EIGHTEENTH RINGING REPORT FOR SOUTHERN AFRICA

Vernon, C. J. 1976. Eighteenth ringing report for southern Africa. Ostrich 47:89-94. A report on ringing activities in southern Africa from July 1974 to June 1975 is presented. A total of 47 777 birds of 475 species were ringed. This information is examined according to distribution of ringers, species ringed and recovery rates.     

TWENTY-FIRST RINGING REPORT FOR SOUTHERN AFRICA

Morant, P. D. 1980. Twenty-first ringing report for southern Africa. Ostrich 51:204-214. A report on ringing activities for southern Africa from July 1977 to June 1978 is presented. A total of 16 830 birds of 346 species was ringed. This is a continuation of the trend established by emphasis being placed on project-orientated rather than indiscriminate ringing.     

NINETEENTH RINGING REPORT FOR SOUTHERN AFRICA

Vernon, C. J. 1977. Nineteenth ringing report for southern Africa. Ostrich 48:106-109. A report on ringing activities for southern Africa from July 1975 to June 1976 is presented. A total of 36 016 birds of 419 species was ringed. The trends follow the general decline in ringing activities sinze a peak in 1970/71.     

DEVELOPING SYNTHETIC METHODS FOR BIOACTIVE PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS USING H-PHOSPHONATE CHEMISTRY: A PROGRESS REPORT

In this paper a short account of our recent basic studies aiming toward development of new synthetic methods for the preparation of nucleotide analogues using H-phosphonate chemistry is presented.     

A RINGING STATION IN EGYPT

Trapping and ringing of non–resident birds in Egypt in 1949 and 1950 are recorded and details of re–trapping after migration and of one foreign recovery are given.     

CLINICAL TRIALS OF THE ABDOMINAL LEFT VENTRICULAR ASSIST DEVICE (ALVAD): PROGRESS REPORT

An abdominal left ventricular assist device (ALVAD) is undergoing controlled clinical trials in our institution. The ALVAD is pneumatically-actuated, synchronously or asynchronously with an external console and is interposed between the apex of the left ventricle and the infrarenal abdominal aorta. It is an order of magnitude more effective than conventional intraaortic balloon pumping. Thus far, we have implanted this pump in 21 patients (15 males and six females). The average age has been 50. The duration of cardiopulmonary bypass with intensive pharmacologic support and IABP until ALVAD implantation has been nearly 4 hours. The plasma hemoglobins prior to ALVAD implantation have averaged 168 mg%. The platelet counts at implantation have averaged 68,000 mm(3). The average duration of ALVAD support has been in excess of one day and the longest trial extended for one week. We have been able to remove the pump after ventricular recovery in two instances and effected cardiac allografting in one instance of ALVAD dependency. We have found that (1) the profoundly depressed left (and right) ventricles can recover if totally supported with this device; (2) the device can function in the presence of ventricular fibrillation and/or standstill; (3) the device can effectively replace both left and right ventricular function in the presence of normal pulmonary vascular resistance and microcirculatory hemodynamics; and (4) in the presence of impending multiple organ failure, procrastination in use is to be avoided.     

BIRD OBSERVATORIES

An assessment is made of the research being carried out of the British Bird Observatories with suggestions for future work. This is done under three main headings—visual observations, ringing, and critical examination of birds in the hand.