ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF STATE COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICES FOR WILDLIFE DAMAGE CONTROL

The Cooperative Extension Service was established by the Smith-Lever Act in 1914. It was designed to improve the lives of people, through education in: agriculture, natural resources, home economics and community development. Its audiences include both adult and youth. 4-H is the primary youth audience. The Cooperative Extension Service is an extension of the Land Grant university in each state. Its employees include university faculty (specialists) and professional agents in every county, in every state in the country. Extension\u27s primary mission is to conduct an educational program, using research-based information. Research results are condensed into a form that the average person can understand

ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF STATE COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICES FOR WILDLIFE DAMAGE CONTROL

The Cooperative Extension Service was established by the Smith-Lever Act in 1914. It was designed to improve the lives of people, through education in: agriculture, natural resources, home economics and community development. Its audiences include both adult and youth. 4-H is the primary youth audience. The Cooperative Extension Service is an extension of the Land Grant university in each state. Its employees include university faculty (specialists) and professional agents in every county, in every state in the country. Extension\u27s primary mission is to conduct an educational program, using research-based information. Research results are condensed into a form that the average person can understand

A Characterization of Woodpecker Damage to Houses in East Tennessee

Each year homeowners report damage and/or annoyance from woodpecker excavation and drumming activities on houses. Among the species that may be involved are the yellow-shafted flicker (Colaptes auratus), pileated woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus), red-bellied woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus), red-headed woodpecker (M. erythrocephalus), red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis), hairy woodpecker (P. uillosus), and downy woodpecker (P. pubescens) (Carlton 1975)

Cost and disease burden of Dengue in Cambodia

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Dengue is endemic in Cambodia (pop. estimates 14.4 million), a country with poor health and economic indicators. Disease burden estimates help decision makers in setting priorities. Using recent estimates of dengue incidence in Cambodia, we estimated the cost of dengue and its burden using disability adjusted life years (DALYs).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Recent population-based cohort data were used to calculate direct and productive costs, and DALYs. Health seeking behaviors were taken into account in cost estimates. Specific age group incidence estimates were used in DALYs calculation.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The mean cost per dengue case varied from US$36 -$75 over 2006-2008 respectively, resulting in an overall annual cost from US$3,327,284 in 2008 to US$14,429,513 during a large epidemic in 2007. Patients sustain the highest share of costs by paying an average of 78% of total costs and 63% of direct medical costs. DALY rates per 100,000 individuals ranged from 24.3 to 100.6 in 2007-2008 with 80% on average due to premature mortality.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our analysis confirmed the high societal and individual family burden of dengue. Total costs represented between 0.03 and 0.17% of Gross Domestic Product. Health seeking behavior has a major impact on costs. The more accurate estimate used in this study will better allow decision makers to account for dengue costs particularly among the poor when balancing the benefits of introducing a potentially effective dengue vaccine.</p

CLEAR – clozapine in early psychosis: study protocol for a multi-centre, randomised controlled trial of clozapine vs other antipsychotics for young people with treatment resistant schizophrenia in real world settings

Background: Clozapine is an antipsychotic drug with unique efficacy, and it is the only recommended treatment for treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS: failure to respond to at least two different antipsychotics). However, clozapine is also associated with a range of adverse effects which restrict its use, including blood dyscrasias, for which haematological monitoring is required. As treatment resistance is recognised earlier in the illness, the question of whether clozapine should be prescribed in children and young people is increasingly important. However, most research to date has been in older, chronic patients, and evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of clozapine in people under age 25 is lacking. The CLEAR (CLozapine in EARly psychosis) trial will assess whether clozapine is more effective than treatment as usual (TAU), at the level of clinical symptoms, patient rated outcomes, quality of life and cost-effectiveness in people below 25 years of age. Additionally, a nested biomarker study will investigate the mechanisms of action of clozapine compared to TAU. Methods and design: This is the protocol of a multi-centre, open label, blind-rated, randomised controlled effectiveness trial of clozapine vs TAU (any other oral antipsychotic monotherapy licenced in the British National Formulary) for 12 weeks in 260 children and young people with TRS (12–24 years old). Aim and objectives: The primary outcome is the change in blind-rated Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale scores at 12 weeks from baseline. Secondary outcomes include blind-rated Clinical Global Impression, patient-rated outcomes, quality of life, adverse effects, and treatment adherence. Patients will be followed up for 12 months and will be invited to give consent for longer term follow-up using clinical records and potential re-contact for further research. For mechanism of action, change in brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) biomarkers and peripheral inflammatory markers will be measured over 12 weeks. Discussion: The CLEAR trial will contribute knowledge on clozapine effectiveness, safety and cost-effectiveness compared to standard antipsychotics in young people with TRS, and the results may guide future clinical treatment recommendation for early psychosis. Trial registration: ISRCTN Number: 37176025, IRAS Number: 1004947. Trial status: In set-up. Protocol version 4.0 01/08/23. Current up to date protocol available here: https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/NIHR131175#/

