Improved reference genome of the arboviral vector Aedes albopictus

Background: The Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus is globally expanding and has become the main vector for human arboviruses in Europe. With limited antiviral drugs and vaccines available, vector control is the primary approach to prevent mosquito-borne diseases. A reliable and accurate DNA sequence of the Ae. albopictus genome is essential to develop new approaches that involve genetic manipulation of mosquitoes. Results: We use long-read sequencing methods and modern scaffolding techniques (PacBio, 10X, and Hi-C) to produce AalbF2, a dramatically improved assembly of the Ae. albopictus genome. AalbF2 reveals widespread viral insertions, novel microRNAs and piRNA clusters, the sex-determining locus, and new immunity genes, and enables genome-wide studies of geographically diverse Ae. albopictus populations and analyses of the developmental and stage-dependent network of expression data. Additionally, we build the first physical map for this species with 75% of the assembled genome anchored to the chromosomes. Conclusion: The AalbF2 genome assembly represents the most up-to-date collective knowledge of the Ae. albopictus genome. These resources represent a foundation to improve understanding of the adaptation potential and the epidemiological relevance of this species and foster the development of innovative control measures

Voyaging in the Pacific

Teaching Oceania is a publication series created with the collaboration of scholars from around the Pacific region to address the need for appropriate literature for undergraduate Pacific Islands Studies students throughout Oceania. The series is designed to take advantage of digital technology to enhance texts with embedded multimedia content, thought-provoking images, and interactive graphs.Teaching Oceania is a publication series created with the collaboration of scholars from around the Pacific region to address the need for appropriate literature for undergraduate Pacific Islands Studies students throughout Oceania. The series is designed to take advantage of digital technology to enhance texts with embedded multimedia content, thought-provoking images, and interactive graphs

Dickinson Comprehensive Plan 2015 to 2030

The City of Dickinson is located in Galveston County and is part of the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). The City has historically been a residential community, serving the surrounding major metropolitan areas. Moving forward, the City of Dickinson plans to distinguish itself as a self-sufficient city with local opportunities for life, work, education, and play

Brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stål), genome: putative underpinnings of polyphagy, insecticide resistance potential and biology of a top worldwide pest

Background Halyomorpha halys (Stål), the brown marmorated stink bug, is a highly invasive insect species due in part to its exceptionally high levels of polyphagy. This species is also a nuisance due to overwintering in human-made structures. It has caused significant agricultural losses in recent years along the Atlantic seaboard of North America and in continental Europe. Genomic resources will assist with determining the molecular basis for this species’ feeding and habitat traits, defining potential targets for pest management strategies. Results Analysis of the 1.15-Gb draft genome assembly has identified a wide variety of genetic elements underpinning the biological characteristics of this formidable pest species, encompassing the roles of sensory functions, digestion, immunity, detoxification and development, all of which likely support H. halys’ capacity for invasiveness. Many of the genes identified herein have potential for biomolecular pesticide applications. Conclusions Availability of the H. halys genome sequence will be useful for the development of environmentally friendly biomolecular pesticides to be applied in concert with more traditional, synthetic chemical-based controls

An occupational therapy intervention for residents with stroke-related disabilities in UK care homes (OTCH):Cluster randomised controlled trial with economic evaluation

Background: Care home residents with stroke-related disabilities have significant activity limitations. Phase II trial results suggested a potential benefit of occupational therapy (OT) in maintaining residents’ capacity to engage in functional activity. Objective: Evaluate clinical and cost effectiveness of a targeted course of OT in maintaining functional activity and reducing further health risks from inactivity for UK care home residents living with stroke-related disabilities. Design: Pragmatic, parallel-group, cluster randomised controlled trial with economic evaluation. Cluster randomisation occurred at the care home level. Homes were stratified according to trial administrative centre, and type of care provided (nursing or residential) and randomised 1:1 to either the intervention or control arm. Setting: 228 care homes local to 11 trial administrative centres across England and Wales. Participants: 1042 care home residents with a history of stroke or transient ischaemic attack, including residents with communication and cognitive impairments, not receiving end of life care. 114 care homes (n=568 residents) were allocated to the intervention arm; 114 homes (n=474 residents) to the control arm. Randomisation of participating homes occurred between May 2010 and March 2012. Intervention: Personalised three-month course of OT delivered by qualified therapists. Care workers participated in training workshops to support personal activities of daily living. The control condition consisted of usual care for residents. Main outcome measures: Primary outcome at the participant level: Barthel Index of Activities of Daily Living at three months. Secondary outcomes at the participant level: Barthel Index scores at six and twelve months post-randomisation, and the Rivermead Mobility Index, Geriatric Depression Scale-15, and EuroQol EQ-5D-3L questionnaire at all time-points. An economic evaluation examined the incremental cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gain, costs were estimated from the perspective of the NHS and personal social services. Results: Participants mean age= 82.9 years, 665/1042 (64%) were female. 2538 OT sessions were delivered to 498 participants in the intervention group (mean visits/participant =5.1, SD=3.0). No adverse events attributable to the intervention were recorded. The primary outcome showed no significant differences between groups. The adjusted mean difference in the Barthel Index score between groups was 0.19 points higher in the intervention arm (95% CI -0.33 to 0.70, p=0.48, adjusted ICC 0.09). Secondary outcome measures showed no significant differences at all time-points. Mean incremental cost of the OTCH intervention was £438.78 (CI £-360.89 to £1238.46), and the incremental QALY gain was 0.009 (CI -0.030 to 0.048). Conclusion: A three-month individualised course of OT, showed no benefit in maintaining functional activity in an older care home population with stroke-related disabilities. Limitations: A high proportion of participants with very severe activity-based limitations and cognitive impairment have limited capacity to engage in therapy. Future work: There is an urgent need to reduce health-related complications caused by inactivity, and create more of an enabling built environment within care homes. Trial registration: Current controlled trials ISRCTN00757750

