Embankment Quality Phase IV: Application to Unsuitable Soils, TR-492, 2007

The Quality Management Earthwork (QM-E) special provision was implemented on a pilot project to evaluate quality control (QC) and quality assurance (QA) testing in predominately unsuitable soils. Control limits implemented on this pilot project included the following: 95% relative compaction, moisture content not exceeding +/- 2% of optimum moisture content, soil strength not exceeding a dynamic cone penetrometer (DCP) index of 70 mm/blow, vertical uniformity not exceeding a variation in DCP index of 40 mm/blow, and lift thickness not exceeding depth determined through construction of control strips. Four-point moving averages were used to allow for some variability in the measured parameter values. Management of the QC/QA data proved to be one of the most challenging aspects of the pilot project. Implementing use of the G-RAD data collection system has considerable potential to reduce the time required to develop and maintain QC/QA records for projects using the QM-E special provision. In many cases, results of a single Proctor test were used to establish control limits that were used for several months without retesting. While the data collected for the pilot project indicated that the DCP index control limits could be set more tightly, there is not enough evidence to support making a change. In situ borings, sampling, and testing in natural unsuitable cut material and compacted fill material revealed that the compacted fill had similar strength characteristics to that of the natural cut material after less than three months from the start of construction.

Development of Quality Standards for Inclusion of High Recycled Asphalt Pavement Content in Asphalt Mixtures, TR-624, 2012

The main objective of this research is to examine the effects that different methods of RAP stockpile fractionation would have on the volumetric mix design properties for high-RAP content surface mixes, with the goal of meeting all specified criteria for standard HMA mix designs. To determine the distribution of fine aggregates and binder in RAP stockpile, RAP materials were divided by each sieve size. The composition of RAP materials retained on each sieve was analyzed to determine the optimum fractionation method. Fractionation methods were designed to separate the stockpile at a specified sieve size to control the amount of fine RAP materials which contain higher amounts of fine aggregates and dust contents. These fine RAP materials were used in reduced proportions or completely eliminated, thereby decreasing the amount of fine aggregate materials introduced to the mix. Mix designs were performed using RAP materials from four different stockpiles and the two fractionated methods were used with high-RAP contents up to 50% by virgin binder replacement. By using a fractionation method, a mix with up to 50% RAP was successfully designed while meeting all Superpave criteria and asphalt film thickness requirement by controlling the dust content from RAP stockpiles.

Collaborative quality improvement to manage pain in acute care hospitals.

Objective. Collaborative quality improvement programs have been successfully used to manage chronic diseases in adults and acute lung complications in premature infants. Their effectiveness to improve pain management in acute care hospitals is currently unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a collaborative quality improvement program implemented at hospital level could improve pain management and overall pain relief. Design.To assess the effectiveness of the program, we performed a before-after trial comparing patient's self-reported pain management and experience before and after program implementation. We included all adult patients hospitalized for more than 24 hours and discharged either to their home or to a nursing facility, between March 1, 2001 and March 31, 2001 (before program implementation) and between September 15, 2005 and October 15, 2005 (after program implementation). Setting.A teaching hospital of 2,096 beds in Geneva, Switzerland. Patients.All adult patients hospitalized for more than 24 hours and discharged between 1 to 31 March 2001 (before program) and 15 September to 15 October 2005 (after program implementation). Interventions.Implementation of a collaborative quality improvement program using multifaceted interventions (staff education, opinion leaders, patient education, audit, and feedback) to improve pain management at hospital level. Outcome Measures.Patient-reported pain experience, pain management, and overall hospital experience based on the Picker Patient Experience questionnaire, perceived health (SF-36 Health survey). Results.After implementation of the program only 2.3% of the patients reported having no pain relief during their hospital stay (vs 4.5% in 2001, P = 0.05). Among nonsurgical patients, improvements were observed for pain assessment (42.3% vs 27.9% of the patients had pain intensity measured with a visual analog scale, P = 0.012), pain management (staff did everything they could to help in 78.9% vs 67.9% of cases P = 0.003), and pain relief (70.4% vs 57.3% of patients reported full pain relief P = 0.008). In surgical patients, pain assessment also improved (53.7.3% vs 37.6%) as well as pain treatment. More patients received treatments to relieve pain regularly or intermittently after program implementation (95.1% vs 91.9% P = 0.046). Conclusion.Implementation of a collaborative quality improvement program at hospital level improved both pain management and pain relief in patients. Further studies are needed to determine the overall cost-effectiveness of such programs.

