Covalent cell surface functionalization of human fetal osteoblasts for tissue engineering.

The chemical functionalization of cell-surface proteins of human primary fetal bone cells with hydrophilic bioorthogonal intermediates was investigated. Toward this goal, chemical pathways were developed for click reaction-mediated coupling of alkyne derivatives with cellular azido-expressing proteins. The incorporation via a tetraethylene glycol linker of a dipeptide and a reporter biotin allowed the proof of concept for the introduction of cell-specific peptide ligands and to follow the reaction in living cells. Tuning the conditions of the click reaction resulted in chemical functionalization of living human fetal osteoblasts with excellent cell survival.

Spontaneous 24-h GHRELIN secretion pattern in fasting subjects : maintenance of a meal-related pattern

RESUME OBJECTIF: Outre la stimulation de la sécrétion d'hormone de croissance, la ghréline cause une prise pondérale par augmentation de l'assimilation d'aliments et réduction de la consommation lipidique. Il a été décrit que les taux de ghréline augmentent durant la phase pré-prandiale et diminuent juste après un repas, ceci suggérant qu'elle puisse jouer un rôle d'initiateur de la prise du repas. Cependant, la sécrétion de ghréline chez des sujets à jeun n'a pas encore été étudiée en détail. DESSIN: Les profils de sécrétion de ghréline pendant 24 heures ont été étudiés chez six sujets volontaires sains (3 femmes, 3 hommes; 25.5 ans; BMI 22.8 kg/m2) et comparés aux profils plasmatiques de l'hormone de croissance, de l'insuline et du glucose. METHODE: Des échantillons sanguins ont été prélevés toutes les 20 minutes pendant 24 heures et les taux de ghréline ont été mesurés par radio-immuno essai, utilisant un anticorps polyclonal de lapin. Le profil circadien de la sécrétion de ghréline (cluster analysis) a été évalué. RESULTATS: Une augmentation puis une diminution spontanée des taux de ghréline ont été observées aux moments où les sujets auraient habituellement mangé. La ghréline a été sécrétée de façon pulsatile avec approximativement 8 pics par 24 heures. Une diminution générale des taux de ghréline a également été observée durant la période d'étude. Aucune corrélation n'a pu être observée entre les taux de ghréline, d'homione de croissance, d'insuline et de glucose. CONCLUSIONS: Cette étude montre que pendant une période de jeûne les taux de ghréline suivent un profil similaire à ceux décrits chez des sujets mangeant 3 fois par jour. Durant le jeûne, l'hormone de croissance, l'insuline et le glucose ne semblent pas être impliqués dans la régulation de la sécrétion de ghréline. En outre, nous avons observé que la sécrétion de ghréline est pulsatile. La variation des taux de ghréline, indépendamment des repas, chez des sujets à jeun, renforce les observations préalables selon lesquelles le système nerveux central est primairement impliqué dans la régulation de la prise alimentaire. ABSTRACT: OBJECTIVE: Ghrelin stimulates GH release and causes weight gain through increased food intake and reduced fat utiIization. Ghrelin levels were shown to rise in the preprandial period and decrease shortly after meal consumption, suggesting a role as a possible meal initiator. However, ghrelin secretion in fasting subjects has not yet been studied in detail. DESIGN: 24-h ghrelin profiles were studied in six healthy volunteers (three females; 25.5 years; body mass index 22.8 kg/m2) and compared with GH, insulin and glucose levels. METHODS: Blood samples were taken every 20 min during a 24-h fasting period and total ghrelin levels were measured by RIA using a polyclonal rabbit antibody. The circadian pattern of ghrelin secretion and pulsatility (Cluster analysis) were evaluated. RESULTS: An increase and spontaneous decrease in ghrelin were seen at the timepoints of customary meals. Ghrelin was secreted in a pulsatile manner with approximately 8 peaks/24 h. An overall decrease in ghrelin levels was observed during the study period. There was no correlation of ghrelin with GH, insulin or blood glucose levels. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study indicates that fasting ghrelin profiles display a circadian pattern similar to that described in people eating three times per day. In a fasting condition. GH, insulin and glucose do not appear to be involved in ghrelin regulation. In addition, we round that ghrelin is secreted in a pulsatile pattern. The variation in ghrelin independently of meals in fasting subjects supports previous observations that it is the brain that is primarily involved in the regulation of meal initiation.

