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Nectar analysis has been used to understand pollination systems, but nectar storage methods have rarely been considered as potential sources of inaccuracy in the recovery of data. Prompt nectar sugar analysis is not always possible and storage methods can affect results. We aimed to develop an effective method to store nectar on filter paper. Nectars from two subspecies of Eremophila maculata (Scrophulariaceae) and Strelitzia reginae (Strelitziaceae) were spotted on filter papers. Nectars were redissolved and assayed by high-performance liquid chromatography to determine the masses of sugars recovered from the papers from Day 0 to Day 30. We evaluated the effects of the method of elution, paper type and size, and storage treatments on sugar recovery. Liquid nectars were also stored in the refrigerator. Sugars were best eluted from filter papers in 15 mL of water and agitated for 1 min. Nectar sugars stored on small papers tended to be recovered more successfully than those stored on larger papers (significantly for glucose). Paper performed better than nylon for glucose. Desiccant had a marginal positive effect on nectar sugar recovery, and filter paper performed better than did refrigeration of liquid nectar for storage. If highly accurate measurements are needed, nectars should be eluted with large volumes of water from small filter papers stored with desiccant within a few days of collection. Floral nectar is a primary driver of pollination. Storage of nectar between collection and analysis can greatly affect sugar characteristics. We aimed to develop an effective method to store nectar on filter paper. Nectar is best eluted with large volumes of water from small filter papers stored with desiccant. Nectar storage methods have rarely been considered as sources of inaccuracy; however, we have demonstrated that prompt analysis is necessary for the most reliable results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The medical record is critical for documentation and communication between healthcare professionals. This study compared the completeness of orthopaedic documentation between the electronic medical record (EMR) and paper medical record (PMR). Methods: A review was undertaken of 400 medical records (200 EMR, 200 PMR) of patients with operatively managed traumatic lower limb injury. The operative report, discharge summary and first and second out-patient reviews were evaluated using criteria designed by a senior orthopaedic surgeon and senior physiotherapist. The criteria included information deemed critical to the post-operative care of the patient in the first 6 weeks post-surgery. Results: In all cases, an operative report was completed by a senior surgeon. Notable findings included inferior documentation of patient weight-bearing status on the operative report in the EMR than PMR group (P = 0.018). There was a significant improvement in the completion of discharge summaries in the EMR compared with PMR cohort (100% vs 82.5% respectively; P < 0.001). In the PMR group, 70.0% of discharge summaries were completed and adequately documented, compared with 91.5% of those in the EMR group (P < 0.001). At out-patient review, there was an improvement in documentation of weight-bearing instructions in the EMR compared with PMR group (81.1% vs 76.2% respectively; P = 0.032). Conclusion: The EMR is associated with an improvement in the standard of orthopaedic medical record documentation, but deficiencies remain in key components of the medical record. What is known about the topic?: Medical records are an essential tool in modern medical practice and have significant implications for patient care and management, communication and medicolegal issues. Despite the importance of comprehensive documentation, numerous examples of poor documentation continue to be demonstrated. Recently, significant changes to the medical record in Australia have been implemented with the conversion of some hospitals to an EMR and the implementation of the My Health Record. What does this paper add?: Standards of patient care should be monitored continuously and deficiencies identified in order to implement measures for improvement and to close the quality loop. This study has highlighted that although there has been improvement in medical record keeping with the implementation of an EMR, the standard of orthopaedic medical record keeping continues to be below what is expected, and several key areas of documentation require improvement. What are the implications for practitioners?: The implications of these findings for practitioners are to highlight current deficiencies in documentation and promote change in current practice to improve the quality of medical record documentation among medical staff. Although the EMR has improved documentation, there remain areas for further improvement, and hospital administrators will find these observations useful in implementing ongoing change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context and aims: Freshly harvested seeds of temperate annual pasture legume species have physiological dormancy (PD), which delays the growth of the next generation and is thus an impediment to speed breeding. The aim of this study was to develop a method or methods of PD breaking that can achieve high germination (≥90%) within 5 days of picking freshly harvested seed. Methods: In a series of experiments, PD breaking methods by themselves and in combination were tested on burr medic (Medicago polymorpha). The most promising methods were then tested on other annual medic species (Medicago spp.), subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum), and alternative species