A Sufficiency Rating System for Secondary Roads in Iowa, HR-264, Volume I, 1985

County engineers in Iowa face the dual problems of rapidly escalating costs and a decreasing rate of growth of revenues. Various priority systems are in use, ranking projects for inclusion in road improvement programs, but they generally have weaknesses when used to compare one project with another in a different location. The sufficiency rating system has proven to be a useful tool in developing a priority list of projects for primary road systems, but there are none currently in use for secondary road systems. The research reported here was undertaken to develop a sufficiency rating system which could be used for secondary roads in Iowa and to produce the necessary forms and instructions to aid county engineering personnel in their efforts to complete the ratings for roads within their county.

A Sufficiency Rating System for Secondary Roads in Iowa, HR-264, Volume II, 1985

The goal of this study is to develop a usable sufficiency rating system for secondary roads. There are several assumptions that have been made at the outset. These are: 1. County engineers currently use at least a limited set of decision criteria to make decisions regarding project priorities. 2. Some degree of consensus exists among the county engineers in terms of which are the most important criteria and that there is some agreement on their relative importance. Accordingly, a questionnaire was developed which could be used as a survey tool. The results of the survey were used to develop a final list of weighted rating elements which were used as part of the proposed sufficiency rating system. State and local jurisdictions from other states were also surveyed to determine the status of the use of sufficiency rating systems for secondary roads outside of Iowa and to gather some applicable data.

Skid Resistance of the Secondary Road System in Iowa, MLR-77-1, 1977

The Iowa Department of Transportation has been conducting skid resistance tests on the paved secondary system on a routine basis since 1973. This report summarizes the data obtained through 1976 on 10,101 miles in 95 of the 99 counties in Iowa. A summary of the skid resistance on the secondary system is presented by pavement type and age. The data indicates that the overall skid resistance on this road system is excellent. Higher traffic roads (over 1000 vehicles per day) have a lower skid resistance than the average of the secondary roads for the same age and pavement type. The use of non-polishing aggregates in asphaltic concrete paving surface courses and transverse grooving of portland cement concrete paving on high traffic roads is recommended. The routine resurvey of skid resistance on the secondary road system on a 5-year interval is probably not economically justified and could be extended to a 10-year interval.

A critical evaluation of secondary cancer risk models applied to Monte Carlo dose distributions of 2-dimensional, 3-dimensional conformal and hybrid intensity-modulated radiation therapy for breast cancer.

The comparison of radiotherapy techniques regarding secondary cancer risk has yielded contradictory results possibly stemming from the many different approaches used to estimate risk. The purpose of this study was to make a comprehensive evaluation of different available risk models applied to detailed whole-body dose distributions computed by Monte Carlo for various breast radiotherapy techniques including conventional open tangents, 3D conformal wedged tangents and hybrid intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). First, organ-specific linear risk models developed by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) and the Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation (BEIR) VII committee were applied to mean doses for remote organs only and all solid organs. Then, different general non-linear risk models were applied to the whole body dose distribution. Finally, organ-specific non-linear risk models for the lung and breast were used to assess the secondary cancer risk for these two specific organs. A total of 32 different calculated absolute risks resulted in a broad range of values (between 0.1% and 48.5%) underlying the large uncertainties in absolute risk calculation. The ratio of risk between two techniques has often been proposed as a more robust assessment of risk than the absolute risk. We found that the ratio of risk between two techniques could also vary substantially considering the different approaches to risk estimation. Sometimes the ratio of risk between two techniques would range between values smaller and larger than one, which then translates into inconsistent results on the potential higher risk of one technique compared to another. We found however that the hybrid IMRT technique resulted in a systematic reduction of risk compared to the other techniques investigated even though the magnitude of this reduction varied substantially with the different approaches investigated. Based on the epidemiological data available, a reasonable approach to risk estimation would be to use organ-specific non-linear risk models applied to the dose distributions of organs within or near the treatment fields (lungs and contralateral breast in the case of breast radiotherapy) as the majority of radiation-induced secondary cancers are found in the beam-bordering regions.

Superior diagnostic performance of perfusion-cardiovascular magnetic resonance versus SPECT to detect coronary artery disease: The secondary endpoints of the multicenter multivendor MR-IMPACT II (Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Myocardial Perfusion Assessment in Coronary Artery Disease Trial).

