An updated inventory of marine opisthobranch(Mollusca,Gastropoda)from the territorial waters of the Republic of Mauritius

Island ecosystems support diverse aquatic invertebrate communities comprising endemic taxa.Documentation of existing species is important for conservation.In this study,a checklist of marine opisthobranch from the Republic of Mauritius is presented.A combination of benthic surveys(50 m×5 m in triplicates),rover diving techniques and photo documentation were used over two years(2018–2020)within 35 sheltered and unsheltered lagoons.Morphological and molecular analysis were used for identification.Species composition within sheltered and unsheltered areas in Mauritius was estimated using the Bray-Curtis similarity.The checklist featured 117 species belonging to 61 genera and 28families,of which 13 are new records.The findings increased the knowledge of opisthobranch diversity from the Mauritius by 15.4%.Among the listed species,the distribution range of Cyerce nigra,Actinocyclus papillatus,and Phyllidia picta extended from the Western Pacific to the South Western Indian Ocean.Molecular analysis of the undescribed Gymnodoris sp.showed it resembled Gymnodoris sp.from Hawaii and were different by a genetic distance value of 10.6%.The species richness and evenness were higher within the sheltered regions of Mauritius which harboured the food resource of opisthobranch.These areas as compared to unsheltered regions were heavily populated,suggesting the probable influence of wave actions on opisthobranch diversity and abundance.The order Nudibranchia was reported as most speciose,with 86 species.The Sacoglossa and Nudibranchia were observed only on macroalgae and sponges respectively.High abundance was also recorded on shipwrecks which are the most common form of artificial reefs.With the inclusion of observations from previous studies,201species belonging to 94 genera and 36 families are now known from the Mauritius.

Towards more effective strategies for management of diabetes in Mauritius

Over the past 2 decades, the prevalence of diabetes in Mauritius has remained one of the highest in the world with no recent significant improvement. Mauritius ranked 2nd in 2002 and 4th in the world in 2009 with nearly one in five of its adult population above the age of 30 years being affected. Nearly half of those affected do not know that they have the disease and this adversely influences quality of life, risks of complications as well as morbidity and mortality. Despite the availability of free health services, over 50% of diabetes patients are poorly controlled and the risk of complications from diabetes such as cardiovascular diseases, renal failure, blindness, peripheral vascular and neurological diseases leading to lower limb amputations, remain very high. Despite continued efforts from the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life (MOH & QOL) to provide easily accessible diabetes care to all patients, the outcome remains poor. Most of the outpatients and primary health care centres are overcrowded and the set-up does not provide optimal care and attention. Diabetes care is very much medical-orientated and the health promotion campaigns have had little impact so far. Prevention and control of diabetes must become a priority. There is an urgent need for enhanced heath promotion and education, as evidence suggests that a change in diet and lifestyle can bring about significant improvement in the incidence and prevalence of diabetes. This paper examines some of the key actions/ proposals with respect to: evaluation of actions taken, health promotion campaigns, attitude and behavioural change, focused leadership and commitment, marketing strategies, effective segmentation and targeting.

China Tourism and Culture Week Adds Glamour to Cultural Exchanges Between China and Mauritius

The China Tourism and Culture Week in Mauritius was held from May 26 to June 2? Mauritian people experienced a variety of Chinese tourism and cultural activities in this week, including the traditional kite making and flying, Tianjin acrobatics, folk music, songs, Dalian intangible cultural heritage food, tour scenery, dragon boat racing and tasting Zongzi, with nearly 100,000 people participated? Thousands of years of skills spread far Mauritius has a harmonious coexistence of multi-cultures, and Chinese culture is one of the endless streams with a long history and rich cultural deposits. Flying a kite is also one of the traditional entertainment activities that the Mauritian people love. On May 26, the " Co 1 orfu 1 Kites Flying of China Tourism and Culture Week 2019 - Weifang Kite Exhibition and the Cultural Interactive Experience Activity" was jointly held by the Embassy of the PRC in the Republic of Mauritius, China Cultural Center in Mauritius , the Department of Arts and Culture of Mauritius, the Network of International Culturalink Entities and the Mauritius Chinese Culture Promotion Company? All-round cultural(Jhina Tourism and (kilture Week Adds Glamour to (killural Exchanges Between China and Mauritius.

