Complete regression of renal tumour following ligation of an accessory renal artery during repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm.

The existence of concomitant intra-abdominal pathology with abdominal aortic aneurysms is not uncommon. The optimal management is often controversial. We describe the successful treatment of a case of an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) associated with a renal tumour without performing a nephrectomy. An accessory lower pole renal artery supplying the tumour was ligated at the time of open AAA repair. The lower pole renal tumour (suspected renal cell carcinoma) reduced in size dramatically and progressively on follow-up computed tomography and the patient remains well at over two years after surgery. The successful treatment of the two conditions in such a manner represents an alternative management strategy and adds to the options available in selected patients who present with challenging and unusual pathology.

Dermatitis, branchitis and mortality in empire gudgeon Hypseleotris compressa exposed naturally to runoff from acid sulfate soils.

Severe dermatitis and branchitis are described in a wild population of empire gudgeon Hypseleotris compressa, an Australian eleotrid, exposed naturally to runoff from acid sulfate soils (ASS) in a drained estuarine embayment in eastern Australia. After at least 2 d exposure to pH < 4, and up to 7 d exposure to pH < 6, approximately 50% of the fish sampled had moderate to severe diffuse epidermal hyperplasia, usually at scale margins, and scattered areas of moderate to severe, focal to locally extensive, subacute, necrotising dermatitis. Saprolegnia spp. had invaded epidermis in some inflamed areas. In gills, there was moderate to severe hyperplasia and necrosis of secondary lamellar epithelium, with fusion of adjacent secondary lamellae. Inorganic monomeric aluminium and calcium concentrations in water at the site during the event were 27.7 and 16.6 mg l(-1), respectively. Large numbers of empire gudgeons at the study site had died after at least 8 d exposure to pH < 4, and up to 13 d exposure to pH < 6. These findings provide clear evidence that acidification of estuarine systems by runoff from ASS has deleterious effects on aquatic biota. Furthermore, study findings suggest a mechanism whereby lesions of epizootic ulcerative syndrome (EUS) may be initiated in estuarine fishes by a combination of sublethal exposure to ASS runoff and Aphanomyces invadans infection, a suggestion consistent with the geographic and temporal distribution of EUS outbreaks in Australian estuaries.

Macroalgal biomonitors of trace metal contamination in acid sulfate soil aquaculture ponds.

Earthen shrimp aquaculture ponds are often impacted by acid sulfate soils (ASS), typically resulting in increased disease and mortality of cultured organisms. Production losses have been attributed to either low pH or to elevated concentrations of toxic metals, both direct products of pyrite oxidation in ASS. The standard farm management practice to minimise effects of pyrite oxidation is to maintain pH of pond waters above 5, based on the assumption that dissolved metal bioavailability is negligible at this pH. This study aimed to test the validity of this assumption, and therefore elucidate a possible role of toxic heavy metals in observed decreases in farm productivity. Metal bioaccumulation in four genera of macroalgae, Ulva sp., Enteromorpha sp., Cladophora sp. and Chaetomorpha sp., sampled from ASS-affected shrimp aquaculture ponds were measured using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) to assess the relative bioavailability of dissolved metals within the system. Results showed that all four genera of macroalgae accumulated appreciable quantities of Fe, Al, Zn, Cd, Cu, As and Pb. Iron and Al, the most common metals mobilised from ASS, were both accumulated in all algal genera to concentrations three orders of magnitude greater than all other metals analysed. These findings indicate that dissolved heavy metals are indeed bioavailable within the aquaculture pond system. A literature search of heavy metal bioaccumulation by these algal genera revealed concentrations recorded in this study are comparable to highly contaminated environments, such as those exposed to urban, industrial and mining pollution. The results of this study indicate that dissolved metal bioavailability in many earthen shrimp aquaculture ponds may be higher than previously thought.

Major Incident Medical Management and Support (MIMMS): a practical, multiple casualty, disaster-site training course for all Australian health care personnel.

Major Incident Medical Management and Support is a 3-day major incident training course designed specifically for doctors, nurses and ambulance personnel. It teaches a systematic, 'all hazards' approach to the principles of pre-hospital, multiple-casualty incident medical management. This article explores the origins and development of the course in Australia, it outlines the nature and content of the course, details the demographic profile of those who have successfully completed the course to date and, finally, looks at the future directions of the course in Australia.