Genetic variation and environmental effects on beta-conglycinin and glycinin content in Brazilian soybean cultivars

The objective of this work was to determine genetic and environmental effects on beta-conglycinin and glycinin content in Brazilian soybean cultivars. The concentrations of these protein fractions were analyzed by scanning densitometry after electrophoresis, in 90 Brazilian soybean cultivars sown in Ponta Grossa, PR, in 2001. The effects of the sowing location were determined in the cultivar MG/BR 46 (Conquista), sown in 16 locations of Goiás and Minas Gerais states (Central Brazil), and in the cultivar IAS 5, sown in 12 locations of Paraná and São Paulo states (Southern Brazil), in 2002 soybean season. A significant variability for beta-conglycinin (7S) and glycinin (11S) protein fractions ratio was observed among the 90 Brazilian soybean cultivars. 'MS/BRS 169' (Bacuri) and 'BR-8' (Pelotas) presented the highest and the lowest 11S/7S ratios (2.76 and 1.17, respectively). Beta-conglycinin protein fractions presented more variability than glycinin protein fractions. Grouping test classified 7S proteins in seven groups, 11S proteins in four groups, and protein fraction ratios (11S/7S) in nine groups. Significant effect of sowing locations was also observed on protein fractions contents. There is a good possibility of breeding for individual protein fractions, and their subunits, without affecting protein content.

QTL mapping for protein content in soybean cultivated in two tropical environments

The objectives of this study were to detect quantitative trait loci (QTL) for protein content in soybean grown in two distinct tropical environments and to build a genetic map for protein content. One hundred eighteen soybean recombinant inbred lines (RIL), obtained from a cross between cultivars BARC 8 and Garimpo, were used. The RIL were cultivated in two distinct Brazilian tropical environments: Cascavel county, in Paraná, and Viçosa county, in Minas Gerais (24º57'S, 53º27'W and 20º45'S, 42º52'W, respectively). Sixty-six SSR primer pairs and 65 RAPD primers were polymorphic and segregated at a 1:1 proportion. Thirty poorly saturated linkage groups were obtained, with 90 markers and 41 nonlinked markers. For the lines cultivated in Cascavel, three QTL were mapped in C2, E and N linkage groups, which explained 14.37, 10.31 and 7.34% of the phenotypic variation of protein content, respectively. For the lines cultivated in Viçosa, two QTL were mapped in linkage groups G and #1, which explained 9.51 and 7.34% of the phenotypic variation of protein content. Based on the mean of the two environments, two QTL were identified: one in the linkage group E (9.90%) and other in the group L (7.11%). In order for future studies to consistently detect QTL effects of different environments, genotypes with greater stability should be used.

Manipulation of salicylate content in Arabidopsis thaliana by the expression of an engineered bacterial salicylate synthase.

Salicylic acid (SA) plays a central role as a signalling molecule involved in plant defense against microbial attack. Genetic manipulation of SA biosynthesis may therefore help to generate plants that are more disease-resistant. By fusing the two bacterial genes pchA and pchB from Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which encode isochorismate synthase and isochorismate pyruvate-lyase, respectively, we have engineered a novel hybrid enzyme with salicylate synthase (SAS) activity. The pchB-A fusion was expressed in Arabidopsis thaliana under the control of the constitutive cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S promoter, with targeting of the gene product either to the cytosol (c-SAS plants) or to the chloroplast (p-SAS plants). In p-SAS plants, the amount of free and conjugated SA was increased more than 20-fold above wild type (WT) level, indicating that SAS is functional in Arabidopsis. P-SAS plants showed a strongly dwarfed phenotype and produced very few seeds. Dwarfism could be caused by the high SA levels per se or, perhaps more likely, by a depletion of the chorismate or isochorismate pools of the chloroplast. Targeting of SAS to the cytosol caused a slight increase in free SA and a significant threefold increase in conjugated SA, probably reflecting limited chorismate availability in this compartment. Although this modest increase in total SA content did not strongly induce the resistance marker PR-1, it resulted nevertheless in enhanced disease resistance towards a virulent isolate of Peronospora parasitica. Increased resistance of c-SAS lines was paralleled with reduced seed production. Taken together, these results illustrate that SAS is a potent tool for the manipulation of SA levels in plants.

