Relations between coal petrology and gas content in the Upper Newlands Seam, central Queensland, Australia

The Upper Newlands Seam in the northern Bowen Basin, Queensland, Australia consists of six benches (A-F) that have different petrographic assemblages. Benches C and E contain relatively abundant inertodetrinite and mineral matter, as well as anomalously high reflectance values; these characteristics support a largely allochthonous, detrital origin for the C and E benches. Fractures and cleats in the seam show a consistent orientation of northeast- southwest for face cleats, and a wide range of orientations for fractures. Cleat systems are well developed in bright bands, with poor continuity in the dull coal. Both maceral content and cleat character are suggested to influence gas drainage in the Upper Newlands Seam. A pronounced positive correlation between vitrinite abundance and gas desorption data suggests more efficient drainage from benches with abundant vitrinite. Conversely, inertinite-rich benches are suggested to have less efficient drainage, and possibly retain gas within pore spaces, which could increase the outburst potential of the coal. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science BN. All rights reserved.

Feasibility of an evidence-based literature search service for general practitioners

Objective: To test the feasibility of an evidence-based clinical literature search service to help answer general practitioners' (GPs') clinical questions. Design: Two search services supplied GPs who submitted questions with the best available empirical evidence to answer these questions. The GPs provided feedback on the value of the service, and concordance of answers from the two search services was assessed. Setting: Two literature search services (Queensland and Victoria), operating for nine months from February 1999. Main outcome measures: Use of the service; time taken to locate answers; availability of evidence; value of the service to GPs; and consistency of answers from the two services. Results: 58 GPs asked 160 questions (29 asked one, 11 asked five or more). The questions concerned treatment (65%), aetiology (17%), prognosis (13%), and diagnosis (5%). Answering a question took a mean of 3 hours 32 minutes of personnel time (95% Cl, 2.67-3.97); nine questions took longer than 10 hours each to answer, the longest taking 23 hours 30 minutes. Evidence of suitable quality to provide a sound answer was available for 126 (79%) questions. Feedback data for 84 (53%) questions, provided by 42 GPs, showed that they appreciated the service, and asking the questions changed clinical care. There were many minor differences between the answers from the two centres, and substantial differences in the evidence found for 4/14 questions. However, conclusions reached were largely similar, with no or only minor differences for all questions. Conclusions: It is feasible to provide a literature search service, but further assessment is needed to establish its cost effectiveness.

Mosquito isolates of Ross River virus from Cairns, Queensland, Australia

During 1996-1998 60,619 mosquitoes were collected around Cairns, Australia and processed for Alphavirus isolation. Thirty-three isolates of Ross River (RR) virus were made from 9 species, Aedes imprimens, Aedes kochi, Aedes notoscriptus, Aedes vigilax, Culex annulirostris, Culex gelidus, Mansonia septempunctata, Verrallina (formerly Aedes) carmenti, and Verrallina lineatus. Attempts to isolate RR virus from 121 Aedes aegypti were unsuccessful. Twenty six (79%) of the isolates came from within 1 km of a colony of spectacled flying-foxes, Pteropus conspicillatus. The minimum infection rate for these mosquitoes was 1.0 compared with 0.2 per 1,000 for mosquitoes trapped at all other sites. Ross River virus has not previously been isolated from Ae. imprimens, Cx. gelidus, Ma. septempunctata, Ve. carmenti, or Ve. lineatus. This is also the first isolation of an arbovirus from Cx. gelidus in Australia. In conclusion, the vector status of Ve. carmenti, Ae. aegypti and Mn. septempunctata warrants further study. This study also provides evidence that P. conspicillatus may be a reservoir host.

Ultrastructure and small-subunit ribosomal DNA sequence of Henneguya lesteri n. sp (Myxosporea), a parasite of sand whiting Sillago analis (Sillaginidae) from the coast of Queensland, Australia