from six genera. Key results: The successful PD breaking method involved drying pods overnight at 45°C, extracting and scarifying seed, placing seed on filter paper in a Petri dish along with non-dormant seed, imbibing seed with 4 μM benzylaminopurine, sealing the Petri dish, and incubating in the dark at 15°C. Highly dormant genotypes required the additional treatment of removing the testa. Conclusions: We have developed an effective way of breaking seed PD in the 11 pasture legumes species from the seven genera tested. The rapid breaking of seed PD will assist speed breeding of annual pasture legumes, making it less laborious and time-bound than currently used methods. Implications: The PD breaking methods are expected to assist basic science studies of annual pasture legume species and may be applicable to other species and genera. Freshly harvested seeds of temperate annual pasture legume species have physiological dormancy (PD), which delays the growth of the next generation and is thus an impediment to speed breeding. We report on the development of PD breaking methods that rapidly overcome PD of freshly harvested seed. The rapid breaking of PD assists the speed breeding of annual pasture legumes by making it less laborious and time-bound than previous methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Members of populations that are measured online should be compared with paper-based samples in order to determine whether data from these different sources can be merged or must be analysed separately due to substantial differences. Methods: A sample of lesbian women recruited via the Internet were compared with a paper-based sample. Both groups used a questionnaire consisting of demographic variables, questions regarding dealing with homosexuality, psychological burden, access to care, and discrimination experience within the German healthcare system. Results: Only small differences emerged in dealing with homosexuality between both groups. Moderately more women in the Internet-based sample suffered from nervous tension and the impression of being out of balance. Moderately more women in the paper-based sample stated that their main contact person regarding health matters was informed about their sexual orientation. Most differences had small effect sizes. No substantial differences occurred between the two groups in the area of discrimination experience. No large differences in socioeconomic data, psychological burden, healthcare utilisation, or dealing with or experiences with homosexuality were found. Conclusions: Health survey data derived from Internet- and paper-based samples of lesbian women in Germany are not too dissimilar. Further research in additional contexts is needed to decide whether they can be merged for further analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rupert Jethro Best (1903–91), working alone at the Waite Agricultural Research Institute in Adelaide between 1934 and 1937, was among the first to purify tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) and to propose that it was a complex macromolecule containing protein and another reactive group that was responsible for infectivity of the virus. However, his research was completely overshadowed by that of Wendell Stanley and the duo of Frederick Bawden and Norman (aka Bill) Pirie, working in the United States of America and Great Britain, respectively, to the point where Best is not even mentioned in modern histories of TMV. Many factors have contributed to this lack of recognition for Best. Professor James Prescott, a soil scientist and Best's supervisor at the Waite Institute, failed to appreciate the significance of his research, leading to critical delays in publication that prevented him from claiming precedence for purifying TMV. When Best's research was eventually published, it was in Australian journals that were not broadly distributed, resulting in minimal international exposure for his research. The plant virology community within which he worked in Australia was very small and entirely focused on plant disease control, and not concerned with fundamental questions about the composition of viruses. Communication with similarly interested scientists in the Northern Hemisphere was hindered by the great distances involved. In this paper, pioneering research done by Best on TMV is reviewed, and placed in context with that undertaken by Stanley and by Bawden and Pirie, who are best remembered for purifying TMV and characterising its physicochemical properties. Rupert Jethro Best, working alone in Adelaide at the Waite Agricultural Research Institute, was among the first to purify tobacco mosaic virus and to provide evidence that it was a heterogeneous macromolecule, composed mainly of protein but also small prosthetic groups with the properties of a weak acid, wherein lay the activity of the virus. This paper describes the contributions of Rupert Best to early theories on the material nature and mode of reproduction of viruses. Photographer unknown, State Library of South Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