Perspectivas tecnológicas: educación superior en Iberoamérica 2012-2017

La sèrie d'informes Horizon és el resultat més tangible del Projecte Horizon del New Media Consortium, un esforç de recerca qualitativa iniciat el 2002, que identifica i descriu les tecnologies emergents amb més potencial d'impacte en l'ensenyament, l'aprenentatge, la recerca i la expressió creativa en l'àmbit educatiu global. Aquest volum, Perspectivas tecnológicas: educación superior en Iberoamérica 2012-2017, és la segona edició del Projecte Horizon Iberoamèrica i se centra en la investigació en els països de la regió Iberoamericana (incloent-hi tota Llatinoamèrica, Espanya i Portugal) i en l'àmbit de l'educació superior. Ha estat produït pel NMC i l'eLearn Center de la Universitat Oberta de Catalunya.

Perspectives tecnològiques: educació superior a Iberoamèrica 2012-2017

La sèrie d'informes Horizon és el resultat més tangible del Projecte Horizon del New Media Consortium, un esforç de recerca qualitativa iniciat el 2002, que identifica i descriu les tecnologies emergents amb més potencial d'impacte en l'ensenyament, l'aprenentatge, la recerca i la expressió creativa en l'àmbit educatiu global. Aquest volum, Perspectives tecnològiques: educació superior a Iberoamèrica 2012-2017, és la segona edició del Projecte Horizon Iberoamèrica i se centra en la investigació en els països de la regió Iberoamericana (incloent-hi tota Llatinoamèrica, Espanya i Portugal) i en l'àmbit de l'educació superior. Ha estat produït pel NMC i l'eLearn Center de la Universitat Oberta de Catalunya.

Technology Outlook: Iberoamerican Tertiary Education 2012-2017

La sèrie d'informes Horizon és el resultat més tangible del Projecte Horizon del New Media Consortium, un esforç de recerca qualitativa iniciat el 2002, que identifica i descriu les tecnologies emergents amb més potencial d'impacte en l'ensenyament, l'aprenentatge, la recerca i la expressió creativa en l'àmbit educatiu global. Aquest volum, Technology Outlook: Iberoamerican Tertiary Education 2012-2017, és la segona edició del Projecte Horizon Iberoamèrica i se centra en la investigació en els països de la regió Iberoamericana (incloent-hi tota Llatinoamèrica, Espanya i Portugal) i en l'àmbit de l'educació superior. Ha estat produït pel NMC i l'eLearn Center de la Universitat Oberta de Catalunya.

Environmental and genetic variation of isoflavone content of soybean seeds grown in Brazil

The objective of this work was to evaluate isoflavone concentrations in seeds of different Brazilian soybean cultivars grown in a range of locations and environmental conditions in Brazil. Seeds of 233 cultivars grown in Ponta Grossa, PR, Brazil, during the 2001/2002 soybean season, and of 22 cultivars sown in different locations of Brazilian Northeast, Southeast on South regions were analyzed for total isoflavones, including daidzin, glycitin, genistin and acetylgenistin. The total isoflavones ranged from 12 mg 100 g-1 (cv. Embrapa 48) to 461 mg 100 g-1 (cv. CS 305) among the 233 cultivars grown in Ponta Grossa, and the differences among them are due to genetic effects since all cultivars were grown and collected at the same locatation and year. This is an indication of the possibility of breeding for isoflavone content. Differences in isoflavone content observed in the cultivars grown in different locations permit the selection of locations for optimum isoflavone content (low or high), depending on the uses of soybean. In the Northeast region (5-8°S), higher concentrations of total isoflavones were observed at São Raimundo das Mangabeiras (232 mg 100 g-1) and Tasso Fragoso (284 mg 100 g-1) municipalities, and in the South (23-30°S), isoflavones were higher in Guarapuava, Canoinhas, Vacaria and Campos Novos municipalities, ranging from 130 to 409 mg 100 g-1.