Taxonomy of the Speckled Dace Species Complex (Cypriniformes: Leuciscidae, Rhinichthys) in California, USA.

The Speckled Dace, Rhinichthys osculus (Girard), is a small species of fish (Cypriniformes, Leuciscidae) that has the widest geographic range of any freshwater dispersing fish in western North America. The dynamic geologic history of the region has produced many isolated watersheds with endemic fish species. However, Speckled Dace from these watersheds cannot be differentiated readily by morphometrics and meristics.

Using a clinical pathway and education to reduce inappropriate prescribing of enoxaparin in patients with acute coronary syndromes: a controlled study.

Aims: To evaluate efficacy of a pathway-based quality improvement intervention on appropriate prescribing of the low molecular weight heparin, enoxaparin, in patients with varying risk categories of acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

Methods: Rates of enoxaparin use retrospectively evaluated before and after pathway implementation at an intervention hospital were compared to concurrent control patients at a control hospital; both were community hospitals in south-east Queensland. The study population was a group of randomly selected patients (n = 439) admitted to study hospitals with a discharge diagnosis of chest pain, angina, or myocardial infarction, and stratified into high, intermediate, low-risk ACS or non-cardiac chest pain: 146 intervention patients (September-November 2003), 147 historical controls (August-December 2001) at the intervention hospital; 146 concurrent controls (September-November 2003) at the control hospital.

Multisite, quality-improvement collaboration to optimise cardiac care in Queensland public hospitals.

Objective: To evaluate changes in quality of in-hospital care of patients with either acute coronary syndromes (ACS) or congestive heart failure (CHF) admitted to hospitals participating in a multisite quality improvement collaboration.

Design: Before-and-after study of changes in quality indicators measured on representative patient samples between June 2001 and January 2003.

Setting: Nine public hospitals in Queensland.

Clinical practice guidelines: perspectives of clinicians in Queensland public hospitals.

Background: Clinical practice guidelines (CPG) have been shown to improve processes of care and clinical outcomes. The present study sought to determine how clinicians in Queensland public hospitals view and use such guidelines.

Methods: A self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted of a convenience sample of medical practitioners, nurses and allied-health professionals in 19 public hospitals.