia Division of Environmental Quality, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Saipan, MP 96950, USA Coastal Resources Management Office, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Saipan, MP 96950, USA The objective of BASELINE is to publish short communications on different aspects of pollution of the marine environment. Only those papers which clearly identify the quality of the data will be considered for publication. Contributors to Baseline should refer to ‘Baseline—The New Format and Content’ (Mar. Pollut. Bull. 42, 703–704).

Identification of nursery habitats for commercially valuable humphead wrasse Cheilinus undulatus and large groupers (Pisces: Serranidae) in Palau

MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections MEPS 332:189-199 (2007) - doi:10.3354/meps332189 Identification of nursery habitats for commercially valuable humphead wrasse Cheilinus undulatus and large groupers (Pisces: Serranidae) in Palau Mark Tupper1,2,* 1The WorldFish Center, PO Box 500 GPO, 10670 Penang, Malaysia 2Marine Lab, University of Guam, UOG Station, Mangilao, Guam 96923, USA *Email: m.tupper@cgiar.org ABSTRACT: In recent years there has been increasing interest in conserving fish habitats. However, fish–habitat associations, particularly nursery habitat for early juvenile stages, are poorly known for most reef fishes. Using mark–recapture techniques, I examined among-habitat variation in settlement, post-settlement growth, and persistence, and movement in 3 large, vulnerable, and commercially important reef fishes: the humphead wrasse Cheilinus undulatus, the squaretail coralgrouper Plectropomus areolatus, and the camouflage grouper Epinephelus polyphekadion. Both the humphead wrasse and the coralgrouper appeared to utilize specific nursery habitats. Settlement, growth, and persistence of humphead wrasse were highest in branching coral structures mixed with bushy macroalgae (BCMA). Of all tagged C. undulatus recaptured in intermediate or adult habitats, 80% were tagged post-settlement in BCMA. Early juvenile P. areolatus were found almost exclusively in coral rubble habitats on the slopes of tidal channels, at a narrow depth range of 5 to 7 m. This dependence on one habitat type could render this species vulnerable to shipping or dredging operations or other forms of coastal development. E. polyphekadion appeared to be a habitat generalist, and no specific nursery habitat could be identified. In summary, spatial management (e.g. implementation of marine protected areas) should prioritize habitats for conservation according to their value as essential nursery or spawning habitats for target species needing protection. KEY WORDS: Fish habitat · Nursery areas · Grouper · Humphead wrasse Full text in pdf format PreviousNextExport citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in MEPS Vol. 332. Online publication date: March 05, 2007 Print ISSN: 0171-8630; Online ISSN: 1616-1599 Copyright © 2007 Inter-Research.

REVIEW: Online Education For Lifelong Learning

This book was edited by, Yukiko Inoue, professor of educational research at the University of Guam, where she teaches online and face-to-face courses. It was published by Information Science Publishing in 2007. The authors of the chapters in this book are selected from different universities from Guam, Australia, Turkey and Greece. Online education has provided considerable opportunities for all people in lifelong learning. People who use online learning materials has interactive medium for lifelong learning. The aim of this book is to examine online environment in terms of development, implementation, theories, technology and case studies. It provides theoretical and practical information about online lifelong learning; consequently, it can appeal to researchers, practitioners, online learners and anyone interested in online lifelong learning. This book covers 14 chapters divided into five sections.

REVIEW: Teaching With Educational Technology in the 21st Century: The Case of the Asian-Pasific Region

This book was edited by Yukiko Inoue and Suzanne Bell, an educator and a librarian at the University of Guam, and published by Information Science Publishing in 2006.

