Impact of job insecurity on sexual desire: an exploratory analysis.

To explore, for the first time, the impact of job insecurity on sexual desire. Cross-sectional analysis of a nationally representative sample of 7247 individuals aged 20-64 years working as full or part-time employees in Switzerland. The logistic regression analysis showed that workers aged 20-49 years perceiving high levels of job insecurity are exposed to a significantly higher risk of decrease of sexual desire compared to the reference group. The risk is 53% higher among men (OR 1.53; 95% CI 1.16-2.01) and 47% for woman (OR 1.47; 1.13-1.91). No increased risk was found for employees aged 50-64 years old. An increasing fear of job loss is associated with a deterioration in sexual desire. These first preliminary findings should promote further epidemiological and clinical prospective studies on the impact of job insecurity on intimate relationships and sexual dysfunction.

Audit report of the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System for the year ended June 30, 2011

Audit report of the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System for the year ended June 30, 2011

Public Employees Leadership Institute Final Report, August 2011

Public agencies in Iowa are continually challenged with reduced staff levels, reduced budgets, and increased expectations for services provided. Responding to these demands requires a well-informed and coordinated team that includes professionals, supervisors, technicians, lead workers, and workers. Becoming a coordinated team requires the training and interaction to produce a common foundation to build upon. In 2007, a training program did not exist in the state to provide this level of training for existing or upcoming managers and leaders of public agencies. The Iowa Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP), in conjunction with Iowa public agency representatives, set out to provide that foundation by developing the Iowa Public Employees Leadership Academy, which was renamed the Public Employees Leadership Institute in July 2011. The Institute is an on-demand, online training program designed to create better (or new) leaders and supervisors for Iowa’s public agencies. The Institute provides a curriculum to train the next generation of leaders, who will replace existing leaders when retirements occur. Through the Institute, Iowa LTAP will provide a coordinated, structured, non-credit educational program available for a modest fee. The techniques and skills offered through the Institute can apply to all who wish to develop or sharpen their leadership and management abilities. This will be true whether the participants are employed in the public or private sector. The 14 courses that were developed and are being offered are as follows: Supervisory Techniques and Skills, Team Development, Communications Skills, Leadership Skills, Community Service/Customer Orientation, Legal Understanding, Fundamentals of Government, Finance, Resource Management, Operations and Maintenance, Basic Management, Emergency Management, Project Management, and Winter Maintenance Management.

Report on a review of selected general and application controls over the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System I-Que Pension Administration System for the period June 18, 2012 through July 11, 2012

Report on a review of selected general and application controls over the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System I-Que Pension Administration System for the period June 18, 2012 through July 11, 2012

Investigation of Earlham Community School District Employee’s Personal Use of a School Vehicle, July 6, 2012

We received a complaint in late September 2011 that an Earlham School District employee had borrowed a school vehicle for her personal use for one month, with the Superintendent’s permission. The school board had discussed the circumstances of the borrowed district vehicle in closed session. The complainant believed this was contrary to Iowa law and also believed no action had been taken against the school employee who borrowed the vehicle or the superintendent who allowed the personal use of the vehicle. He was aware the school district’s attorney reviewed the matter and determined the employee and superintendent violated no law or district policies. Since the school board discussed the matter only in closed session, it was unknown what, if any, discipline was taken against the employees and whether such actions were condoned by the district. We agreed to investigate to determine if the actions of school officials or employees violated Iowa law and if the response from the school board was appropriate.

Male-pattern baldness susceptibility locus at 20p11.

We conducted a genome-wide association study for androgenic alopecia in 1,125 men and identified a newly associated locus at chromosome 20p11.22, confirmed in three independent cohorts (n = 1,650; OR = 1.60, P = 1.1 x 10(-14) for rs1160312). The one man in seven who harbors risk alleles at both 20p11.22 and AR (encoding the androgen receptor) has a sevenfold-increased odds of androgenic alopecia (OR = 7.12, P = 3.7 x 10(-15)).

Audit report of the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System (IPERS) as of June 30, 2012 and 2011, for the years then ended

Audit report of the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System (IPERS) as of June 30, 2012 and 2011, for the years then ended

Sex-specific estimates of dispersal show female philopatry and male dispersal in a promiscuous amphibian, the alpine salamander (Salamandra atra).

