Influenza and Other Respiratory Virus Weekly Activity Report, November 1, 2008, Week 44

Weekly report of the Iowa Influenza Surveillance Network produced by the Iowa Department of Public Health.

Documents et pièces diverses, en majeure partie originaux, conservés jadis dans le TRESOR DES CHARTES DE LORRAINE. — Nombreux sceaux. — Voy. l'analyse détaillée de la plupart de ces pièces dans l'Inventaire de Dufourny (Bibl. nat., ms. fr. 4880-4886 ; Bibl. de Nancy, mss. 754-765). On ne relève ici que les pièces qui n'y figurent pas. LXXXVIII — Portefeuille-layette 44 b (1403-1496)

Contient : Vidimus (1497) des lettres de Marguerite, duchesse de Bourgogne, portant réception de l'hommage de Ferry, comte de Vaudémont, pour une rente sur le tonlieu de Damme (Arras, 22 novembre 1404) ; Affranchissement accordé par Marguerite de Joinville, comtesse de Vaudémont, à Geoffroy Parmentier et à Jeannette, sa femme, demeurant à Vézelise (1415) ; Lettres d'Antoine de Lorraine au duc de Bar, au sujet de déprédations commises dans la terre de Montiers-sur-Saulx (Vézelise, 1430) ; Déclaration de Philippe le Bon, duc de Bourgogne, concernant la mise en liberté de prisonniers faits depuis la trève, conclue sur sa médiation entre le duc de Bar et le comte de Vaudémont (1432) ; Lettres de Charles VII au comte Antoine (1443) ; Lettres du roi René au même (1435-1437) ; Lettres de la duchesse Isabelle au même (1435) ; « Instrument de Joffroi Bouquin, pour un accort fait à Condet-sur-Muselle, le xxije jour d'aoust l'an lxij, entre Pierre de Moncelz et le dit Joffroi pour ma dame, et messire Jehan de Saulmez pour monseigneur le duc de Bar » (28 mars 1363 ; n° 91 de la layette Traités III) ; Lettres du roi René portant don à Ferry II, comte de Vaudémont, du montant de l'imposition de 16 fl. par feu dans les seigneuries possédées par le dit Ferry en Provence (Angers, 27 décembre 1467) ; Vidimus (1477) des lettres du roi René, concédant la seigneurie de Beaufrémont au comte de Vaudémont (Marseille, 13 avril 1470) ; Mandement du roi René pour le paiement des gages de René, comte de Vaudémont, nommé gouverneur d'Anjou (Aix, 7 février 1473) ; Instructions données à Jean de Saint-Amadour et Huyn Roynette, lieutenant de Nancy, pour une mission auprès du roi (XVe siècle)

Friday Facts, December 18, 2009, Vol. 44

Bureau of Nutrition and Health Promotion part of the Iowa Department of Public Health produces of weekly newsletter about the Iowa WIC Program for the State of Iowa citizen.

Cross-cultural adaptation, reliability, internal consistency and validation of the Spinal Function Sort (SFS) for French- and German-speaking patients with back complaints.

Introduction Functional subjective evaluation through questionnaire is fundamental, but not often realized in patients with back complaints, lacking validated tools. The Spinal Function Sort (SFS) was only validated in English. We aimed to translate, adapt and validate the French (SFS-F) and German (SFS-G) versions of the SFS. Methods Three hundred and forty-four patients, experiencing various back complaints, were recruited in a French (n = 87) and a German-speaking (n = 257) center. Construct validity was estimated via correlations with SF-36 physical and mental scales, pain intensity and hospital anxiety and depression scales (HADS). Scale homogeneities were assessed by Cronbach's α. Test-retest reliability was assessed on 65 additional patients using intraclass correlation (IC). Results For the French and German translations, respectively, α were 0.98 and 0.98; IC 0.98 (95% CI: [0.97; 1.00]) and 0.94 (0.90; 0.98). Correlations with physical functioning were 0.63 (0.48; 0.74) and 0.67 (0.59; 0.73); with physical summary 0.60 (0.44; 0.72) and 0.52 (0.43; 0.61); with pain -0.33 (-0.51; -0.13) and -0.51 (-0.60; -0.42); with mental health -0.08 (-0.29; 0.14) and 0.25 (0.13; 0.36); with mental summary 0.01 (-0.21; 0.23) and 0.28 (0.16; 0.39); with depression -0.26 (-0.45; -0.05) and -0.42 (-0.52; -0.32); with anxiety -0.17 (-0.37; -0.04) and -0.45 (-0.54; -0.35). Conclusions Reliability was excellent for both languages. Convergent validity was good with SF-36 physical scales, moderate with VAS pain. Divergent validity was low with SF-36 mental scales in both translated versions and with HADS for the SFS-F (moderate in SFS-G). Both versions seem to be valid and reliable for evaluating perceived functional capacity in patients with back complaints.

