Money laundering : of watchdogs, bloodhounds and guide dogs

June 2003 was a very important month from the perspective of money laundering control. The main administrative money laundering control duties took effect on 30 June 2003, thereby changing many of the business practices that were part of the South African business landscape. In the same month, South Africa gained membership of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) which is the main international standard-setting body in respect of money laundering control. At the meeting where South Africa’s membership was endorsed, the FATF also adopted a new and more stringent set of money laundering control standards that all countries will have to meet. As South Africa is implementing its money laundering control legislation, thought must therefore be given to amendments that may be required to comply with the new set of international standards. In this state of flux, accountants and auditors have a very important role to play. Not only do they have to comply with the legislation but they will also be required to provide guidance to those clients who are bewildered by the new requirements. Obviously auditors will also have to consider non-compliance with these laws when planning and carrying out an audit.

Adolescence and abuse : trauma and the socio-sexual abject in John Duigans lawn dogs

The article analyzes the presentation of youth in the film "Lawn Dogs," directed by John Duigan. In the film, the child as victim is defined by socio-economic contexts. The author explores the discursive moves by which means the film witnesses or occludes the traumatic experiences suffered by the child and adolescent characters, and how far it articulates a satiric revision of social hierarchies that construct generational identities of gender and class.

Bone formation following implantation of titanium sponge rods into humeral osteotomies in dogs : a histological and histometrical study

Background: Titanium (Ti) is widely proven to enhance bone contact and growth on its surface. It is expected that bone defects could benefit from Ti to promote healing and to increase strength of the implanted area.

Purpose: The present study aimed at comparing the potential of porous Ti sponge rods with synthetic hydroxyapatite (HA) for the healing of bone defects in a canine model.

Material and Methods: Six mongrel dogs were submitted to three trephined osteotomies of 6.0 × 4.0 mm in one humerus and after 2 months another three osteotomies were performed in the contralateral humerus. A total of 36 defects were randomly filled either with Ti foam, particulate HA, or coagulum (control). The six animals were killed 4 months after the first surgery for histological and histometrical analysis.

Results: The Ti-foam surface was frequently found in intimate contact with new bone especially at the defect walls. Control sites showed higher amounts of newly formed bone at 2 months – Ti (p = 0.000) and HA (p = 0.009) – and 4 months when compared with Ti (p = 0.001). Differently from HA, the Ti foam was densely distributed across the defect area which rendered less space for bone growth in the latter's sites. The use of Ti foams or HA resulted in similar amounts of bone formation in both time intervals. Nevertheless, the presence of a Ti-foam rod preserved defect's marginal bone height as compared with control groups. Also, the Ti-foam group showed a more mature bone pattern at 4 months than HA sites.

Conclusion: The Ti foam exhibited good biocompatibility, and its application resulted in improved maintenance of bone height compared with control sites. The Ti foam in a rod design exhibited bone ingrowth properties suitable for further exploration in other experimental situations.

The status of using drug detection dogs under Australian law

In recent years it has become increasingly common for drug detection dogs to be active in and around public transport, busy nightclub precincts, music festivals and dance parties. However, the legal status of police using drug detection dogs is anything but clear in many parts of Australia. The aim of this article is to outline the nature and scope of the powers available to police at common law and under statute that allow their use.

Birds and beaches, dogs and leashes : dog owners' sense of obligation to leash dogs on beaches in Victoria, Australia

Domesticated dogs threaten the conservation of beach-nesting birds in Australia through disturbance, and destruction of eggs and chicks. Leashing of dogs can improve conservation outcomes, but few dogs are leashed on beaches. We surveyed dog owners to explore their sense of obligation to leash dogs on beaches. Dog owners were more likely to feel obliged to leash their dog when they believed other people expected dogs to be leashed, and when they believed their dog was a threat to wildlife or people. Dog owners were less likely to feel obliged to leash their dog if they considered unleashed dog recreation to be important. Improved compliance may be achieved through community-based approaches to foster social norms for dog control, tailoring information products to emphasize the risk that all unleashed dogs may pose to beach-nesting birds and raising awareness of designated off-leash exercise dog recreation areas.

Mechanisms involved in the renal responses to intravenous and renal artery infusions of noradrenaline in conscious dogs

1. The renal haemodynamic and glomerular filtration rate (G.F.R.) responses to intravenous and intrarenal infusions of noradrenaline were studied in conscious dogs, either with or without prior blockade of angiotensin II formation with teprotide.

2. Infusion noradrenaline by either route resulted in dose-related rises in plasma renin activity.

3. Pretreatment with teprotide reduced the rise in mean arterial pressure and abolished the rise in G.F.R. seen during intravenous infusions of noradrenaline (0.1, 0.2 and 0.4 microgram/kg . min). Noradrenaline also reduced filtration fraction more after teprotide pretreatment.

4. Renal blood flow rose and renal vascular resistance fell in response to I.V. noradrenaline infusions. This renal vasodilatation was unaffected by pretreatment of the dogs with teprotide, indomethacin or DL-propranolol. However after pentolinium pretreatment, I.V. noradrenaline infusion caused a dose-related renal vasoconstriction.