Report on a review of selected general and application controls over the University of Northern Iowa Facility Administration and Maintenance Information System for the period April 29, 2014 through June 5, 2014

Report on a review of selected general and application controls over the University of Northern Iowa Facility Administration and Maintenance Information System for the period April 29, 2014 through June 5, 2014

Maintenance of polymorphism : a theoretical approach using multilocus systems

Résumé La thématique de cette thèse peut être résumée par le célèbre paradoxe de biologie évolutive sur le maintien du polymorphisme face à la sélection et par l'équation du changement de fréquence gamétique au cours du temps dû, à la sélection. La fréquence d'un gamète xi à la génération (t + 1) est: !!!Equation tronquée!!! Cette équation est utilisée pour générer des données utlisée tout au long de ce travail pour 2, 3 et 4 locus dialléliques. Le potentiel de l'avantage de l'hétérozygote pour le maintien du polymorphisme est le sujet de la première partie. La définition commune de l'avantage de l'hétérozygote n'etant applicable qu'a un locus ayant 2 allèles, cet avantage est redéfini pour un système multilocus sur les bases de précédentes études. En utilisant 5 définitions différentes de l'avantage de l'hétérozygote, je montre que cet avantage ne peut être un mécanisme général dans le maintien du polymorphisme sous sélection. L'étude de l'influence de locus non-détectés sur les processus évolutifs, seconde partie de cette thèse, est motivée par les travaux moléculaires ayant pour but de découvrir le nombre de locus codant pour un trait. La plupart de ces études sous-estiment le nombre de locus. Je montre que des locus non-détectés augmentent la probabilité d'observer du polymorphisme sous sélection. De plus, les conclusions sur les facteurs de maintien du polymorphisme peuvent être trompeuses si tous les locus ne sont pas détectés. Dans la troisième partie, je m'intéresse à la valeur attendue de variance additive après un goulot d'étranglement pour des traits sélectionés. Une études précédente montre que le niveau de variance additive après goulot d'étranglement augmente avec le nombre de loci. Je montre que le niveau de variance additive après un goulot d'étranglement augmente (comparé à des traits neutres), mais indépendamment du nombre de loci. Par contre, le taux de recombinaison a une forte influence, entre autre en regénérant les gamètes disparus suite au goulot d'étranglement. La dernière partie de ce travail de thèse décrit un programme pour le logiciel de statistique R. Ce programme permet d'itérer l'équation ci-dessus en variant les paramètres de sélection, recombinaison et de taille de populations pour 2, 3 et 4 locus dialléliques. Cette thèse montre qu'utiliser un système multilocus permet d'obtenir des résultats non-conformes à ceux issus de systèmes rnonolocus (la référence en génétique des populations). Ce programme ouvre donc d'intéressantes perspectives en génétique des populations. Abstract The subject of this PhD thesis can be summarized by one famous paradox of evolu-tionary biology: the maintenance of polymorphism in the face of selection, and one classical equation of theoretical population genetics: the changes in gametic frequencies due to selection and recombination. The frequency of gamete xi at generation (t + 1) is given by: !!! Truncated equation!!! This equation is used to generate data on selection at two, three, and four diallelic loci for the different parts of this work. The first part focuses on the potential of heterozygote advantage to maintain genetic polymorphism. Results of previous studies are used to (re)define heterozygote advantage for multilocus systems, since the classical definition is for one diallelic locus. I use 5 different definitions of heterozygote advantage. And for these five definitions, I show that heterozygote advantage is not a general mechanism for the maintenance of polymorphism. The study of the influence of undetected loci on evolutionary processes (second part of this work) is motivated by molecular works which aim at discovering the loci coding for a trait. For most of these works, some coding loci remains undetected. I show that undetected loci increases the probability of maintaining polymorphism under selection. In addition, conclusions about the factor that maintain polymorphism can be misleading if not all loci are considered. This is, therefore, only when all loci are detected that exact conclusions on the level of maintained polymorphism or on the factor(s) that maintain(s) polymorphism could be drawn. In the third part, the focus is on the expected release of additive genetic variance after bottleneck for selected traits. A previous study shows that the expected release of additive variance increases with an increase in the number of loci. I show that the expected release of additive variance after bottleneck increases for selected traits (compared with neutral), but this increase is not a function of the number of loci, but function of the recombination rate. Finally, the last part of this PhD thesis is a description of a package for the statistical software R that implements the Equation given above. It allows to generate data for different scenario regarding selection, recombination, and population size. This package opens perspectives for the theoretical population genetics that mainly focuses on one locus, while this work shows that increasing the number of loci leads not necessarily to straightforward results.

