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We examined the spatial fidelity in the pattern in species richness, abundance and composition of ants, birds, mammals and reptiles in a Eucalyptus vegetation type in Australian tropical savanna woodland. We sampled 32 sites representing intact (uncleared) vegetation, and three treatments of different clearing age (2, 12 and 18 years). We investigated whether each fauna taxon could act a surrogate for pattern in the other, and whether they responded in parallel to time since clearing. Reptiles and mammals were combined into a single group. The correlation between taxa was low for abundance (the best being between rept/mamm and ant abundance R = 0.34) and moderate for species richness (varied from 0.36 to 0.44). Mantel tests identified a moderately strong relationship between bird and rept/mamm composition (R = 0.48). Recent clearing (2-12 years) depleted both abundance and species richness of the vertebrate fauna, whereas ant abundance spiked. Ant species richness was consistent over time since clearing. ANOSIM revealed that clearing age was a strong a priori predictor of birds and rept/mamm composition (Global R = 0.48, 0.65, respectively), whereas it was not for ants (Global R = 0.20). Pair-wise comparisons suggested that for birds, rept/mamm, there was consistent changes in composition from intact woodlands to different aged clearing. This was not the case for ants; most distinct variation in composition occurred between treatments of increasing in clearing age (2-18 years R = 0.69, 12-18 years R = 0.65). The results of this study do not support the use of ants as a surrogate of vertebrates at a local scale in a cleared and intact vegetation mosaic. We acknowledge that identification of universal surrogates and indicators are difficult to find, but funding and political expediency that demand rapid solutions to conservation planning necessitate continued investigation of the merits of using surrogate species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research provides the first evidence of dispersal of bryophytes and associated microorganisms through ingestion by a highly mobile vertebrate vector, the spectacled flying fox ( Pteropus conspicillatus). Bryophyte fragments were found in faeces collected at four P. conspicillatus’ camps in the Wet Tropics bioregion, northeastern Australia. These fragments were viable when grown in culture; live invertebrates and other organisms were also present. Our study has significantly increased understanding of the role of flying foxes as dispersal vectors in tropical forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients need medication and medical condition-related information to better self-manage their health. Health-care professionals (HCPs) should be able to actively provide information outside of one-on-one consultations; however, patient consent may be required., Objective: To investigate the Australian public's preferences, and factors that may influence their preferences, towards an opt-in versus an opt-out approach to health communication., Design: A cross-sectional study using a structured questionnaire administered via Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing., Setting and Participants: Participants across Australia who were adults, English-speaking and had a long-term medical condition., Main Outcome Measures: Preferences for opt-in vs opt-out approach to receiving follow-up tailored information., Results: A total of 8683 calls were made to achieve the required sample size of 589 completed surveys. Many (346/589; 58.7%) indicated that they were interested in receiving tailored, ongoing follow-up information from their HCP. Nearly half (n = 281; 47.7%) preferred an opt-in service and 293/589 (49.7%) an opt-out service for receiving follow-up information. Reasons for preferring an opt-in service were being in control of the information received (n = 254); able to make a decision that is best for them (n = 245); opt-in service would save time for HCPs (n = 217); they may not want or need the information (n = 240). Many (n = 255) felt that an opt-out service should be part of the normal duty of care of their HCP and believed (n = 267) that this approach would ensure that everyone has access to information., Conclusions: Respondents were interested in receiving tailored information outside of consultation times. However, preferences for an opt-in or opt-out approach were divided., (© 2021 The Authors. Health Expectations published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Current literature suggests that a large proportion of chest X-rays (CXRs) performed in emergency department (ED) patients with chest pain and suspected acute coronary syndrome (ACS) are unnecessary. The Canadian ACS Guidelines aim to guide clinicians in the appropriate use of CXR within this patient population. This study determined the prevalence of clinically significant CXR abnormalities and assessed the utility of the guidelines in a population of ED patients with chest pain and suspected ACS. Included in the study were participants over the age of 18 who presented to an Australian metropolitan ED, over a 1-year period, with a primary complaint of chest pain and who had a CXR and troponin level ordered in the ED (N = 760). We retrospectively compared their radiographic findings with their recommendations for CXR according to the ACS Guidelines. We found that 12 % of the participants had a clinically significant chest X-ray. The guidelines had a sensitivity of 80 % (95 % CI 0.70-0.87) and specificity of 50 % (95 % CI 0.47-0.54). The positive predictive value was 18 % (95 % CI 0.15-0.22) with a 95 % negative predictive value (95 % CI 0.92-0.97). Had the ACS guidelines been applied to our patient population, the number of CXR performed would have been reduced by 47 %. This study suggests that the ACS Guidelines has the potential to reduce the numbers of unnecessary CXR performed in ED patients. However, this would come at the expense of missing a minority of significant CXR abnormalities.

Background: There is an extensive literature concerning caesarean section at maternal request, where no obstetric indication exists, yet little information about what motivates women to request such a delivery., Aims: This paper aims to ask women who had undergone maternal-request primary elective caesarean delivery about the reasons for their choice, their level of satisfaction with the delivery and their future childbearing plans., Methods: Anonymous postal survey of women who have undergone maternal-request primary caesarean section in private maternity hospitals in the eastern states of Australia., Results: The response rate was 68%, and 78 completed surveys were included in the study. The most common reason given was, 'I was concerned about risks to the baby' (46%). On a scale from 1 (totally unsatisfied) to 10 (completely satisfied), the mean satisfaction rating reported was 9.25/10 (95% confidence interval: 8.89, 9.60). Only eight respondents (10%) stated an intention for more than two caesarean deliveries., Conclusions: Women who underwent maternal-request caesarean delivery most commonly did so from concerns for the baby. Respondents were highly satisfied with their delivery, and few wished for more than two children.

Objective: To determine whether trainee obstetricians intend to offer vaginal breech delivery once they become certified as specialists and to quantify their experience in vaginal breech delivery., Methods: This was an anonymous postal survey of all Australian trainee obstetricians. The survey inquired about experience with, confidence in, and intentions regarding planned vaginal breech delivery after trainees' certification as specialists., Results: Surveys were sent to all 303 Australian registered trainee obstetricians. The response rate was 65%. Experience in vaginal breech delivery increased with year of training, from a median of one delivery for first-year trainees to a median of 12 deliveries for final-year trainees. Although 53% of final-year trainees reported feeling confident with vaginal breech delivery, only 11% reported an intention to offer planned vaginal breech delivery at term as a specialist., Conclusion: Few of the next generation of specialist obstetricians plan to offer vaginal breech delivery to their patients.

Australia is now one of the safest countries in the world in which to be born. This is largely a result of the many advances in obstetric and neonatal medicine of the past 50 years. However, the "medicalisation" of birth has tended to diminish women's satisfaction with their experience of childbirth. It has been shown that women are most satisfied by care from a single practitioner, and when they themselves have input into decision-making. Although maternal satisfaction is important, it should not be promoted at the expense of the health of mothers and babies. More realistic antenatal education and preparation should be available for all pregnant women so that both maternal satisfaction and good perinatal outcomes can be achieved.