Amphibians display wide variations in life-history traits and life cycles that should prove useful to explore the evolution of sex-biased dispersal, but quantitative data on sex-specific dispersal patterns are scarce. Here, we focused on Salamandra atra, an endemic alpine species showing peculiar life-history traits. Strictly terrestrial and viviparous, the species has a promiscuous mating system, and females reproduce only every 3 to 4 years. In the present study, we provide quantitative estimates of asymmetries in male vs. female dispersal using both field-based (mark-recapture) and genetic approaches (detection of sex-biased dispersal and estimates of migration rates based on the contrast in genetic structure across sexes and age classes). Our results revealed a high level of gene flow among populations, which stems exclusively from male dispersal. We hypothesize that philopatric females benefit from being familiar with their natal area for the acquisition and defence of an appropriate shelter, while male dispersal has been secondarily favoured by inbreeding avoidance. Together with other studies on amphibians, our results indicate that a species' mating system alone is a poor predictor of sex-linked differences in dispersal, in particular for promiscuous species. Further studies should focus more directly on the proximate forces that favour or limit dispersal to refine our understanding of the evolution of sex-biased dispersal in animals.

A high-fructose diet impairs basal and stress-mediated lipid metabolism in healthy male subjects.

The effects of a 7 d high-fructose diet (HFrD) or control diet on lipid metabolism were studied in a group of six healthy lean males. Plasma NEFA and beta-hydroxybutyrate concentrations, net lipid oxidation (indirect calorimetry) and exogenous lipid oxidation (13CO2 production) were monitored in basal conditions, after lipid loading (olive oil labelled with [13C]triolein) and during a standardised mental stress. Lactate clearance and the metabolic effects of an exogenous lactate infusion were also monitored. The HFrD lowered plasma concentrations of NEFA and beta-hydroxybutyrate as well as lipid oxidation in both basal and after lipid-loading conditions. In addition, the HFrD blunted the increase in plasma NEFA and exogenous lipid oxidation during mental stress. The HFrD also increased basal lactate concentrations by 31.8 %, and lactate production by 53.8 %, while lactate clearance remained unchanged. Lactate infusion lowered plasma NEFA with the control diet, and net lipid oxidation with both the HFrD and control diet. These results indicate that a 7 d HFrD markedly inhibits lipolysis and lipid oxidation. The HFrD also increases lactate production, and the ensuing increased lactate utilisation may contribute to suppress lipid oxidation.

Iowa Public Employees Retirement System Strategic Plan, 2012-2017

This report outlines the strategic plan for Iowa Public Employees Retirement System, goals and mission.

Comprehensive annual financial report of the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System for the Fiscal Year ended June 30, 1999

Report on the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System (IPERS) for the year ended June 30, 1999

Germ cell-specific targeting of DICER or DGCR8 reveals a novel role for endo-siRNAs in the progression of mammalian spermatogenesis and male fertility.

Small non-coding RNAs act as critical regulators of gene expression and are essential for male germ cell development and spermatogenesis. Previously, we showed that germ cell-specific inactivation of Dicer1, an endonuclease essential for the biogenesis of micro-RNAs (miRNAs) and endogenous small interfering RNAs (endo-siRNAs), led to complete male infertility due to alterations in meiotic progression, increased spermatocyte apoptosis and defects in the maturation of spermatozoa. To dissect the distinct physiological roles of miRNAs and endo-siRNAs in spermatogenesis, we compared the testicular phenotype of mice with Dicer1 or Dgcr8 depletion in male germ cells. Dgcr8 mutant mice, which have a defective miRNA pathway while retaining an intact endo-siRNA pathway, were also infertile and displayed similar defects, although less severe, to Dicer1 mutant mice. These included cumulative defects in meiotic and haploid phases of spermatogenesis, resulting in oligo-, terato-, and azoospermia. In addition, we found by RNA sequencing of purified spermatocytes that inactivation of Dicer1 and the resulting absence of miRNAs affected the fine tuning of protein-coding gene expression by increasing low level gene expression. Overall, these results emphasize the essential role of miRNAs in the progression of spermatogenesis, but also indicate a role for endo-siRNAs in this process.

Comprehensive annual financial report of the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System for the Fiscal Year ended June 30, 2000

Report on the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System (IPERS) for the year ended June 30, 2000

Comprehensive annual financial report of the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System for the Fiscal Year ended June 30, 2001

Report on the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System (IPERS) for the year ended June 30, 2001