Report on Rest Area Water Systems for Interstate Highways, 1967

Introduction: As part of the roadside development along the Interstate Highway System, the Iowa State Highway Commission has constructed eight pair of rest area facilities. Furthermore, two pair are presently under construction with an additional two pair proposed for letting in 1967. An additional nine and one-half pairs of rest areas are in the planning phase, a grand total of 45 rest Brea buildings. The facilities existing were planned and designed in a relatively short period of time. The rest area facilities are unusual in terms of water use, water demand rates, and the fact that there are no applicable guidelines from previous installations. Such facilities are a pioneering effort to furnish a service -which the travelling public desires and will use. The acceptance and current use of the existing facilities shows that the rest areas do provide a service the public will use and appreciate. The Iowa State Highway Commission is to be congratulated for this· pioneering effort. However there are problems, as should be expected when design of a new type of facility has no past operating experience to use as a guide. Another factor which enters is that a rest area facility is quite different and rather unrelated to engineering in the highway field of practice. Basically, the problems encountered can be resolved into several areas, namely 1) maintenance problems in equipment due to 2) insufficient capacity of several other elements of the water systems, and 3) no provisions for water quality control. This study and report is supposed to essentially cover the review of the rest areas, either existing and under construction or letting. However, the approach used has been somewhat different. Several basic economically feasible water system schemes have been developed which are· adaptable to the different well capacities and different water qualities encountered. These basic designs are used as a guide in recommending modifications to the existing rest area water systems, anticipating that the basic designs will be used for future facilities. The magnitude of the problems involved is shown by the fact that the projected water use and demand variations of each rest area building is equivalent to the water supply for a community of about 100 people. The problems of proper operation and maintenance of an eventual thirty to forty-five such facilities are gigantic. For successful operation the rest area water systems must have a high degree of standardization and interchangeability of all elements of the water systems, even if it means a limited degree of over-design in some rest area facilities.

Final Report (SPR Project 90-00-RB10-012) on the Maintenance Asset Management Project Phase I, 2012

This project resulted in the development of a proof of concept for a features inventory process to be used by field staff. The resulting concept is adaptable for different asset classes (e.g. culverts, guardrail) and able to leverage existing DOT resources such as the videolog and LRS and our current technology platforms including Oracle and our GIS web infrastructure. The concept examined the feasibility of newly available technologies, such as mobile devices, while balancing ease of use in the field. Implementation and deployment costs were also important considerations in evaluating the success of the project. These project funds allowed the pilot to address the needs of two DOT districts. A report of findings was prepared, including recommendations for or against full deployment of the pilot solution.

Final Report (SPR Project 90-00-RB10-012) on the Maintenance Asset Management Project Phase II, 2013

This project resulted in the development of a proof of concept for a features inventory process to be used by field staff. The resulting concept is adaptable for different asset classes (e.g. culverts, guardrail) and able to leverage existing DOT resources such as the videolog and LRS and our current technology platforms including Oracle and our GIS web infrastructure. The concept examined the feasibility of newly available technologies, such as mobile devices, while balancing ease of use in the field. Implementation and deployment costs were also important considerations in evaluating the success of the project. These project funds allowed the pilot to address the needs of two DOT districts. A report of findings was prepared, including recommendations for a full deployment of a field data collection.

