High levels of population genetic differentiation in the American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus).

The American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) is a widely distributed species across coastal and brackish areas of the Neotropical region of the Americas and the Greater Antilles. Available information on patterns of genetic differentiation in C. acutus shows a complex structuring influenced by interspecific interactions (mainly hybridization) and anthropogenic actions (mostly historical hunting, recent poaching, habitat loss and fragmentation, and unintentional translocation of individuals).

Structural modelling of wellbeing for Indigenous Australians: importance of mental health.

Background: Australia provides health care services for Indigenous peoples as part of its effort to enhance Indigenous peoples' wellbeing. However, biomedical frameworks shape Australia's health care system, often without reference to Indigenous wellbeing priorities. Under Indigenous leadership the Interplay research project explored wellbeing for Indigenous Australians in remote regions, through defining and quantifying Indigenous people's values and priorities.

Machine-specific quality assurance procedure for stereotactic treatments with dynamic couch rotations.

Objective: We present a method in which the treatment couch's accuracy is measured using the electronic portal imaging device (EPID) and a phantom of our own construction. Using this phantom, we were able to quantify the treatment couch walkout, and the rotation angle accuracy for both static and dynamic couch treatments. These measurements were used to provide an accurate measure of the treatment couch isocenter as well as to verify the couch rotation angle recorded in the trajectory log.

Interplay wellbeing framework: a collaborative methodology 'bringing together stories and numbers' to quantify Aboriginal cultural values in remote Australia.

Background: Wellbeing has been difficult to understand, measure and strengthen for Aboriginal people in remote Australia. Part of the challenge has been genuinely involving community members and incorporating their values and priorities into assessment and policy. Taking a 'shared space' collaborative approach between remote Aboriginal communities, governments and scientists, we merged Aboriginal knowledge with western science - by bringing together stories and numbers.

A simple and robust trajectory-based stereotactic radiosurgery treatment.

Introduction: We present a Trajectory-based Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (TVMAT) technique for Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) that takes advantage of a modern linacs ability to modulate dose rate and move the couch dynamically. In addition, we investigate the quality of the developed TVMAT method and the dosimetric accuracy of the technique.

Methods: The main feature of the TVMAT technique is a standard beam trajectory formed by dynamic motion of the treatment couch and the linac gantry.

The Arctic oscillation, climatic variability, and biotic factors influenced seedling dynamics in a Caribbean moist forest.

We assessed the influence of the Arctic oscillation (AO) on local climate (using data from 2004 to 2009), their influence and the effects of heterospecific density on seedling dynamics (from January 2006 to August 2009), using data from 120 25-m subplots established in a moist tropical forest over limestone in Jamaica. The AO index (AOI) had a positive nonlinear relationship with mean monthly rainfall and the number of days with rain. Also, there was a significant increase in mean monthly atmospheric temperature in 2006, which coincided with a global temperature increase.

Characterizing the Status (Disturbed, Hybrid or Novel) of Swamp Forest Fragments in a Caribbean Ramsar Wetland: The Impact of Anthropogenic Degradation and Invasive Plant Species.

The last remaining Amazonian-type swamp forest fragments in Black River Lower Morass, Jamaica, have been subjected to a myriad of anthropogenic disturbances, compounded by the establishment and spread of several invasive plant species. We established 44 permanent sample plots (covering 3.92 ha) across 10 of these swamp forest fragments and sampled all non-woody plants and all trees ≥2 cm DBH found in the plots.

Genetic introgression and hybridization in Antillean freshwater turtles (Trachemys) revealed by coalescent analyses of mitochondrial and cloned nuclear markers.

Determining whether a conflict between gene trees and species trees represents incomplete lineage sorting (ILS) or hybridization involving native and/or invasive species has implications for reconstructing evolutionary relationships and guiding conservation decisions. Among vertebrates, turtles represent an exceptional case for exploring these issues because of the propensity for even distantly related lineages to hybridize. In this study we investigate a group of freshwater turtles (Trachemys) from a part of its range (the Greater Antilles) where it is purported to have undergone reticulation events from both natural and anthropogenic processes.

DNA barcoding of an invasive mammal species, the small Indian mongoose (Herpestes javanicus; E. Geoffroy Saint-Hillaire 1818) in the Caribbean and Hawaiian Islands.

Background And Aim: The use of DNA barcodes has been proposed as a promising tool for identifying species. The efficacy of this tool for invasive species requires further exploration. The species status of the small Indian mongoose, an exotic invasive in several parts of the world, has been contentious due to morphological similarity with its congeners in its natural habitat.

Use of object-oriented classification and fragmentation analysis (1985-2008) to identify important areas for conservation in Cockpit Country, Jamaica.

Forest fragmentation is one of the most important threats to global biodiversity, particularly in tropical developing countries. Identifying priority areas for conservation within these forests is essential to their effective management. However, this requires current, accurate environmental information that is often lacking in developing countries.

Tail injuries increase the risk of mortality in free-living lizards (Uta stansburiana).

Caudal autotomy is an effective anti-predator mechanism used by many lizard species. Fitness benefits of surviving a predatory attack are obvious, although lizards that autotomize their tails may be at greater risk during subsequent encounters with predators than lizards with complete tails. In previous laboratory studies, tail-less lizards were more vulnerable to capture by predators, but little is known about the relative survival of tailed versus tail-less lizards in nature.