The Secret Guam Study: How President Ford's 1975 Approval of Commonwealth Was Blocked by Federal Officials (review)

Reviewed by: The Secret Guam Study: How President Ford's 1975 Approval of Commonwealth Was Blocked by Federal Officials Robert C Kiste The Secret Guam Study: How President Ford's 1975 Approval of Commonwealth Was Blocked by Federal Officials, by Howard P Willens with Dirk A Ballendorf. Mangilao, Guam: Micronesian Area Research Center; Saipan: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Division of Historical Preservation, 2004. ISBN 1-878-453-77-7; xvii +238 pages, bibliography, appendixes.US$10.00. Howard P Willens and Deanne C Siemer are a Washington DC–based husband and wife legal team who have served the people of the Northern Marianas since the early 1970s. Most importantly, they represented the Northern Marianas in the negotiations that made the islands a commonwealth in political union with the United States. Willens and Siemer have authored two books: National Security and Self-Determination: United States Policy in Micronesia (1961–1972) in 2000 and An Honorable Accord: The Covenant between the Northern Marianas Islands and the United States in 2002. Willens is also the principal author of The Secret Guam Study. Dirk A Ballendorf is the director of the Micronesian Area Research Center at the University of Guam. In the course of their research for An Honorable Accord, Willens and Siemer discovered evidence that in the mid-1970s, at the direction of President Gerald R Ford, a study had been made concerning Guam's future political status and the United States was prepared to offer Guam commonwealth political status, under terms that were at least as advantageous as those for the Northern Marianas. At a meeting in 2000 with Ballendorf and his colleagues at the University of Guam, Willens and Siemer learned that no one on Guam had ever heard of the presidential initiative. They suggested that relevant information might be obtained by requests for documents under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Ballendorf served as the plaintiff, with Siemer as his lawyer. FOIA requests were submitted to the Departments of State, Interior, and Defense in late 2000. Although the requests were acknowledged, they were stonewalled. In May 2003, thirty months after the FOIA requests, Ballendorf filed complaints against the same three departments, and they quickly produced some [End Page 182] documents. Nevertheless, the record seemed suspiciously incomplete, and in response to further legal action, more documents were forthcoming. The indigenous people of all the Marianas share a common Chamorro culture and language. Guam, the southernmost of the Marianas, became separated from the others when it became a US territory in 1898 and was placed under US Navy rule. In 1950, the US Congress passed the Guam Organic Act. Guam thereby became an unincorporated territory lacking in local autonomy, belonging to but not an integral part of the United States. Administrative authority was transferred to the Department of Interior. Under the Organic Act, Guam's people became US citizens. At the end of World War II, the United States acquired most of Micronesia as the US Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands within the United Nations trusteeship system, and again, the Department of Interior was given the responsibility for administration. Negotiations about the future political status of the Trust Territory began in 1969. Internal differences precluded any chance that the territory would evolve as a single nation, and it became divided into four political entities. The Northern Marianas was the first to break away when it began separate negotiations with the United States in late 1972. The people of the Northern Marianas voted for commonwealth status in political union with the United States in 1975, and the status of Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas became finalized when the Trust Territory was dissolved in 1986. The arrangement provided US citizenship for the people of the Northern Marianas, the privilege of drafting their own constitution, and increased autonomy over many local affairs. Not long after its implementation, the people of Guam evidenced discontent with the provisions of the Organic Act and lobbied for an improved political status. When US negotiators wanted Guam's support for the commonwealth arrangement for the Northern Marianas, the White House was urged to address the issue of Guam's political status. In late 1973, a...

Investigations of the Marine Flora and Fauna of the Islands of Palau

AbstractFor Abstract see ChemInform Abstract in Full Text.

Investigations of the marine flora and fauna of the Islands of Palau.

The Islands of Palau have proven to be an excellent source of bioactive marine natural products primarily as a result of the systematic studies from the late 1970s by the research groups of Scheuer at the University of Hawaii, Faulkner at the Scripps Oceanographic Institution/University of California at San Diego, and Paul at the University of Guam. Their efforts were materially aided by the excellent facilities provided by the Government of Palau and for the last 10 years, those of the NCI's shallow water collection contractor, the Coral Reef Research Foundation. This review covers the structures and biological activities where noted, of the multitudinous marine-derived natural products isolated from the marine flora and fauna of this nation and demonstrates the enormous variety of novel structures elaborated by these organisms.