Maintenance and Design of Steel Abutment Piles in Iowa Bridges, TR-622, 2014

Soil consolidation and erosion caused by roadway runoff have exposed the upper portions of steel piles at the abutments of numerous bridges, leaving them susceptible to accelerated corrosion rates due to the abundance of moisture, oxygen, and chlorides at these locations. This problem is compounded by the relative inaccessibility of abutment piles for close-up inspection and repair. The objective of this study was to provide bridge owners with recommendations for effective methods of addressing corrosion of steel abutment piles in existing and future bridges A review of available literature on the performance and protection of steel piles exposed to a variety of environments was performed. Eight potential coating systems for use in protecting existing and/or new piles were selected and subjected to accelerated corrosion conditions in the laboratory. Two surface preparation methods were evaluated in the field and three coating systems were installed on three piles at an existing bridge where abutment piles had been exposed by erosion. In addition, a passive cathodic protection (CP) system using sacrificial zinc anodes was tested in the laboratory. Several trial flowable mortar mixes were evaluated for use in conjunction with the CP system. For existing abutment piles, application of a protective coating system is a promising method of mitigating corrosion. Based on its excellent performance in accelerated corrosion conditions in the laboratory on steel test specimens with SSPC-SP3, -SP6, and -SP10 surface preparations, glass flake polyester is recommended for use on existing piles. An alternative is epoxy over organic zinc rich primer. Surface preparation of existing piles should include abrasive blast cleaning to SSPC-SP6. Although additional field testing is needed, based on the results of the laboratory testing, a passive CP system could provide an effective means of protecting piles in existing bridges when combined with a pumped mortar used to fill voids between the abutment footing and soil. The addition of a corrosion inhibitor to the mortar appears to be beneficial. For new construction, shop application of thermally sprayed aluminum or glass flake polyester to the upper portion of the piles is recommended.

Re-Engineering CTE in Iowa: Aligning Career and Technical Education Reform, Workforce Development and Economic Development, August 2007

Iowa is a relatively small state and is on the rebound economically. It has an overall population that is stable, but which is shifting within the state from more rural areas to suburban and urban centers. There is a very tight labor market with high levels of employment. Iowa now has a time-sensitive opportunity to exert global leadership in renewable energy, while maintaining its leadership in other key industries like finance and agriculture.

Rapid Improvement and Maintenance of the Lipid Profile After Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGBP)

Background: Dyslipidemia, a major component of the metabolic syndrome and an important cardiovascular risk factor, is one of the commonest comorbidity associated with morbid obesity. The aim of this paper is to show that RYGBP markedly improves dyslipidemia and that this improvement maintains over time. Patients and Methods: Prospectively updated databank for bariatric patients. Patients undergoing RYGBP have yearly blood tests during follow-up. The results for lipids at one to five years were compared with preoperative values. Results: The mean excess BMI loss after one and five years was 77,9 % and 72,3%respectively. After one year, there was a significant reduction of the mean total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, total cholesterol/HDL ratio and triglyceride values, which maintained up to five years, and an increase of the HDL fraction, which progressed until five years. The proportion of patients with abnormal values decreased from 24,3 to 6,2% for total cholesterol, from 45,1 to 11,7 %for HDL, from 53,3 to 21,9 for LDL, and from 40,5 to 10 % for triglycerides, with no significant change between three and five years, despite some weight regain. Conclusions: RYGBP rapidly improves all components of dyslipidemia, and thereby reduces the overall cardiovascular risk in operated patients.

Deploying the Maintenance Decision Support System (MDSS) in Iowa, 2003

Adverse weather conditions dramatically affect the nation’s surface transportation system. The development of a prototype winter Maintenance Decision Support System (MDSS) is part of the Federal Highway Administration’s effort to produce a prototype tool for decision support to winter road maintenance managers to help make the highways safer for the traveling public. The MDSS is based on leading diagnostic and prognostic weather research capabilities and road condition algorithms, which are being developed at national research centers. In 2003, the Iowa Department of Transportation was chosen as a field test bed for the continuing development of this important research program. The Center for Transportation Research and Education assisted the Iowa Department of Transportation by collecting and analyzing surface condition data. The Federal Highway Administration also selected five national research centers to participate in the development of the prototype MDSS. It is anticipated that components of the prototype MDSS system developed by this project will ultimately be deployed by road operating agencies, including state departments of transportation, and generally supplied by private vendors.