The feasibility of a strategy for the remote recruitment, consenting and assessment of recent referrals: a protocol for phase 1 of the On-Line Parent Training for the Initial Management of ADHD referrals (OPTIMA)

Background: In the UK, children with high levels of hyperactivity, impulsivity and inattention referred to clinical services with possible attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often wait a long time for specialist diagnostic assessment. Parent training (PT) has the potential to support parents during this difficult period, especially regarding the management of challenging and disruptive behaviours that often accompany ADHD. However, traditional face-to-face PT is costly and difficult to organise in a timely way. We have created a low-cost, easily accessible PT programme delivered via a phone app, Structured E-Parenting Support (STEPS), to address this problem. The overall OPTIMA programme will evaluate the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of STEPS as a way of helping parents manage their children behaviour while on the waitlist. To ensure the timely and efficient evaluation of STEPS in OPTIMA, we have worked with children’s health services to implement a remote strategy for recruitment, screening and assessment of recently referred families. Part of this strategy is incorporated into routine clinical practice and part is OPTIMA specific. Here, we present the protocol for Phase 1 of OPTIMA—a study of the feasibility of this remote strategy, as a basis for a large-scale STEPS randomised controlled trial (RCT). Methods: This is a single arm observational feasibility study. Participants will be parents of up to 100 children aged 5-11 years with high levels of hyperactivity/impulsivity, inattention and challenging behaviour who are waiting for assessment in one of five UK child and adolescent mental health or behavioural services. Recruitment, consenting and data collection will occur remotely. The primary outcome will be the rate at which the families, who meet inclusion criteria, agree in principle to take part in a full STEPS RCT. Secondary outcomes include acceptability of remote consenting and online data collection procedures; the feasibility of collecting teacher data remotely within the required timeframe, and technical difficulties with completing online questionnaires. All parents in the study will receive access to STEPS. Discussion: Establishing the feasibility of our remote recruitment, consenting and assessment strategy is a pre-requisite for the full trial of OPTIMA. It can also provide a model for future trials conducted remotely

SALAMANDERS

Salamanders (Ambystoma tigrinumare) are smooth-skinned amphibians with no skin covering such as scales, hair, or feathers. There are several dozen kinds of salamanders found in the United States, but most occur only in parts of one or several states. Salamanders depend on water and moisture for their existence. All salamanders are predators. Salamanders generally are active when there is no sunshine—at night or on cloudy, rainy days. Salamanders do not cause damage to people or property

NONPOISONOUS SNAKES

Of the many kinds of snakes (Pituophis melanoleucus) found in the United States, only the following are harmful: rattlesnakes, copperheads, cottonmouths, coral snakes, and sea snakes. Some species of nonpoisonous snakes occur throughout several states, but the majority have only limited ranges. Snakes are not very mobile, and even though some are fairly adaptable, most have specific habitat requirements. All snakes are predators, and the different species eat many different kinds of food. Snakes are specialized animals, having elongated bodies and no legs. A nonpoisonous snake bite has no venom and can do no more harm than frighten the victim. In most states, snakes are considered nongame wildlife and are protected by state law unless they are about to cause personal or property damage

Online Parent Training for The Initial Management of ADHD referrals 2 (OPTIMA):The protocol for a randomised controlled trial of a digital 3 parenting intervention implemented to support parents and children on 4 a treatment waitlist

Background: Children referred for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often present with a broader pattern of conduct problems including oppositionality and defiance. This combination can be extremely stressful to parents, lower parents’ self-esteem and negatively impact family life. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends that families receive support as soon as possible after their referral. However, as clinical services are overstretched, and traditional in-person parenting intervention programmes are expensive, families often must wait times a long time prior to receiving this vital input. To address this, we have created a digital parenting programme called STEPS. It is delivered as a mobile phone app providing a set of tools and resources that can be easily accessed at parents’ convenience. This study aims to evaluate the clinical and cost-effectiveness of STEPS in supporting parents of children with high levels of hyperactivity/impulsivity, inattention and conduct problems, who are waiting to be assessed by specialist children’s clinical services. Methods: Online Parent Training for The Initial Management of ADHD referrals (OPTIMA) is a two-arm superiority parallel randomised controlled trial with an internal pilot study. We aim to recruit 352 parents and their children, who have been accepted onto a waitlist in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services or similar child health services. Parents who consent will be randomised 1:1 to either the STEPS or wait-as-usual (WAU) group. The trial will be conducted remotely (online and telephone) with measures taken at baseline and 3, 6, 9 and 12 months post-randomisation. The primary objective is to evaluate whether STEPS reduces the severity of children’s oppositional and defiant behaviour, as rated by parents, measured at 3 months post-randomisation compared to WAU. Discussion: Digital solutions, such as mobile phone apps, have potential for delivering psychological support for parents of children with clinical-level needs in a timely and inexpensive manner. This trial will provide data on the clinical and cost-effectiveness of the STEPS app, which could support the implementation of this scalable parenting intervention programme into standard clinical care and, ultimately, improve the outcomes for families of children referred to specialist child and adolescent health services. Trial registration: ISRCTN 16523503. Prospectively registered on 18 November 2021. https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN1652350