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Nurses who work in regional and rural hospitals face unique challenges to disaster preparedness and response. Geographical location and isolation, decreased resources and subsequent workforce, along with organizational and financial restraints are some of the hurdles these individuals and communities face [1,2]. The Disaster Preparedness Evaluation Tool was applied a population of Regional and Rural Emergency Nurses in New South Wales. Thirty-two nurses participated in this study. Their level of disaster preparedness was at a moderate level for knowledge, skills and preparation for disaster management. Their experiences broadly mirrored those found in earlier research. Results highlighted the nature of and delivery of continuing professional development in relation to disaster preparedness; mechanisms to encourage emergency department nurses to develop personal and family preparedness plans (to improved disaster preparedness); increased training in relation to psychological assessment of patients, and identification of biological agent signs and symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrated management (IM) has been widely proposed, but difficult to achieve in practice, and there remains the need for evaluation of examples that illustrate the practical issues that contribute to IM success or failure. This paper synthesises experiences of academics and practitioners involved in seven Australian case studies in which there have been attempts to integrate or take a broader, holistic perspective of management. The evaluative framework of Stephenson et al. (2019a) was used as a lens to explore, through workshops and a questionnaire survey, the nine key features and five anticipated stages of IM in the Gladstone Harbour Project, the Great Barrier Reef, the Northern Prawn fishery and regional development, the South-East Queensland Healthy Waterways Partnership, the Australian Oceans Policy, the New South Wales Marine Estate reforms, and progress toward Integrated Management in the Spencer Gulf. Workshops involving experts with direct experience of the case studies revealed that most of the key features (recognition of the need; a shared vision for IM; appropriate legal and policy frameworks; effective process for appropriate stakeholder participation; comprehensive suite of objectives (ecological, social, cultural, economic and institutional); consideration of trade-offs and cumulative effects of multiple activities; flexibility to adapt to changing conditions; process for ongoing review, evaluation and refinement; and effective resourcing) were seen as important in all case studies. However, there are only a few examples where key features of IM were implemented 'fully'. A subsequent questionnaire of participants using 'best-worst' scaling indicated that an appropriate legal and institutional framework is considered to have most influence on IM outcomes, and therefore is the most important of the key features. This is followed in salience by effective stakeholder participation, effective resourcing, capacity and tools, and recognition of the need for IM. Key features may change in relative importance at different stages in the trajectory of IM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the processes underlying the origin of species is a fundamental goal of biology. It is widely accepted that speciation requires an interruption of gene flow between populations: ongoing gene exchange is considered a major hindrance to population divergence and, ultimately, to the evolution of new species. Where a geographic barrier to reproductive isolation is lacking, a biological mechanism for speciation is required to counterbalance the homogenizing effect of gene flow. Speciation with initially strong gene flow is thought to be extremely rare, and few convincing empirical examples have been published. However, using phylogenetic, karyological, and ecological data for the flora of a minute oceanic island (Lord Howe Island, LHI), we demonstrate that speciation with gene flow may, in fact, be frequent in some instances and could account for one in five of the endemic plant species of LHI. We present 11 potential instances of species divergence with gene flow, including an in situ radiation of five species of Coprosma (Rubiaceae, the coffee family). These results, together with the speciation of Howea palms on LHI, challenge current views on the origin of species diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water-use efficiency in grapevines is dependent on the aerial and below-ground environment of the plant. Specifically, transpiration efficiency, the ratio of net carbon fixation to water loss, may be influenced by soil moisture and the leaf-to-air vapour pressure deficit (VPD) in the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum. The interactive effect of these abiotic parameters, however, has not been suitably investigated in field-grown grapevines. Accordingly, gas exchange of an anisohydric variety, Semillon, was assessed across a number of vineyards in two warm grape-growing regions of New South Wales (NSW) to ascertain how soil moisture and VPD interact to affect transpiration efficiency at the leaf level. Leaf gas exchange measurements demonstrated that the rate of transpiration ( E) was driven by VPD, particularly under high soil moisture. Both high VPD and low soil moisture decreased photosynthesis ( A) and instantaneous leaf transpiration efficiency ( A/ E). Increased intrinsic leaf transpiration efficiency ( A/ g) in response to drying soil was limited to vines growing in a non-irrigated vineyard. In this site, A/ g was negatively related to vine water status. VPD did not have a substantial influence on A/ g in any vineyard. While VPD is