Pathological findings in wild harvested dugongs Dugong dugon of central Torres Strait, Australia.

The dugong Dugong dugon is classified as Vulnerable to extinction but may be endangered in some regions. Cause of death in stranded dugongs has not been determined in a large proportion of animals examined, with investigations hindered by limited information on dugong health and diseases, and paucity of knowledge of common or endemic pathological findings. Here we describe pathological findings in harvested dugongs from the relatively pristine area of central Torres Strait, and we characterise lesions attributable to drowning. Other recorded lesions were mild and predominated by host reaction to the presence of trematodes within the gastrointestinal tracts, liver and pancreas. Ascarid worm burdens were low in comparison to dugongs from developed coastlines. Hepatocellular lipofuscin and ferritin pigmentation were commonly observed, more pronounced in livers of older animals and concurrent with periportal and bridging fibrosis. Lesions attributable to drowning included incomplete collapse of lungs, dorsal or diffuse pulmonary congestion, mild intra-alveolar haemorrhage and oedema, mild interstitial oedema and rupture of peripheral alveolar septae with acute myofibre fragmentation and degeneration. No accumulation of foam or aspiration of water or particulate matter was observed, suggesting that dugongs 'dry drown'. Morphometric features of normal spleen are also presented. Characterisation of common pathological findings and those attributable to drowning in this species will aid in the interpretation of post mortem findings for the significant number of dugongs found deceased along urbanised coastlines.

Small intestinal volvulus in a free-ranging female dugong (Dugong dugon).

An adult female dugong (Dugong dugon) was found dead and floating in Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia. This animal was found to have a 360° mesenteric volvulus with infarction of the associated segment of small intestine, and fibrinous peritonitis. Mortality was attributed to the volvulus and its sequelae. The cause was not apparent on gross or histological examination.

A PCR assay for gender assignment in dugong (Dugong dugon) and West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus).

Gender assignment for some aquatic mammals in the field is difficult. Molecular sexing from tissue biopsies is possible as males are heterogametic. Here we describe a multiplex PCR assay that amplifies the male specific SRY gene and differentiates ZFX and ZFY gametologues in two sirenian species, dugong (Dugong dugon) and West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus). The assay was validated with animals of known gender and proved accurate and robust to experimental failure.

Accounting for the power of the here-and-now: a theoretical revolution.

Psychotherapists have long recognized the therapeutic power of the here-and-now, but few have attempted to account for this power or provide a rationale for its efficacy. This leaves one of the most central concepts of group therapy without an adequate theoretical base. A major reason for this is the insufficiency of our Western assumptions of time and causality. These ascribe all human behaviors and cognitions to prior influences of one sort or another, making a true focus upon the present almost impossible. Even those who value the here-and-now are inevitably drawn into the past, because the Western philosophy underlying mainstream psychology makes this seem only logical. A theoretical revolution is therefore proposed that draws upon the lessons of history, the insights of other cultures, and developments in physics. This approach is then applied to group therapy, and specific advantages over conventional theorizing are noted.