'The Greenhouse Effect and Nature Reserves' by Robert Peters and Joan Darling, published in the journal Bioscience more than 30 years ago, was a ground-breaking synthesis. Drawing on paleoecology, community ecology and biogeography, the review laid out many concepts about species vulnerability to climate change that have become central tenets of research on climate change adaptation in natural ecosystems. Remarkably, the paper also provided a clear and logical framework for flexible, forward-thinking and interventionist management action, including recommendations about the design of protected areas, and the need for species translocation to reduce extinction risk. Reflecting on the legacy of this paper, it is clear that the uptake of such approaches over the intervening decades has been extremely slow, representing many lost opportunities to reduce species vulnerability to rapid environmental change. This paper is a tribute to the prescience of Peters and Darling, and a call to revisit their farsighted advice to meet conservation challenges that continue to accelerate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What is known about this topic? We discuss a recently published paper that alleges clinicians are causal agents of non-compliant billing of Medicare. What does this paper add? The paper's arguments are partially supported by unreferenced assertions, potential logical fallacies, inaccurate reporting of referenced material and unsubstantiated rhetoric. What are the implications for practitioners? Due to the lack of substantive evidence, it cannot be concluded that clinicians are the causal agents of non-compliant billing of Medicare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines a paper hand-held record and a shared electronic health record in an Australian tertiary hospital healthcare maternity setting and the role that both types of records play in facilitating integrated care among healthcare providers. A qualitative research design was used where five focus groups were conducted in two phases with 69 hospital healthcare providers. In total, 32 interviews were also carried out with general practitioners. Transcripts were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Three key themes were identified: (1) selective use of records; (2) records as communication of care; and (3) negativity about the use of records. This study demonstrates that healthcare providers do not effectively share information using either a paper hand-held record or a shared electronic health record. Considering a national commitment to e-health innovation, a multi-professional input, organisational support and continuing education are identified as crucial to realising the potential of a maternity shared electronic health record to facilitate integrated care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper-based potentiometric pH sensors allow multiple measurements to be recorded in a cost-effective manner but usually in combination with an external display unit. In this work, a potentiometric pH sensor is integrated with an electrochromic readout system all on paper. The potentiometric pH sensor is based on electropolymerised aniline on a conductive gold nanoparticle film working electrode. The voltage output of the sensor is amplified using an operational amplifier and generated across an electrochromic readout system. The readout system comprises four segments of electrochromic Prussian blue/polyaniline on conductive gold nanoparticle films connected by graphite resistive separators. The colour of each segment is dependent on the voltage output from the potentiometric sensor and can be used to determine the pH range of a sample or whether the sample pH falls outside a critical value. This type of integrated paper device can be used for multiple measurements and also be applied to the development of other types of potentiometric sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New techniques and approaches have been developed for root phenotyping recently; however, rapid and repeatable non-invasive root phenotyping remains challenging. Here, we present GrowScreen-PaGe, a non-invasive, highthroughput phenotyping system (4 plants min-1) based on flat germination paper. GrowScreen-PaGe allows the acquisition of time series of the developing root systems of 500 plants, thereby enabling to quantify short-term variations in root system. The choice of germination paper was found to be crucial and paper root interaction should be considered when comparing data from different studies on germination paper. The system is suitable for phenotyping dicot and monocot plant species. The potential of the system for high-throughput phenotyping was shown by investigating phenotypic diversity of root traits in a collection of 180 rapeseed accessions and of 52 barley genotypes grown under control and nutrient-starved conditions. Most traits showed a large variation linked to both genotype and treatment. In general, root length traits contributed more than shape and branching related traits in separating the genotypes. Overall, results showed that GrowScreen-PaGe will be a powerful resource to investigate root systems and root plasticity of large sets of plants and to explore the molecular and genetic root traits of various species including for crop improvement programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper hand-held record (PHR) has been used extensively in general practice (GP) shared care management of pregnant women, and recently, the first Mater Shared Electronic Health Record (MSEHR) was introduced. The aim of this qualitative study was to examine women's experiences using the records and the contribution of the records to integrate care. At the 36-week antenatal visit in a maternity tertiary centre clinic, women were identified as a user of either the PHR or the MSEHR and organised into Phase 1 and Phase 2 studies respectively. Fifteen women were interviewed in Phase 1 and 12 women in Phase 2. Semi-structured interviews were used for data collection, and analysed using qualitative content analysis. Four main themes were identified: (1) purpose of the record, (2) perceptions of the record; (3) content of the record, and (4) sharing the record. Findings indicate that the PHR is a well-liked maternity tool. The findings also indicate