The EuroSIDA study: Regional differences in the HIV-1 epidemic and treatment response to antiretroviral therapy among HIV-infected patients across Europe--a review of published results.

EuroSIDA is a pan-European observational study that follows 14,265 HIV-infected patients from 31 European countries, Israel and Argentina, of which 2,560 are patients from eastern Europe (EE). The study group has performed several analyses addressing regional differences in the HIV-epidemic across Europe, where all countries were divided into five regions: south, west central, north, east central Europe and EE. Significant regional differences in patients' characteristics and pattern of AIDS diagnoses were documented. More patients from EE were diagnosed with tuberculosis compared to other regions. Significantly fewer HIV-infected patients in EE, who fulfilled the criteria for starting combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), actually received cART as compared with other regions of Europe. Those, receiving cART in EE had a lower initial virologic response rate irrespectively of the regimen used, although it has improved within years. Besides, treatment failure was more common in this region. Thus, improvements in the clinical management of HIV patients in EE are urgently needed. Strategies include creating scientific collaborations for HIV clinicians as well as teaching clinicians about the most advanced HIV management at clinically oriented courses held in eastern Europe.

Total Cost of Transportation Analysis of Road and Highway Issues, HR-388, 2002

In the administration, planning, design, and maintenance of road systems, transportation professionals often need to choose between alternatives, justify decisions, evaluate tradeoffs, determine how much to spend, set priorities, assess how well the network meets traveler needs, and communicate the basis for their actions to others. A variety of technical guidelines, tools, and methods have been developed to help with these activities. Such work aids include design criteria guidelines, design exception analysis methods, needs studies, revenue allocation schemes, regional planning guides, designation of minimum standards, sufficiency ratings, management systems, point based systems to determine eligibility for paving, functional classification, and bridge ratings. While such tools play valuable roles, they also manifest a number of deficiencies and are poorly integrated. Design guides tell what solutions MAY be used, they aren't oriented towards helping find which one SHOULD be used. Design exception methods help justify deviation from design guide requirements but omit consideration of important factors. Resource distribution is too often based on dividing up what's available rather than helping determine how much should be spent. Point systems serve well as procedural tools but are employed primarily to justify decisions that have already been made. In addition, the tools aren't very scalable: a system level method of analysis seldom works at the project level and vice versa. In conjunction with the issues cited above, the operation and financing of the road and highway system is often the subject of criticisms that raise fundamental questions: What is the best way to determine how much money should be spent on a city or a county's road network? Is the size and quality of the rural road system appropriate? Is too much or too little money spent on road work? What parts of the system should be upgraded and in what sequence? Do truckers receive a hidden subsidy from other motorists? Do transportation professions evaluate road situations from too narrow of a perspective? In considering the issues and questions the author concluded that it would be of value if one could identify and develop a new method that would overcome the shortcomings of existing methods, be scalable, be capable of being understood by the general public, and utilize a broad viewpoint. After trying out a number of concepts, it appeared that a good approach would be to view the road network as a sub-component of a much larger system that also includes vehicles, people, goods-in-transit, and all the ancillary items needed to make the system function. Highway investment decisions could then be made on the basis of how they affect the total cost of operating the total system. A concept, named the "Total Cost of Transportation" method, was then developed and tested. The concept rests on four key principles: 1) that roads are but one sub-system of a much larger 'Road Based Transportation System', 2) that the size and activity level of the overall system are determined by market forces, 3) that the sum of everything expended, consumed, given up, or permanently reserved in building the system and generating the activity that results from the market forces represents the total cost of transportation, and 4) that the economic purpose of making road improvements is to minimize that total cost. To test the practical value of the theory, a special database and spreadsheet model of Iowa's county road network was developed. This involved creating a physical model to represent the size, characteristics, activity levels, and the rates at which the activities take place, developing a companion economic cost model, then using the two in tandem to explore a variety of issues. Ultimately, the theory and model proved capable of being used in full system, partial system, single segment, project, and general design guide levels of analysis. The method appeared to be capable of remedying many of the existing work method defects and to answer society's transportation questions from a new perspective.

Audit report on the Great River Regional Waste Authority for the year ended June 30, 2014

Audit report on the Great River Regional Waste Authority for the year ended June 30, 2014

Report on the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System and schedules of employer allocations and collective pension amounts allocated by employer for the year ended June 30, 2014

Report on the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System and schedules of employer allocations and collective pension amounts allocated by employer for the year ended June 30, 2014

Report on the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System and schedules of employer allocations and collective pension amounts allocated by employer for the year ended June 30, 2013

Report on the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System and schedules of employer allocations and collective pension amounts allocated by employer for the year ended June 30, 2013

Audit report on the Regional Utility Service Systems Commission for the year ended June 30, 2014

Audit report on the Regional Utility Service Systems Commission for the year ended June 30, 2014

Report on the Iowa Department of Public Health for the year ended June 30, 2014

Report on the Iowa Department of Public Health for the year ended June 30, 2014

Report on the Iowa Public Information Board for the year ended June 30, 2014

Report on the Iowa Public Information Board for the year ended June 30, 2014

Audit report on the South Central Iowa Regional E-911 Service Board for the year ended June 30, 2005

Audit report on the South Central Iowa Regional E-911 Service Board for the year ended June 30, 2005

Audit report on the South Central Iowa Regional E-911 Service Board for the year ended June 30, 2004

Audit report on the South Central Iowa Regional E-911 Service Board for the year ended June 30, 2004

Report on the Iowa Department of Public Safety for the year ended June 30, 2014

Report on the Iowa Department of Public Safety for the year ended June 30, 2014

Audit report on the South Central Iowa Regional E-911 Service Board for the year ended June 30, 2015

Audit report on the South Central Iowa Regional E-911 Service Board for the year ended June 30, 2015

Statewide Work-Based Learning Intermediary Network, FY2014, November 26, 2014

The Iowa Department of Education (DE) was appropriated $1.45 million for the development and implementation of a statewide work-based learning intermediary network. This funding was awarded on a competitive basis to 15 regional intermediary networks. Funds received by the regional intermediary networks from the state through this grant are to be used to develop and expand work-based learning opportunities within each region. A match of resources equal to 25 percent was a requirement of the funding. This match could include private donations, in-kind contributions, or public moneys. Funds may be used to support personnel responsible for the implementation of the intermediary network program components.

Audit report on Iowa Public Television for the year ended June 30, 2015

Audit report on Iowa Public Television for the year ended June 30, 2015

Department of Education Iowa Public Television Performance Plan, FY2015

Agency Performance Plan, Iowa Public Television