Clinical benefit and quality of life in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer receiving gemcitabine plus capecitabine versus gemcitabine alone: a randomized multicenter phase III clinical trial--SAKK 44/00-CECOG/PAN.1.3.001.

PURPOSE: To compare clinical benefit response (CBR) and quality of life (QOL) in patients receiving gemcitabine (Gem) plus capecitabine (Cap) versus single-agent Gem for advanced/metastatic pancreatic cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients were randomly assigned to receive GemCap (oral Cap 650 mg/m(2) twice daily on days 1 through 14 plus Gem 1,000 mg/m(2) in a 30-minute infusion on days 1 and 8 every 3 weeks) or Gem (1,000 mg/m(2) in a 30-minute infusion weekly for 7 weeks, followed by a 1-week break, and then weekly for 3 weeks every 4 weeks) for 24 weeks or until progression. CBR criteria and QOL indicators were assessed over this period. CBR was defined as improvement from baseline for >or= 4 consecutive weeks in pain (pain intensity or analgesic consumption) and Karnofsky performance status, stability in one but improvement in the other, or stability in pain and performance status but improvement in weight. RESULTS: Of 319 patients, 19% treated with GemCap and 20% treated with Gem experienced a CBR, with a median duration of 9.5 and 6.5 weeks, respectively (P < .02); 54% of patients treated with GemCap and 60% treated with Gem had no CBR (remaining patients were not assessable). There was no treatment difference in QOL (n = 311). QOL indicators were improving under chemotherapy (P < .05). These changes differed by the time to failure, with a worsening 1 to 2 months before treatment failure (all P < .05). CONCLUSION: There is no indication of a difference in CBR or QOL between GemCap and Gem. Regardless of their initial condition, some patients experience an improvement in QOL on chemotherapy, followed by a worsening before treatment failure.

Preventing Cracking at Diaphragm/Plate Girder Connections in Steel Bridges, HR-393, 1998

Some of the Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) continuous, steel, welded plate girder bridges have developed web cracking in the negative moment regions at the diaphragm connection plates. The cracks are due to out-of-plane bending of the web near the top flange of the girder. The out-of-plane bending occurs in the "web-gap", which is the portion of the girder web between (1) the top of the fillet welds attaching the diaphragm connection plate to the web and (2) the fillet welds attaching the flange to the web. A literature search indicated that four retrofit techniques have been suggested by other researchers to prevent or control this type of cracking. To eliminate the problem in new bridges, AASHTO specifications require a positive attachment between the connection plate and the top (tension) flange. Applying this requirement to existing bridges is expensive and difficult. The Iowa DOT has relied primarily on the hole-drilling technique to prevent crack extension once cracking has occurred; however, the literature indicates that hole-drilling alone may not be entirely effective in preventing crack extension. The objective of this research was to investigate experimentally a method proposed by the Iowa DOT to prevent cracking at the diaphragm/plate girder connection in steel bridges with X-type or K-type diaphragms. The method consists of loosening the bolts at some connections between the diaphragm diagonals and the connection plates. The investigation included selecting and testing five bridges: three with X-type diaphragms and two with K-type diaphragms. During 1996 and 1997, these bridges were instrumented using strain gages and displacement transducers to obtain the response at various locations before and after implementing the method. Bridges were subjected to loaded test trucks traveling in different lanes with speeds varying from crawl speed to 65 mph (104 km/h) to determine the effectiveness of the proposed method. The results of the study show that the effect of out-of-plane loading was confined to widths of approximately 4 in. (100 mm) on either side of the connection plates. Further, they demonstrate that the stresses in gaps with drilled holes were higher than those in gaps without cracks, implying that the drilling hole technique is not sufficient to prevent crack extension. The behavior of the web gaps in X-type diaphragm bridges was greatly enhanced by the proposed method as the stress range and out-of-plane distortion were reduced by at least 42% at the exterior girders. For bridges with K-type diaphragms, a similar trend was obtained. However, the stress range increased in one of the web gaps after implementing the proposed method. Other design aspects (wind, stability of compression flange, and lateral distribution of loads) must be considered when deciding whether to adopt the proposed method. Considering the results of this investigation, the proposed method can be implemented for X-type diaphragm bridges. Further research is recommended for K-type diaphragm bridges.

Water Summary Update, October 10, 2014, No. 44

A snapshot of water resource trends prepared by the Iowa DNR in collaboration with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, the U.S. Geological Survey, and The Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department.

CIRAS News, Summer/Fall 2008, Vol. 44, no. 1

CIRAS is to enhance the performance of Iowa industry, and associated entities, through education and technology-based services. This newsletter holds information regarding these services.