Investigation of Des Moines Police Department, use of force in the Arrest of Larry Milton, 1992

Investigative report produced by Iowa Citizens' Aide/Ombudsman

Brownian motion of multidimensional systems in nonpotential velocity-dependent fields of force

We study the Brownian motion in velocity-dependent fields of force. Our main result is a Smoluchowski equation valid for moderate to high damping constants. We derive that equation by perturbative solution of the Langevin equation and using functional derivative techniques.

Magnetic microstructures from magnetic force microscopy and Monte Carlo simulation in CoFe-Ag-Cu granular films

CoFe-Ag-Cu granular films, prepared by rf sputtering, displayed magnetic domain microstructures for ferromagnetic concentrations above about 32% at, and below the percolation threshold. All samples have a fcc structure with an (111) texture perpendicular to the film plane. Magnetic force microscopy (MFM) showed a variety of magnetic domain microstructures, extremely sensitive to the magnetic history of the sample, which arise from the balance of the ferromagnetic exchange, the dipolar interactions and perpendicular magnetocrystalline anisotropy, MFM images indicate that in virgin samples, magnetic bubble domains with an out-of-plane component of the magnetization are surrounded by a quasicontinuous background of opposite magnetization domains. The application of a magnetic field in different geometries drastically modifies the microstructure of the system in the remanent state: i) for an in-plane field, the MFM images show that most of the magnetic moments are aligned along the film plane, ii) for an out-of-plane field, the MFM signal increases about one order of magnitude, and out-of-plane striped domains with alternating up and down magnetization are stabilized. Numerical simulations show that a variety of metastable domain structures (similar to those observed experimentally) can be reached, depending on magnetic history, in systems with competing perpendicular anisotropy, exchange and dipolar interactions.

Business Disaster Case Management Task Force, November 2010

During the 2010 session, the Iowa Legislature created per House File 2422 a Business Disaster Case Management Task Force. The purpose of the Task Force is to research disaster recovery case management assistance needed for businesses following a major disaster and to recommend steps for providing such assistance following disasters. The Task Force was duly constituted. Its recommendations are contained in this report. The Task Force focused on what the State of Iowa could do for itself without reliance on federal agencies or programs. It concluded that the hallmarks of any business disaster assistance must be speed of delivery and simplicity in execution. In addition, monies used to assist business recovery should be free of as many restraints on use as possible, relying on the affected businesses to judge for themselves how best to deploy capital resources.

First-passage-time statistics for diffusion processes with an external random force

We present exact equations and expressions for the first-passage-time statistics of dynamical systems that are a combination of a diffusion process and a random external force modeled as dichotomous Markov noise. We prove that the mean first passage time for this system does not show any resonantlike behavior.

Effects of a 5-h hilly running on ankle plantar and dorsal flexor force and fatigability.

This study aimed to examine the effects of a 5-h hilly run on ankle plantar (PF) and dorsal flexor (DF) force and fatigability. It was hypothesised that DF fatigue/fatigability would be greater than PF fatigue/fatigability. Eight male trail long distance runners (42.5 ± 5.9 years) were tested for ankle PF and DF maximal voluntary isokinetic contraction strength and fatigue resistance tests (percent decrement score), maximal voluntary and electrically evoked isometric contraction strength before and after the run. Maximal EMG root mean square (RMS(max)) and mean power frequency (MPF) values of the tibialis anterior (TA), gastrocnemius lateralis (GL) and soleus (SOL) EMG activity were calculated. The peak torque of the potentiated high- and low-frequency doublets and the ratio of paired stimulation peak torques at 10 Hz over 100 Hz (Db10:100) were analysed for PF. Maximal voluntary isometric contraction strength of PF decreased from pre- to post-run (-17.0 ± 6.2%; P < 0.05), but no significant decrease was evident for DF (-7.9 ± 6.2%). Maximal voluntary isokinetic contraction strength and fatigue resistance remained unchanged for both PF and DF. RMS(max) SOL during maximal voluntary isometric contraction and RMS(max) TA during maximal voluntary isokinetic contraction were decreased (P < 0.05) after the run. For MPF, a significant decrease for TA (P < 0.05) was found and the ratio Db10:100 decreased for PF (-6.5 ± 6.0%; P < 0.05). In conclusion, significant isometric strength loss was only detected for PF after a 5-h hilly run and was partly due to low-frequency fatigue. This study contradicted the hypothesis that neuromuscular alterations due to prolonged hilly running are predominant for DF.