Enforcement of Food Legislation and Its Impact on Food Safety: A Case Study on Food Law Enactment in Mauritius

Foodborne diseases affect human health and cause significant economic loss. Among the proposed mitigating strategies to prevent, or at least, to reduce foodborne diseases were the enactment and proper enforcement of food legislation. In Mauritius (MU), many outbreaks have been reported since the enactment and enforcement of the Food Act 1998 (MU) and Food Regulations 1999 (MU). Therefore, it was high time to re-evaluate the impact of the food law on the pattern of foodborne diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate how the introduction of the Mauritian food legislation had influenced the pattern of foodborne diseases and its suitability in recent years. Data were collected from the website of the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life of Mauritius from 1990 to 2015 and analysed using nonparametric statistical methods, where required. Results showed that more foodborne disease cases occurred during enforcement of the food legislation than before. The study also found that the food law was consistently enforced over the years, except during epidemics of chikungunya fever and dengue fever. Furthermore, several strengths and weaknesses were identified in the current legislation related to the risk of foodborne diseases. Comparing the Mauritian with the Australian food laws revealed some similarities and differences between the two legislations. This review showed that overall foodborne diseases in Mauritius increased and were not affected by the food law enforcement. Therefore, a revision of the law and its enforcement is necessary to make them more efficient in preventing foodborne diseases.

‘Mauritius’荔枝木质部髓质玉米素-核苷和二氢玉米素-核苷水平与植株和土壤水分状况及开花的关系

开花不良是荔枝低产的主要原因。秋季水份胁迫抑制秋季发芽，大大地降低了花密度和荔枝产量。有人认为，由于灌溉量减少，末梢的芽进入分化期的发育后期，但是水分状况也可能影响激素平衡，尤其是细胞分裂素，这种激素影响花芽分化。

Relationship between Socio-Demographic Factors and Eating Practices in a Multicultural Society

There is currently a dearth of information pertaining to socio-demographic factors and eating practices in a multicultural country like Mauritius. This study was therefore undertaken to probe the different eating practices among an adult sample population in Mauritius in an endeavor to establish significant relationships, if any, with common socio-demographic and socio-economic factors. A self-designed questionnaire, (randomly distributed to n = 387 adults), pertaining to socio-demographic variables, vegetarianism, breakfast patterns, eating out of home meals (OHMs), food frequency questions and dieting practices were asked. Males (21 - 40 yrs) had a significantly (p 0.05) to adherence to the recommendations for the consumption of fish. The socio-demographic factors most influential towards eating practices were gender, age and socio-economic status represented by education and occupation. In conclusion, relationships recorded in the present study were comparable to Western eating practices and the availability of certain foods has compelled Mauritians to develop its own and unique eating patterns which can be of relevance in providing accurate health targets for future nutrition interventions in Mauritius.

Exploring the Perception of Job Quality among Banking Professionals:The Case of a Small Island Developing State

The purpose of this study was to explore the perception of the Mauritian banking sector (MBS) professionals on job quality with respect to their current jobs using the OECD Framework (2015). It attempts to fill an existing gap in the Job Quality literature by providing empirical evidence on job quality in the banking sector in a small island developing state like Mauritius. Not many, if any, of the studies conducted in the banking sector concentrate on job quality in a small island development state (SIDS) context. This exploratory study therefore made use of the qualitative interpretive research paradigm using semi-structured, face-to-face interviews. The population comprised of banking professionals at supervisory and managerial levels across different banking institutions in the island. Purposive sampling method was adopted using the snowball sampling technique which used the researcher’s judgment in locating the type of people who would provide rich information pertaining to job quality. 15 banking professionals agreed to take part in the study. Findings revealed that banking professionals in Mauritius better perceived recognition rather than earnings quality, and the social rather than physical work environment as major determinants of their job quality. They also opined that their job security was however based on their performance and willingness to learn and grow in the organisation. Appropriate recommendations were thus provided in the light of these findings.