5. Infusion of noradrenaline into the renal artery (0.02, 0.05 and 0.1 microgram/kg . min) resulted in rises in mean arterial pressure and G.F.R. which were abolished by teprotide pretreatment. Filtration fraction rose when noradrenaline was administered alone but fell when it was infused after teprotide treatment.

6. Thus angiotensin II formed as the result of increased renin release acted to maintain G.F.R. and filtration fraction during noradrenaline infusion. In addition, I.V. noradrenaline infusions in conscious dogs caused reflex vasodilatation of the renal vasculature.

Comparison of aspirin and indomethacin pre-treatments on the responses to reduced renal artery pressure in conscious dogs

To examine the role of prostaglandins in physiologically induced renin release, we reduced renal artery pressure within the autoregulatory range in chronically instrumented conscious dogs with aspirin, indomethacin or no pre-treatment. In untreated dogs, reduction of renal artery pressure to 60 mmHg for 90 min produced rises in plasma renin activity (+ 5.4 +/- 1.0 ng ml.-1 hr-1) and mean arterial pressure (+ 17 +/- 2 mmHg) without significant effect on renal blood flow (n = 13). Aspirin pre-treatment (2 X 25-40 mg kg-1 orally) had no effect on the renin, arterial pressure or renal blood flow responses to renal artery pressure reduction (n = 7). In contrast, indomethacin pre-treatment (2 X 2-3 mg kg-1 orally) significantly lessened the increase in plasma renin activity during reduced renal artery pressure (+ 2.0 +/- 0.3 ng ml.-1 hr-1, n = 11). The relative effectiveness of aspirin and indomethacin in inhibiting prostaglandin production in the kidney was then tested in separate experiments by measuring the renal blood flow responses to renal artery injections of arachidonate (5-200 micrograms kg-1). In the doses used above, aspirin markedly attenuated the blood flow response to arachidonate but indomethacin had almost no effect. Both aspirin and indomethacin abolished the hypotensive effect of intravenous arachidonate (0.5 mg kg-1). These results tentatively suggest that indomethacin may not effectively inhibit renal prostaglandin production in conscious dogs at the doses used in these experiments. Thus the reduced renin release in response to lowered renal artery pressure in indomethacin pre-treated dogs may have been due to another, non-prostaglandin action of indomethacin. The results from the aspirin pre-treated dogs suggest that prostaglandins are not involved in the release of renin in response to reduced renal artery pressure in conscious dogs.

Renal responses to angiotensin II in conscious dogs : effects of aspirin and indomethacin

1. Angiotensin II was infused into the renal artery of unanaesthetized dogs at 0.4 and 2.0 ng/kg per min for 40 min each.

2. Indomethacin (3 mg/kg, and 1 mg/kg per h infusion i.v.) accentuated the angiotensin II-induced falls in glomerular filtration rate, renal blood flow and urine flow rate. Indomethacin did not alter the effects of angiotensin II on Na+ or K+ excretions.

3. Aspirin (35 mg/kg p.o. 2.5 h and 0.5 h prior to experiment) did not significantly change the renal effects of angiotensin II.

4. Both aspirin and indomethacin accentuated renal vasoconstriction during briefer (5 min) angiotensin II infusion.

5. Thus indomethacin and aspirin had markedly different effects on the actions of angiotensin II in the kidney. This suggests that at least one of these drugs has actions which affect angiotensin II-mediated vasoconstriction other than via cyclooxygenase inhibition.

The use of drug detection dogs in Sydney, Australia

Introduction and Aims. At present there is little research into the use of drug detection dogs. The present study sought to explore the use of detection dogs in Sydney, Australia, utilising multiple data sources.

Design and Methods. Data were taken from interviews with 100 regular ecstasy users and 20 key experts as part of the 2006 New South Wales arm of the Ecstasy and Related Drugs Reporting System, and secondary data sources.

Results. The majority of regular ecstasy users reported taking some form of precaution if made aware that dogs would be at an event they were attending. A small proportion of the sample reported consuming their drugs when coming into contact with detection dogs. One group of key experts viewed the use of detection dogs as useful; one group disliked the use of detection dogs though cooperated with law enforcement when dogs were used; and one group considered that detection dogs contribute to greater harm. Secondary data sources further suggested that the use of detection dogs do not significantly assist police in identifying and apprehending drug suppliers.

Discussion and Conclusions. The present study suggests that regular ecstasy users do not see detection dogs as an obstacle to their drug use. Future research is necessary to explore in greater depth the experiences that drug users have with detection dogs; the effect detection dogs may have on deterring drug consumption; whether encounters with detection dogs contribute to drug-related harm; and the cost–benefit analysis of this law enforcement exercise.

Serological prevalence study of exposure of cats and dogs in Launceston, Tasmania, Australia to spotted fever group rickettsiae

A sero-epidemiological study of cats and dogs in the Launceston area of Tasmania, Australia was undertaken to determine the prevalence of antibodies to spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiae. Results showed that 59% of cats and 57% of dogs were positive for antibodies, but there was no correlation between the animal’s health and seropositivity at the time of testing, suggesting that rickettsial exposure is unrelated to ill-health in these two species of domestic animals.