Fatal myocardial infarct in a Greyhound

Death is reported in a 3-year-old Greyhound due to an acute myocardial infarction, consequent upon thrombo-embolic occlusion of the left descending coronary artery, subsequent to dislodgement of a vegetative lesion of the left lateral aortic valve, secondary to sub-acute bacterial endocarditis. A comparison between some aspects of cardio-vascular disease in man and dogs is made, and the term ‘heart attack’ as used in the human condition is investigated and its legitimate application to veterinary conditions discussed. The main difference between human and animal coronary disease is the widespread occurrence of atherosclerosis in humans and its absence in animals.     

The southward spread of buffalo fly (Haematobia irritans exigua) in eastern Australia and its survival through a severe winter

The southward spread of buffalo fly (Haematobia irritans exigua) in coastal eastern Australia from Bororen, Queensland in 1974 to Coffs Harbour, New South Wales in 1982 is documented. Surveys after a cold, dry winter in 1982 recorded overwintering sites and subsequent spread of flies in southern Queensland and northern New South Wales. Buffalo fly overwintered at several places in the Maryborough-Bauple districts and further north. Overwintering also occurred in the Currumbin Valley-Mudgeeraba area on the Queensland-New South Wales border. Other infestations detected early in the season and believed to have arisen from local overwintering populations were observed at Kin Kin, Mount Tamborine and Flinders Peak. By May 1983 flies had recolonised much of coastal south eastern Queensland, and as far south as Ballina and west to the Richmond Range in New South Wales. Implications of these findings for control are discussed.     

Studies on the depth distribution and on the germination and growth of Equisetum arvense L (field horsetail) from tubers

Soil core samples taken from a sandy loam soil at Woburn during January 1972, following spring beans during the previous year, indicated that half the rhizome dry weight of Equisetum arvense (L.) occurred in the uppermost 25 cm of soil and 10% between 75 and 100 cm. Tubers occurred relatively more deeply with half the number and three-quarters of the weight deeper than 50 cm. However, after a 2-year fallow 80% of the rhizomes and tubers were in the uppermost 25 cm of soil. In general, the weight of individual tubers increased with increasing depth in the soil. In pots in the glasshouse, tubers that were formed in one season lost weight when new shoots emerged in the following year; those formed during summer germinated readily in warmth indoors when detached in the autumn, but not until June of the following year in the field. Burial of tubers at a range of depths down to 25 cm did not affect the number of shoots emerging but emergence was delayed. Plants made more growth in neutral than in acid or basic soil, more in silty clay loam than in sandy loam and appeared well adapted to growth in soils with little nitrogen. In general, rhizome growth was less affected by variations in pH and nitrogen level than were shoots and tubers. Plants grown from tubers were suppressed greatly by wheat sown densely and given a moderate amount of nitrogen fertilizer but had negligible effect on the wheat. With fewer wheat plants given less nitrogen, the species partitioned more of its assimilate into tubers than when it was grown alone. The significance of tubers in the biology of the species is briefly discussed and areas meriting further study are highlighted.     

Short Bowel Syndrome—A case report in a dog and discussion of the pathophysiology of bowel resection

An 8-year-old dog was investigated because of severe diarrhoea and weight loss following massive intestinal resection 15 months earlier. Positive contrast radiographic studies demonstrated (1) a short bowel with an increased diameter, (2) the absence of an ileo-colic sphincter, and (3) a rapid transit time. Para-amino benzoic acid (PABA) and xylose absorption tests, and quantitative twenty-four hour faecal fat analysis demonstrated mildly reduced PABA absorption, marked xylose malabsorption, and steatorrhoea. Complete control of diarrhoea was achieved by the administration of a low-fat diet. An elemental diet supplement containing amino-acids, simple sugars, minerals and vitamins, and medium chain triglyceride oil were subsequently used in an attempt to improve nutrition. Oral antibiotics were prescribed in an attempt to reduce the suspected overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine. The long-term effects of dietary supplements and antibiotics could not be assessed because the dog was destroyed after a sudden deterioration in condition, probably due to severe gastric ulceration observed at autopsy. The pathophysiologic changes associated with intestinal resection are discussed in relation to possible therapeutic measures.     

MOVEMENT PATTERNS OF RIVERINE LITTER

Aspects of litter movement were looked at in a variety of ways. River bank clearances provided valuable information on litter accumulation and movement, showing a distinctive correlation between flood events and litter movement. Introduction of litter outside of channel deposition (diffuse sources) were limited in the study area in South Wales, UK. A rise in litter deposition occurred for some time after flood events, with the main accumulation occurring in the mid-bank zone. As only some litter types have an increased input during flood events e.g. sewage-derived material from combined sewer outfalls (CSO), accumulation of other litter types, e.g. plastic sheeting could be due to their distribution throughout the catchment. A positive correlation between litter stranding and vegetation was found. During high flows, (75.59 cumecs) litter is removed from sites with little restraining vegetation and deposited where stranding potential is high. Smaller items such as feminine hygiene products were more susceptible to stranding than larger plastic sheeting.     

Seasonal and between-year variations of fish populations in the middle Thames estuary: 1980–1989

Fish samples collected at the cooling water intake screens of West Thurrock power station located 35.5 km downstream of London Bridge on the Thames estuary during the decade 1980–1989 were analysed. Seasonal and long-term changes in the abundance of the 15 most numerous fish species and in several fish community parameters were analysed. The majority of species were highly seasonal in their distribution and abundance. Species diversity was lower in the summer (May–August) compared with spring/winter (October–February). Evidence of long-term changes in species diversity and community structure over the decade is presented. The changes were consistent with a period of relative stability (1980–1984) followed by a period of change (1985–1989) and may reflect a deterioration in water quality in the second quinquennium. It is argued that the monitoring of fish communities in estuaries should be based on a multi-metric approach as no single indicator alone can describe the complex community structure.     

Screening for plant transporter function by expressing a normalized Arabidopsis full-length cDNA library in Xenopus oocytes

Background  

We have developed a functional genomics approach based on expression cloning in Xenopus oocytes to identify plant transporter function. We utilized the full-length cDNA databases to generate a normalized library consisting of 239 full-length Arabidopsis thaliana transporter cDNAs. The genes were arranged into a 96-well format and optimized for expression in Xenopus oocytes by cloning each coding sequence into a Xenopus expression vector.