Henneguya lesteri n. sp, (Myxosporea) is described from sand whiting, Sillago analis, from the southern Queensland coast of Australia. H. lesteri displays a preference for the pseudobranchs and is typically positioned along the afferent blood vessels, displacing the adjoining lamellae and disrupting their normal array, The plasmodia appeared as whitish-hyaline, elliptical cysts (mean dimensions 230 x 410 mum) attached to the oral mucosa lining of the hyoid arch on the inner surface of the operculum. Infections of the gills were also found, in which the plasmodia were spherical, averaged 240 x 240 mum in size and were located on the inner hemibranch margin. The parasites lodged in the gill filament crypts and generated a mild hyperplastic response of the branchial epithelium, In histological sections, the plasmodium wall and adjoining ectoplasm appeared as a finely granulated, weakly eosinophilic layer, Ultrastructurally, this section of the host-parasite interface contained an intricate complex of pinocytotic channels. H. lesteri is polysporic, disporoblastic and pansporoblast forming. Sporogenesis is asynchronous, with the earliest developmental stages aligned predominantly along the plasmodium periphery, and maturing sporoblasts and spores toward the center. Ultrastructural details of sporoblast and spore development are in agreement with previously described myxosporeans. The mature spore is drop-shaped, length (mean) 9.1 mum, width 4.7 mum, thickness 2.5 mum, and comprises 2 polar capsules positioned closely together, a binucleated sporoplasm and a caudal process of 12.6 mum. The polar capsules are elongated, 3.2 x 1.6 mum, with 4 turns of the polar filament. Mean length of the everted filament is 23.2 mum, Few studies have analyzed the 18S gene-of marine Myxosporea. In fact, H. lesteri is the first marine species of Henneguya to be characterized at the molecular level: we determined 1966 bp of the small-subunit (18S) rDNA, The results indicated that differences between this and the hitherto studied freshwater Henneguya species are greater than differences among the freshwater Henneguya species.

Geographic variation of notified Ross River virus infections in Queensland, Australia, 1985-1996

The spatial and temporal variations of Ross River virus infections reported in Queensland, Australia, between 1985 and 1996 were studied by using the Geographic Information System. The notified cases of Ross River virus infection came from 489 localities between 1985 and 1988, 805 between 1989 and 1992, and 1,157 between 1993 and 1996 (X (2)((df = 2)) = 680.9; P < 0.001). There was a marked increase in the number of localities where the cases were reported by 65 percent for the period of 1989-1992 and 137 percent for 1993-1996, compared with that for 1985-1988. The geographic distribution of the notified Ross River virus cases has expanded in Queensland over recent years. As Ross River virus disease has impacted considerably on tourism and industry, as well as on residents of affected areas, more research is required to explore the causes of the geographic expansion of the notified Ross River virus infections.

Euzetia occultum n. g., n. sp (Euzetiinae n. subf.), a monocotylid monogenean from the gills of Rhinoptera neglecta (Rhinopteridae) from Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia

Euzetia occultum n. g., n. sp. (Monogenea: Monocotylidae) is described from the gills of the Australian cownose ray Rhinoptera neglecta Ogilby collected in Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia. Euzetia has one central and ten peripheral loculi, which is similar to species in Decacotyle Young, 1967. However Euzetia is distinguished from other genera in the family by the presence of an additional loculus on either side of the central loculus. Because Euzetia does not fit into any of the six existing subfamilies in the Monocotylidae Taschenberg, 1879, as currently recognised, we propose the Euzetiinae n. subf. to accommodate the new genus. Euzetia occultum is described and illustrated fully. This is the first published record of a monocotylid from a species of Rhinoptera Cuvier.

The oral medicine of tooth wear

This review illustrates, through a series of case histories, how oral medicine insights aid the diagnosis and management of patients with excessive tooth wear. The cases reviewed are drawn from the records of 500 southeast Queensland patients referred to the author over a 12 year period. Patients most at risk of dental erosion have work and sports dehydration, caffeine addiction, gastro-oesophageal reflux, asthma, diabetes mellitus, hypertension or other systemic diseases or syndromes that predispose to xerostomia. Saliva protects the teeth from the extrinsic and intrinsic acids which cause dental erosion. Erosion, exacerbated by attrition and abrasion, is the main cause of tooth wear. These cases illustrate that teeth, oral mucosa, salivary glands, skin and eyes should be examined for evidence of salivary hypofunction and attendant medical conditions. Based on comprehensive oral medicine, dietary analyses and advice, it would seem patients need self-management plans to deal with incipient chronic tooth wear. The alternative is the expensive treatment of pain, occlusal damage and pulp death required to repair the effects of acute severe tooth wear.

Review of treatment of pterygium in Queensland: 10 years after a primary survey

Purpose: To assess the practices in pterygium removal as a follow-up study to a similar project 10 years ago, in order to compare the current trends with those noted a decade ago. Methods: A survey was sent to all practising ophthalmologists in Queensland (100). Results: Eighty-seven of the 100 ophthalmologists undertook pterygium surgery with no change in indications for removal, grading or anaesthesia compared to 10 years ago. Nearly half of the ophthalmologists varied their surgical technique from eight commonly used methods according to the individual patient. More than half the respondents used a swinging conjunctival flap and 29% used simple excision leaving the area bare for primary pterygia, although nearly one-quarter of the ophthalmologists added adjunctive therapies such as beta irradiation or mitomycin. For recurrent pterygia, one-third of ophthalmologists preferred adjunctive therapies, and 57% used an autoconjunctival transplant. Conclusion: There has been no consistent trend in surgical removal of pterygia with a significant number of primary pterygia still removed using bare scleral closure.