there is under-usage of the MSEHR due to health-care providers failing to follow up and discuss the option of using the electronic health record option or if a woman has completed the log-in process. This paper adds to an already favourable body of knowledge about the use of the PHR. It is recommended that continued implementation of the MSEHR be undertaken to facilitate its use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Present patterns of diversity in the Australian flora have been shaped by increasing seasonality since the Eocene, and by pronounced aridification in the past 3 million years. Arid-zone plants are commonly hypothesised to be the products of radiations of ancestrally temperate or coastal lineages, as in the case of the everlasting paper daisy tribe Gnaphalieae (Asteraceae). However, these inferences are often based on higher-level phylogenies, whereas evolutionary processes in the Australian Gnaphalieae have rarely been studied at the species level. Here, we reconstructed the phylogeny and biogeographic history of the small, but ecologically diverse, paper daisy genus Leucochrysum, to examine recent habitat shifts and character changes, at the same time exploring the feasibility of using amplicon sequencing of low-copy nuclear gene regions to resolve phylogenetic relationships in Australian Gnaphalieae. On the balance of evidence, outgroup comparison and ancestral-area reconstruction support an ancestral range in the arid zone with subsequent diversification towards the south-east, demonstrating a complex evolutionary history with a re-colonisation of temperate areas. Low amplification success rates suggest that methods other than amplicon sequencing of currently available primers will be more promising for molecular phylogenetic work at a larger scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The aims of the study were to investigate discrepancies between general practitioners' paper medication orders and pharmacy-prepared electronic medication administration charts, back-up paper charts and dose-administration aids, as well as delays between prescribing, charting and administration, at a 90-bed residential aged care facility that used a hybrid paper-electronic medication management system. Methods: A cross-sectional audit of medication orders, medication charts and dose-administration aids was performed to identify discrepancies. In addition, a retrospective audit was performed of delays between prescribing and availability of an updated electronic medication administration chart. Medication administration records were reviewed retrospectively to determine whether discrepancies and delays led to medication administration errors. Results: Medication records for 88 residents (mean age 86 years) were audited. Residents were prescribed a median of eight regular medicines (interquartile range 5-12). One hundred and twenty-five discrepancies were identified. Fortyseven discrepancies, affecting 21 (24%) residents, led to a medication administration error. The most common discrepancies were medicine omission (44.0%) and extra medicine (19.2%). Delays from when medicines were prescribed to when they appeared on the electronic medication administration chart ranged from 18 min to 98 h. On nine occasions (for 10% of residents) the delay contributed to missed doses, usually antibiotics. Conclusion: Medication discrepancies and delays were common. Improved systems for managing medication orders and charts are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. Feeding behaviour is an important tool for the early detection of diseases in dairy cows. Aims. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the variation in time spent feeding in the prepartum and postpartum periods may be used to detect the occurrence of metritis and subclinical ketosis (SCK) before the onset of the clinical symptoms at the postpartum. Methods. The research was conducted in four electronic databases, including Scopus, Science Direct, Pubmed, and Web of Science. The inclusion criteria for citations were original research, evaluation of daily time spent feeding in dairy cows, and use of this indicator for early identification of metritis and/or SCK in dairy cows in the prepartum and postpartum periods. A random-effect meta-analysis (MA) was conducted for metritis with the time spent feeding means of control (healthy) and treated (sick) groups measured in the prepartum and postpartum periods. The analysis was conducted with the values of daily time spent feeding before and after calving in both groups. Key results. In total, 26 trials from six papers, involving 1037 dairy cows, were included in the statistical analysis. No data were obtained for SCK to conduct a MA, while for metritis, 16 trials from six papers (prepartum) and 10 trials from three papers (postpartum) were considered. The heterogeneity between studies on metritis was moderate (I² = 57.5%) in the prepartum period and low (I² = 10.0%) in the postpartum period. The mean difference feeding time for healthy and unhealthy animals was greater during postpartum (21.14 min/day, P < 0.001) than during prepartum (16.36 min/day, P < 0.001). Meta-regression analysis showed that number of daily milkings, sample size, and the place of running trial significantly influenced the time spent feeding by cows. Conclusion. On the basis of available and suitable scientific literature, time spent feeding is reduced at the prepartum and postpartum periods in dairy cows further affected by metritis. Implications. This study evidenced that feeding time might be incorporated into health-monitoring protocols for early detection of metritis in dairy cows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]