Instances of Conflict and Cooperation: An Exploration into the Role of Competition Between USDA-Wildlife Services and Wildlife Control Operators

In early 1994 the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal Damage Control agency implemented a directive providing guidance to help avoid competition between themselves and private businesses, known as Wildlife Control Operators (WCOs) engaging in similar work. Nearly two decades later some WCOs still complain about having to compete with the Animal Damage Control agency, now named Wildlife Services. Other businesses report enjoying a cooperative relationship with the agency. I analyzed four policies that regulate competition between Wildlife Services and WCOs and found that there is a good amount of guidance given to Wildlife Services in regards to their competitive relationship with WCOs. These guidelines do not carry the force of law, however, and are subject to change and deletion. I conducted interviews with representatives from the WCO community and Wildlife Services and found that the top four factors contributing to conflict are an overlap in similar services, agency advantages, money and pricing, and policy. The top four factors contributing to cooperation were cooperative work, communication, clarified roles, and training and education. Working to decrease the conflict factors and emphasize the cooperative factors will lead to a better relationship between Wildlife Services and WCOs

Video Review of Baseline Performance on Global Ratings in a Double‐Blind Placebo Surgery Trial

BACKGROUND A randomized double‐blind sham surgery‐controlled trial was conducted to determine the effectiveness of implantation of human embryonic dopamine neurons into the putamen of patients with advanced Parkinson\u27s disease (PD). The present analyses determined whether patients viewing a video of themselves performing motor activities off medications at baseline would affect self‐ratings 12 months later on the Global Rating Scale (GRS). OBJECTIVES To examine changes in GRS scores pre‐/post‐video review for the total sample; to examine differences in scores between actual implant and sham groups, as well as perceived groups pre‐ and post‐video review; to examine differences among four subgroups of patients based on actual and perceived treatment (i.e., actual implant/perceived implant). METHODS Forty participants were recruited and randomly assigned to receive either neural implantation or sham surgery. The primary outcome variable was a one‐item GRS ranging from ‐3 (much worse since surgery) to +3 (much improved since surgery). At 12 months (before the blind was lifted) patients rated themselves on the GRS before and after viewing the baseline video. RESULTS Total sample GRS scores improved after the video (P = .001). There were no differences between the actual implant and sham groups before or after the video, but there were differences between perceived groups at both times (P \u3c .001). Among subgroups, improvement after the video was found only in the group receiving the implant but who thought sham (P = .011). CONCLUSION When self‐ratings are an outcome variable, review of baseline videos is recommended before making comparative ratings

Basic Oraganic Chemistry

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Exaggerated insect bite reaction, possibly secondary to chigger bites

Exaggerated insect bite reaction. Other lesions were red plaques that measured 1.5 to 2.0 cm, and were very pruritic

Ingrown nail

90% phenol is one of the agents advocated for destroying the nail matrix that grows at the base of the cul-de-sac beneath the proximal nail fold

Excision procedure

Deep dermal suture is placed as far away from the wound edge as possible. It's initiated on the non-dominant (left) side, and final exit is on the dominant (right) side as shown here

Nummular dermatitis

Lesions of nummular dermatitis that are starting to coalesce