Agreed upon procedures report on the Lee County Narcotics Task Force for the period July 1, 2010 through May 31, 2012

Agreed upon procedures report on the Lee County Narcotics Task Force for the period July 1, 2010 through May 31, 2012

Evolution of the Pelagonian carbonate platform complex and the adjacent oceanic realm in response to plate tectonic forcing (Late Triassic and Jurassic), Evvoia, Greece

The Late Triassic and Jurassic platform and the oceanic complexes in Evvoia, Greece, share a complementary plate-tectonic evolution. Shallow marine carbonate deposition responded to changing rates of subsidence and uplift, whilst the adjacent ocean underwent spreading, and then convergence, collision and finally obduction over the platform complex. Late Triassic ocean spreading correlated with platform subsidence and the formation of a long-persisting peritidal passive-margin platform. Incipient drowning occurred from the Sinemurian to the late Middle Jurassic. This subsidence correlated with intra-oceanic subduction and plate convergence that led to supra-subduction calc-alkaline magmatism and the formation of a primitive volcanic arc. During the Middle Jurassic, plate collision caused arc uplift above the carbonate compensation depth (CCD) in the oceanic realm, and related thrust-faulting, on the platform, led to sub-aerial exposures. Patch-reefs developed there during the Late Oxfordian to Kimmeridgian. Advanced oceanic nappe-loading caused platform drowning below the CCD during the Tithonian, which is documented by intercalations of reefal turbidites with non-carbonate radiolarites. Radiolarites and bypass-turbidites, consisting of siliciclastic greywacke, terminate the platform succession beneath the emplaced oceanic nappe during late Tithonian to Valanginian time.

EFNS guidelines on cognitive rehabilitation: report of an EFNS task force.

Disorders of language, spatial perception, attention, memory, calculation and praxis are a frequent consequence of acquired brain damage [in particular, stroke and traumatic brain injury (TBI)] and a major determinant of disability. The rehabilitation of aphasia and, more recently, of other cognitive disorders is an important area of neurological rehabilitation. We report here a review of the available evidence about effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation. Given the limited number and generally low quality of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) in this area of therapeutic intervention, the Task Force considered, besides the available Cochrane reviews, evidence of lower classes which was critically analysed until a consensus was reached. In particular, we considered evidence from small group or single cases studies including an appropriate statistical evaluation of effect sizes. The general conclusion is that there is evidence to award a grade A, B or C recommendation to some forms of cognitive rehabilitation in patients with neuropsychological deficits in the post-acute stage after a focal brain lesion (stroke, TBI). These include aphasia therapy, rehabilitation of unilateral spatial neglect (ULN), attentional training in the post-acute stage after TBI, the use of electronic memory aids in memory disorders, and the treatment of apraxia with compensatory strategies. There is clearly a need for adequately designed studies in this area, which should take into account specific problems such as patient heterogeneity and treatment standardization.

Outcomes from studies of Antineutrophil Cytoplasm Antibody Associated Vasculitis: a systematic review by the European League Against Rheumatism systemic vasculitis task force.

Objectives: We undertook a systematic literature review as a background to the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) recommendations for conducting clinical trials in anti-neutrophil cytoplasm antibody associated vasculitis (AAV), and to assess the quality of evidence for outcome measures in AAV. Methods: Using a systematic Medline search, we categorised the identified studies according to diagnoses. Factors affecting remission, relapse, renal function and overall survival were identified. Results: A total of 44 papers were reviewed from 502 identified by our search criteria. There was considerable inconsistency in definitions of end points. Remission rates varied from 30% to 93% in Wegener granulomatosis (WG), 75% to 89% in microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) and 81% to 91% in Churg¿Strauss syndrome (CSS). The 5-year survival for WG, MPA and CSS was 74¿91%, 45¿76% and 60¿97%. Relapse (variably defined) was common in the first 2 years but the frequency varied: 18% to 60% in WG, 8% in MPA, and 35% in CSS. The rate of renal survival in WG varied from 23% at 15 months to 23% at 120 months. Methods used to assess morbidity varied between studies. Ignoring the variations in definitions of the stage of disease, factors influencing remission, relapse, renal and overall survival included immunosuppressive therapy used, type of organ involvement, presence of ANCA, older age and male ender. Conclusions: Factors influencing remission, relapse, renal and overall survival include the type of immunosuppressive therapy used, pattern of organ involvement, presence of ANCA, older age and male gender. Methodological variations between studies highlight the need for a consensus on terminology and definitions for future conduct of clinical studies in AAV.

Fine-Tuning Translation Kinetics Selection as the Driving Force of Codon Usage Bias in the Hepatitis A Virus Capsid

Hepatitis A virus (HAV), the prototype of genus Hepatovirus, has several unique biological characteristics that distinguish it from other members of the Picornaviridae family. Among these, the need for an intact eIF4G factor for the initiation of translation results in an inability to shut down host protein synthesis by a mechanism similar to that of other picornaviruses. Consequently, HAV must inefficiently compete for the cellular translational machinery and this may explain its poor growth in cell culture. In this context of virus/cell competition, HAV has strategically adopted a naturally highly deoptimized codon usage with respect to that of its cellular host. With the aim to optimize its codon usage the virus was adapted to propagate in cells with impaired protein synthesis, in order to make tRNA pools more available for the virus. A significant loss of fitness was the immediate response to the adaptation process that was, however, later on recovered and more associated to a re-deoptimization rather than to an optimization of the codon usage specifically in the capsid coding region. These results exclude translation selection and instead suggest fine-tuning translation kinetics selection as the underlying mechanism of the codon usage bias in this specific genome region. Additionally, the results provide clear evidence of the Red Queen dynamics of evolution since the virus has very much evolved to re-adapt its codon usage to the environmental cellular changing conditions in order to recover the original fitness.