Iowa Technology Governance Board Annual Report, January 9, 2006

This is the annual report of the Technology Governance Board that is established in Iowa Code Section 8A.204. This annual report was produced in compliance with Iowa Code §8A.204(3a) and was submitted to the Governor, the Department of Management, and the General Assembly on January 9, 2006.

Watershed Improvement Review Board Annual Report, 2005

The Iowa Watershed Improvement Review Board was created by the Iowa Legislature and signed into law by the Governor in 2005 as Senate File 200. This statute is now codified in Iowa Code Chapter 466A. The fifteen-member board was appointed with the initial meeting being held August 22, 2005. Subsequent Board meetings were held October 10, December 2, and December 19. Attachment 1 lists the board members and their organization affiliation. The Board created a five-member subcommittee to develop and submit to the Board the Request for Applications (RFA) documents and procedural guidelines. These RFA documents were approved as modified on October 10, 2005.

Appropriate management of special situations in Crohn's disease (upper gastro-intestinal; extra-intestinal manifestations; drug safety during pregnancy and breastfeeding): results of a multidisciplinary international expert panel-EPACT II

Introduction: High-grade evidence is lacking for most therapeutic decisions in Crohn's disease. Appropriateness criteria were developed for upper gastro-intestinal, extra-intestinal manifestations and drug safety during conception, pregnancy and breastfeeding in patients with Crohn's disease, to assist the physician in clinical decision making. Methods: The European Panel on the Appropriateness of Crohn's Disease Therapy (EPACT II), a multidisciplinary international European expert panel, rated clinical scenarios based on evidence from the published literature and panelists' own clinical expertise. Median ratings (on a 9-point scale) were stratified into three categories: appropriate (7-9), uncertain (4-6 with or without disagreement) and inappropriate (1-3). Experts were also asked to rank appropriate medications by priority. Results: Proton pump inhibitors, steroids, azathioprine/6-mercaptopurine and infliximab are appropriate for upper gastro-duodenal Crohn's disease; for stenosis, endoscopic balloon dilation is the first-tine therapy, although surgery is also appropriate. Ursodeoxycholic acid is the only appropriate treatment for primary sclerosing cholangitis. Infliximab is appropriate for Pyoderma gangrenosum, ankylosing spondylitis and uveitis, steroids for Pyoderma gangrenosum and ankylosing spondylitis, adalimumab for Pyoderma gangrenosum and ankylosing spondylitis, cyclosporine-A/tacrolimus for Pyoderma gangrenosum. Mesalamine, sulfasalazine, prednisone, azathioprine/6-mercaptopurine, ciprofloxacin, and probiotics, may be administered safety during pregnancy or for patients wishing to conceive, with the exception that mate patients considering conception should avoid sulfasalazine. Metronidazol is considered safe in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters whereas infliximab is rated safe in the 1st trimester but uncertain in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters. Methotrexate is always contraindicated at conception, during pregnancy or during breastfeeding, due to its known teratogenicity. Mesalamine, prednisone, probiotics and infliximab are considered safe during breastfeeding. Conclusion: EPACT II recommendations are freely available online (www.epact.ch). The validity of these criteria should now be tested by prospective evaluation. (C) 2009 European Crohn's and Colitis Organisation. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Iowa Sheep and Wool Promotion Board, Independent Auditor's Reports, Financial Statement, Schedule of Findings, June 30, 2004 & 2005

State Audit Reports

South Central Regional E-911 Service Board, Independent Auditor's Reports, Financial Statement and Supplementary Information and Schedule of Findings, June 30, 2005

Other Audit Reports - 28E Organizations

Panel index VAR models: Specification, Estimation, Testing and Leading Indicators

This paper proposes a method to conduct inference in panel VAR models with cross unit interdependencies and time variations in the coefficients. The approach can be used to obtain multi-unit forecasts and leading indicators and to conduct policy analysis in a multiunit setups. The framework of analysis is Bayesian and MCMC methods are used to estimate the posterior distribution of the features of interest. The model is reparametrized to resemble an observable index model and specification searches are discussed. As an example, we construct leading indicators for inflation and GDP growth in the Euro area using G-7 information.

Report of Recommendation to the Board of Regents, State of Iowa, June 30, 2005

State Audit Reports

Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board Notification Letter, June 26, 2006

State Audit Reports - Notification Letters

Iowa Petroleum Underground Storage Tank Board, State of Iowa, Independent Auditor's Reports, Basic Financial Statements and Supplementary Information, Schedule of Findings, June 30, 2005

State Audit Reports

Public Employment Relations Board - Notification Letter, July 26, 2006

State Audit Reports - Notification Letter

2005 Annual Report of the Iowa Utilities Board.

Annual report of the Iowa Utilities Board.

Iowa Corn Promotion Board, Independent Auditor's Reports, Financial Statements, Supplementary Information and Schedule of Findings, August 31, 2005 & 2006

State Audit Reports

The Impact of Industry Collaboration on Academic Research Output: A Dynamic Panel Data Analysis

The aim of this paper is to analyse the impact of university knowledge and technology transfer activities on academic research output. Specifically, we study whether researchers with collaborative links with the private sector publish less than their peers without such links, once controlling for other sources of heterogeneity. We report findings from a longitudinal dataset on researchers from two engineering departments in the UK between 1985 until 2006. Our results indicate that researchers with industrial links publish significantly more than their peers. Academic productivity, though, is higher for low levels of industry involvement as compared to high levels.

Department of Commerce Iowa Utilities Board Performance Report Performance Results Achieved for Fiscal Year 2005, December 2005

The report highlights the services the IUB provided to Iowans, along with results achieved to ensure reliability, and to improve and expand utility service infrastructure in Iowa. This information is provided in accordance with the State of Iowa Accountable Government Act, Iowa Code chapter 8E. The two basic business functions of the IUB are utility regulation and compliance, and resource management. This report covers performance information for both of these areas.