Development of a high throughput PCR to detect Coxiella burnetii and its application in a diagnostic laboratory over a 7-year period.

Q fever is a worldwide zoonotic infectious disease due to Coxiella burnetii. The clinical presentation may be acute (pneumonia and/or hepatitis) or chronic (most commonly endocarditis). Diagnosis mainly relies on serology and PCR. We therefore developed a quantitative real-time PCR. We first tested blindly its performance on various clinical samples and then, when thoroughly validated, we applied it during a 7-year period for the diagnosis of both acute and persistent C. burnetii infection. Analytical sensitivity (< 10 copies/PCR) was excellent. When tested blindly on 183 samples, the specificity of the PCR was 100% (142/142) and the sensitivity was 71% (29/41). The sensitivity was 88% (7/8) on valvular samples, 69% (20/29) on blood samples and 50% (2/4) on urine samples. This new quantitative PCR was then successfully applied for the diagnosis of acute Q fever and endovascular infection due to C. burnetii, allowing the diagnosis of Q fever in six patients over a 7-year period. During a local small cluster of cases, the PCR was also applied to blood from 1355 blood donors; all were negative confirming the high specificity of this test. In conclusion, we developed a highly specific method with excellent sensitivity, which may be used on sera for the diagnosis of acute Q fever and on various samples such as sera, valvular samples, aortic specimens, bone and liver, for the diagnosis of persistent C. burnetii infection.

Report on a special investigation of the Tama County Sheriff’s Office for the period January 1, 2007 through December 31, 2010

Report on a special investigation of the Tama County Sheriff’s Office for the period January 1, 2007 through December 31, 2010

Industrial agglomerations and wage gradients: the Spanish economy in the interwar period

This paper gives new evidence on the relationship between integration and industrial agglomeration in the presence of scale economies, by testing directly one of the predictions that can be derived from Krugman (1991), that is, the existence of regional nominal wage gradients and its transformation following changes in trade regimes. Our case study analyzes the effects of the substitution of an open economy by a closed economy regime, exactly the opposite process studied by Hanson (1996, 1997). In Spain, during the interwar period, protectionist policies would have favored the loss of centrality of the coastal location (Barcelona) and the relative rise of central locations (such as Madrid). Our results indicate the existence of a wage gradient centered in Barcelona during the interwar period (1914-1930) and its weakening after 1925.

Report on a special investigation of the City of Stockton for the period July 1, 2004 to October 31, 2010

Report on a special investigation of the City of Stockton for the period July 1, 2004 to October 31, 2010

Report on a special investigation of the Lake Mills Community School District for the period July 1, 2005 through December 31, 2010

Report on a special investigation of the Lake Mills Community School District for the period July 1, 2005 through December 31, 2010

Rainfall erosivity and rainfall return period in the experimental watershed of Aracruz, in the coastal plain of Espirito Santo, Brazil

Knowledge on the factors influencing water erosion is fundamental for the choice of the best land use practices. Rainfall, expressed by rainfall erosivity, is one of the most important factors of water erosion. The objective of this study was to determine rainfall erosivity and the return period of rainfall in the Coastal Plains region, near Aracruz, a town in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil, based on available data. Rainfall erosivity was calculated based on historic rainfall data, collected from January 1998 to July 2004 at 5 min intervals, by automatic weather stations of the Aracruz Cellulose S.A company. A linear regression with individual rainfall and erosivity data was fit to obtain an equation that allowed data extrapolation to calculate individual erosivity for a 30-year period. Based on this data the annual average rainfall erosivity in Aracruz was 8,536 MJ mm ha-1 h-1 yr-1. Of the total annual rainfall erosivity 85 % was observed in the most critical period October to March. Annual erosive rains accounted for 38 % of the events causing erosion, although the runoff volume represented 88 % of the total. The annual average rainfall erosivity return period was estimated to be 3.4 years.

Report on a special investigation of the City of Garner for the period January 1, 2006 through February 22, 2011

Report on a special investigation of the City of Garner for the period January 1, 2006 through February 22, 2011

Special investigation of the Glenwood Resource Center Client Activity Clearing Account for the period January 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010

Special investigation of the Glenwood Resource Center Client Activity Clearing Account for the period January 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010

Report on a review of selected application controls over the Iowa Department of Transportation’s Payroll System for the period April 12, 2010 through June 30, 2010

Report on a review of selected application controls over the Iowa Department of Transportation’s Payroll System for the period April 12, 2010 through June 30, 2010

Report on a review of selected general and application controls for the Iowa Department of Education’s Electronic Access System for Iowa Education Records (EASIER) system for the period April 4 through May 10, 2011

Report on a review of selected general and application controls for the Iowa Department of Education’s Electronic Access System for Iowa Education Records (EASIER) system for the period April 4 through May 10, 2011

Report on the Iowa Early Intervention Block Grant Program administered by the Department of Education for the period July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2010

Report on the Iowa Early Intervention Block Grant Program administered by the Department of Education for the period July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2010

The effectiveness of a standardised preoperative preparation in reducing child and parent anxiety: a single-blind randomised controlled trial.

AIMS: To evaluate the effect of a structured preoperative preparation on child and parent state anxiety, child behavioural change and parent satisfaction. BACKGROUND: It is estimated that around 50-70% of hospitalised children experience severe anxiety and distress prior to surgery. Children who are highly anxious and distressed preoperatively are likely to be distressed on awakening and have negative postoperative behaviour. Although education before surgery has been found to be useful mostly in North America, the effectiveness of preoperative preparation programme adapted to the Australian context remains to be tested. DESIGN: This single-blind randomised controlled study was conducted at a tertiary referral hospital for children in Western Australia. METHODS: Following ethics approval and parental consent, 73 children and one of their carers (usually a parent) were randomly assigned into two groups. The control group had standard practice with no specific preoperative education and the experimental group received a preoperative preparation, including a photo file, demonstration of equipment using a role-modelling approach and a tour. RESULTS: The preoperative preparation reduced parent state anxiety significantly (-2·32, CI -4·06 to -0·56, p = 0·009), but not child anxiety (-0·59, CI -1·23 to 0·06, p = 0·07). There was no significant difference in child postoperative behaviour or parent satisfaction between the groups. There was a significant two-point pain score reduction in the preoperative preparation group, when compared with the control group median 2 (IQR 5) and 4 (IQR 4), respectively (p = 0·001).¦CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative preparation was more efficient on parent than child. Although the preoperative preparation had limited effect on child anxiety, it permitted to decrease pain experience in the postoperative period.¦RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Parents should be actively involved in their child preoperative preparation.

Report on a review of selected general and application controls over the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System (IPERS) Legacy and I-Que Pension Administration Systems for the period May 16, 2011 through June 16, 2011

Report on a review of selected general and application controls over the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System (IPERS) Legacy and I-Que Pension Administration Systems for the period May 16, 2011 through June 16, 2011