the main driver for A/ E, soil moisture is an important determinant of A/ g. Under high VPD, stomatal closure in Semillon leaves was not substantial enough to suitably curtail transpiration, and as a consequence A/ E declined. These data indicate that in warm climates, irrigation scheduling of anisohydric varieties must take into account both VPD and soil moisture so that vine water status can be maintained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The two species of the palm genus Howea (Arecaceae) from Lord Howe Island, a minute volcanic island in the Tasman Sea, are now regarded as one of the most compelling examples of sympatric speciation, although this view is still disputed by some authors. Population genetic and ecological data are necessary to provide a more coherent and comprehensive understanding of this emerging model system. Here, we analyse data on abundance, juvenile recruitment, pollination mode and genetic variation and structure in both species. We find that Howea forsteriana is less abundant than Howea belmoreana. The genetic data based on amplified fragment length polymorphisms markers indicate similar levels of variation in the two species, despite the estimated census population size of H. belmoreana being three times larger than that of H. forsteriana. Genetic structure within species is low although some weak isolation by distance is detectable. Gene flow between species appears to be extremely limited and restricted to early-generation hybrids – only three admixed individuals, classified as F2s or first generation backcrosses to a parental species, were found among sampled palms. We conclude that speciation in Howea was indeed sympatric, although under certain strict definitions it may be called parapatric. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The origin of species diversity has challenged biologists for over two centuries. Allopatric speciation, the divergence of species resulting from geographical isolation, is well documented. However, sympatric speciation, divergence without geographical isolation, is highly controversial. Claims of sympatric speciation must demonstrate species sympatry, sister relationships, reproductive isolation, and that an earlier allopatric phase is highly unlikely. Here we provide clear support for sympatric speciation in a case study of two species of palm (Arecaceae) on an oceanic island. A large dated phylogenetic tree shows that the two species of Howea, endemic to the remote Lord Howe Island, are sister taxa and diverged from each other well after the island was formed 6.9 million years ago. During fieldwork, we found a substantial disjunction in flowering time that is correlated with soil preference. In addition, a genome scan indicates that few genetic loci are more divergent between the two species than expected under neutrality, a finding consistent with models of sympatric speciation involving disruptive/divergent selection. This case study of sympatric speciation in plants provides an opportunity for refining theoretical models on the origin of species, and new impetus for exploring putative plant and animal examples on oceanic islands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents information on Lepidorrhachis, a specie of palm found in Lord Howe Island, New South Wales. Habitat of the palm; Difference of Lepidorrhachis from the Hedyscepe palm; Description and varieties of Lepidorrhachis.

The article presents information on a study that examined the treatment of severe acute asthma. In this study, 55 children with severe acute asthma from a children's hospital in Sydney, Australia were chosen. They received one dose of nebulized albuterol 2.5 or 5 milligrams and were then assessed for asthma severity. Other drugs were randomly given to the children every 20 minutes: IV albuterol, IV saline and inhaled ipratropium bromide. Results showed that children treated with IV albuterol had significant improvement as compared to those who were treated with inhales ipratropium. The study has concluded that IV albuterol in combination with nebulized albuterol and IV methylprednisolone resulted in rapid improvement of symptom in children with acute asthma.

Abstract: The flesh-footed shearwater (Puffinus carneipes) is a migratory seabird that ranges widely across the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The principal breeding populations are in Australia and New Zealand. The only breeding site in eastern Australia is on Lord Howe Island. Despite it being afforded a high level of legislative protection, the population on Lord Howe Island has declined substantially during the last few decades. The total extent of nesting habitat in 2002 was 24.3ha, a reduction of 13.4ha (35.6%) since 1978. Loss of nesting habitat was associated with increased urbanisation, the adverse impact of which extended beyond the footprint of buildings and gardens. In 2002, overall burrow density was 0.123 per m2 and the total number of burrows was estimated to be 29,853±5867, a decline of about 19.0% since 1978. A substantial decline in burrow density was evident in the colony where loss of habitat to urbanisation had been greatest. In 2002, 58% of burrows were occupied by breeding birds, and the total population size was estimated to be 17,462 breeding pairs. Breeding success (the proportion of eggs that produced fledglings) was 50%, but was lowest in the most urbanised colony. To avert further declines in the population of flesh-footed shearwaters on Lord Howe Island major changes in land use practices, enforced through appropriate legislation, are needed, together with reductions in the level of seabird bycatch in fisheries operations and in the amount of plastics that litter the world’s oceans. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]