Evaluation of Corrosion Resistance of Different Steel Reinforcement Types, 2006

The corrosion of steel reinforcement in an aging highway infrastructure is a major problem currently facing the transportation engineering community. In the United States alone, maintenance and replacement costs for deficient bridges are measured in billions of dollars. The application of corrosion-resistant steel reinforcement as an alternative reinforcement to existing mild steel reinforced concrete bridge decks has potential to mitigate corrosion problems, due to the fundamental properties associated with the materials. To investigate corrosion prevention through the use of corrosion-resistant alloys, the performance of corrosion resistance of MMFX microcomposite steel reinforcement, a high-strength, high-chromium steel reinforcement, was evaluated. The study consisted of both field and laboratory components conducted at the Iowa State University Bridge Engineering Center to determine whether MMFX reinforcement provides superior corrosion resistance to epoxy-coated mild steel reinforcement in bridge decks. Because definitive field evidence of the corrosion resistance of MMFX reinforcement may require several years of monitoring, strict attention was given to investigating reinforcement under accelerated conditions in the laboratory, based on typical ASTM and Rapid Macrocell accelerated corrosion tests. After 40 weeks of laboratory testing, the ASTM ACT corrosion potentials indicate that corrosion had not initiated for either MMFX or the as-delivered epoxy-coated reinforcement. Conversely, uncoated mild steel specimens underwent corrosion within the fifth week, while epoxy-coated reinforcement specimens with induced holidays underwent corrosion between 15 and 30 weeks. Within the fifth week of testing, the Rapid Macrocell ACT produced corrosion risk potentials that indicate active corrosion for all reinforcement types tested. While the limited results from the 40 weeks of laboratory testing may not constitute a prediction of life expectancy and life-cycle cost, a procedure is presented herein to determine life expectancy and associated life-cycle costs.

Effectiveness of psychotropic medications in the maintenance phase of bipolar disorder:a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

The purpose of this meta-analysis was to examine the efficacy of maintenance treatments for bipolar disorder. Placebo-controlled or active comparator bipolar maintenance clinical trials of ≥6 months' duration with at least 15 patients/treatment group were identified using Medline, EMBASE, clinicaltrials.gov, and Cochrane databases (1993 to July 2010). The main outcome measure was relative risk for relapse for patients in remission. Twenty trials (5,364 patients) were identified. Overall, lithium and quetiapine were the most studied agents (eight and five trials, respectively). The majority of studies included patients who had previously responded to treatment for an acute episode. All interventions, with the exception of perphenazine+mood stabilizer, showed a relative risk for manic/mixed or depressive relapse below 1.0, although there was variation in the statistical significance of the findings vs. placebo. No monotherapy was associated with a significantly reduced risk for both manic/mixed and depressed relapse. Of the combination treatments, only quetiapine+lithium/divalproex, was associated with a significantly reduced risk vs. comparator (placebo+lithium/valproate) for relapse at both the manic/mixed and depressed poles of bipolar illness. Limitations for the analysis include differences in study durations and definitions of relapse. In conclusion, available maintenance therapies show considerable variation in efficacy. The efficacy of lithium and divalproex has been confirmed, but newer therapies, such as a number of atypical antipsychotics were also shown to be effective in bipolar disorder. Efficacy of all maintenance interventions needs to be balanced against the safety and tolerability profiles of individual agents.

Highway Maintenance Concept Vehicle Final Report: Phase Three, 2001

This report documents Phase III of a four-phase project. The goals of the project are to study the feasibility of using advanced technology from other industries to improve he efficiency and safety of winter highway maintenance vehicle operations, and to provide travelers with the level of service defined by policy during the winter season at the least cost to the taxpayers. The results of the first phase of the research were documented in the Concept Highway Maintenance Vehicle Final Report: Phase One dated April 1997, which describes the desirable functions of a concept maintenance vehicle and evaluates its feasibility. Phase I concluded by establishing the technologies that would be assembled and tested on the prototype vehicles in Phase II. The primary goals of phase II were to install the selected technologies on the prototype winter maintenance vehicles and to conduct proof of concept in advance of field evaluations planned for Phase III. This Phase III final report documents the work completed since the end of Phase II. During this time period, the Phase III work plan was completed and the redesigned friction meter was field tested. A vendor meeting was held to discuss future private sector participation and the new design for the Iowa vehicle. In addition, weather and roadway condition data were collected from the roadway weather information systems at selected sites in Iowa and Minnesota, for comparison to the vehicles' onboard temperature sensors. Furthermore, the team received new technology, such as the mobile Frensor unit, for bench testing and later installation.