City of Hitchcock Comprehensive Plan 2020-2040

Hitchcock is a small town located in Galveston County (Figure 1.1), nestled up on the Texas Gulf Coast. It lies about 40 miles south-east of Houston. The boundaries of the city encloses an area of land of 60.46 sq. miles, an area of water of 31.64 sq. miles at an elevation just 16 feet above sea level. Hitchcock has more undeveloped land (~90% of total area) than the county combined. Its strategic location gives it a driving force of opportunities in the Houston-Galveston Region.The guiding principles for this planning process were Hitchcock’s vision statement and its corresponding goals, which were crafted by the task force. The goals focus on factors of growth and development including public participation, development considerations, transportation, community facilities, economic development, parks, and housing and social vulnerabilityTexas Target Communitie

EuReCa ONE—27 Nations, ONE Europe, ONE Registry A prospective one month analysis of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest outcomes in 27 countries in Europe

AbstractIntroductionThe aim of the EuReCa ONE study was to determine the incidence, process, and outcome for out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) throughout Europe.MethodsThis was an international, prospective, multi-centre one-month study. Patients who suffered an OHCA during October 2014 who were attended and/or treated by an Emergency Medical Service (EMS) were eligible for inclusion in the study. Data were extracted from national, regional or local registries.ResultsData on 10,682 confirmed OHCAs from 248 regions in 27 countries, covering an estimated population of 174 million. In 7146 (66%) cases, CPR was started by a bystander or by the EMS. The incidence of CPR attempts ranged from 19.0 to 104.0 per 100,000 population per year. 1735 had ROSC on arrival at hospital (25.2%), Overall, 662/6414 (10.3%) in all cases with CPR attempted survived for at least 30 days or to hospital discharge.ConclusionThe results of EuReCa ONE highlight that OHCA is still a major public health problem accounting for a substantial number of deaths in Europe.EuReCa ONE very clearly demonstrates marked differences in the processes for data collection and reported outcomes following OHCA all over Europe. Using these data and analyses, different countries, regions, systems, and concepts can benchmark themselves and may learn from each other to further improve survival following one of our major health care events

Development of the Preferred Components for Co-Design in Research Guideline and Checklist: Protocol for a Scoping Review and a Modified Delphi Process

Background: There is increasing evidence that co-design can lead to more engaging, acceptable, relevant, feasible, and even effective interventions. However, no guidance is provided on the specific designs and associated methods or methodologies involved in the process. We propose the development of the Preferred Components for Co-design in Research (PRECISE) guideline to enhance the consistency, transparency, and quality of reporting co-design studies used to develop complex health interventions. Objective: The aim is to develop the first iteration of the PRECISE guideline. The purpose of the PRECISE guideline is to improve the consistency, transparency, and quality of reporting on studies that use co-design to develop complex health interventions. Methods: The aim will be achieved by addressing the following objectives: to review and synthesize the literature on the models, theories, and frameworks used in the co-design of complex health interventions to identify their common elements (components, values or principles, associated methods and methodologies, and outcomes); and by using the results of the scoping review, prioritize the co-design components, values or principles, associated methods and methodologies, and outcomes to be included in the PRECISE guideline. Results: The project has been funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Conclusions: The collective results of this project will lead to a ready-to-implement PRECISE guideline that outlines a minimum set of items to include when reporting the co-design of complex health interventions. The PRECISE guideline will improve the consistency, transparency, and quality of reports of studies. Additionally, it will include guidance on how to enact or enable the values or principles of co-design for meaningful and collaborative solutions (interventions). PRECISE might also be used by peer reviewers and editors to improve the review of manuscripts involving co-design. Ultimately, the PRECISE guideline will facilitate more efficient use of new results about complex health intervention development and bring better returns on research investments

City of Ivanhoe Comprehensive Plan 2018-2038

the City of Ivanhoe is located in Tyler County, which is in southeastern Texas near the Louisiana border. The land is gently rolling, with an elevation ranging from 100 to 400 feet above sea level. Texas Target Communities developed this document in partnership with the City of Ivanhoe. In the summer of 2016, Tyler County and the City of Ivanhoe collaborated with Texas Target Communities to assess current community conditions and explore future development strategies. The project aimed to enhance community-wide discussion through a public participatory process, resulting in developing a comprehensive plan to help guide the future growth of the County and City. A representative task force of community members engaged in a participatory planning process, including visioning, goal setting, alternative scenario exploration, and strategies for implementation. Using courses on campus, TAMU urban planning students were exposed to the planning process and explored innovative ideas. The result of this collaboration is this document, which provides strategies for the community’s growth utilizing the natural resource and the assets of the City.The Ivanhoe Comprehensive Plan 2017-2037 provides guidance for the future development of the city. In the summer of 2016, Tyler County and the City of Ivanhoe collaborated with Texas Target Communities to assess current community conditions and explore future development strategies., which resulted in this comprehensive plan document.Texas Target Communitie