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Perfusion-cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) is generally accepted as an alternative to SPECT to assess myocardial ischemia non-invasively. However its performance vs gated-SPECT and in sub-populations is not fully established. The goal was to compare in a multicenter setting the diagnostic performance of perfusion-CMR and gated-SPECT for the detection of CAD in various populations using conventional x-ray coronary angiography (CXA) as the standard of reference. METHODS: In 33 centers (in US and Europe) 533 patients, eligible for CXA or SPECT, were enrolled in this multivendor trial. SPECT and CXA were performed within 4 weeks before or after CMR in all patients. Prevalence of CAD in the sample was 49% and 515 patients received MR contrast medium. Drop-out rates for CMR and SPECT were 5.6% and 3.7%, respectively (ns). The study was powered for the primary endpoint of non-inferiority of CMR vs SPECT for both, sensitivity and specificity for the detection of CAD (using a single-threshold reading), the results for the primary endpoint were reported elsewhere. In this article secondary endpoints are presented, i.e. the diagnostic performance of CMR versus SPECT in subpopulations such as multi-vessel disease (MVD), in men, in women, and in patients without prior myocardial infarction (MI). For diagnostic performance assessment the area under the receiver-operator-characteristics-curve (AUC) was calculated. Readers were blinded versus clinical data, CXA, and imaging results. RESULTS: The diagnostic performance (= area under ROC = AUC) of CMR was superior to SPECT (p = 0.0004, n = 425) and to gated-SPECT (p = 0.018, n = 253). CMR performed better than SPECT in MVD (p = 0.003 vs all SPECT, p = 0.04 vs gated-SPECT), in men (p = 0.004, n = 313) and in women (p = 0.03, n = 112) as well as in the non-infarct patients (p = 0.005, n = 186 in 1-3 vessel disease and p = 0.015, n = 140 in MVD). CONCLUSION: In this large multicenter, multivendor study the diagnostic performance of perfusion-CMR to detect CAD was superior to perfusion SPECT in the entire population and in sub-groups. Perfusion-CMR can be recommended as an alternative for SPECT imaging. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, Identifier: NCT00977093.

Maternal exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls and the secondary sex ratio: an occupational cohort study.

Background: Though commercial production of polychlorinated biphenyls was banned in the United States in 1977, exposure continues due to their environmental persistence. Several studies have examined the associationbetween environmental polychlorinated biphenyl exposure and modulations of the secondary sex ratio, with conflicting results.Objective: Our objective was to evaluate the association between maternal preconceptional occupational polychlorinated biphenyl exposure and the secondary sex ratio.Methods: We examined primipara singleton births of 2595 women, who worked in three capacitor plants at least one year during the period polychlorinated biphenyls were used. Cumulative estimated maternal occupationalpolychlorinated biphenyl exposure at the time of the infant's conception was calculated from plant-specific job exposure matrices. A logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the association between maternalpolychlorinated biphenyl exposure and male sex at birth (yes/no).Results: Maternal body mass index at age 20, smoking status, and race did not vary between those occupationally exposed and those unexposed before the child's conception. Polychlorinated biphenyl-exposed mothers were, however, more likely to have used oral contraceptives and to have been older at the birth of their first child than non-occupationally exposed women. Among 1506 infants liveborn to polychlorinated biphenyl-exposedprimiparous women, 49.8% were male; compared to 49.9% among those not exposed (n = 1089). Multivariate analyses controlling for mother's age and year of birth found no significant association between the odds of amale birth and mother's cumulative estimated polychlorinated biphenyl exposure to time of conception.Conclusions: Based on these data, we find no evidence of altered sex ratio among children born to primiparous polychlorinated biphenyl-exposed female workers.

Vorapaxar in the secondary prevention of atherothrombotic events.

BACKGROUND: Thrombin potently activates platelets through the protease-activated receptor PAR-1. Vorapaxar is a novel antiplatelet agent that selectively inhibits the cellular actions of thrombin through antagonism of PAR-1. METHODS: We randomly assigned 26,449 patients who had a history of myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, or peripheral arterial disease to receive vorapaxar (2.5 mg daily) or matching placebo and followed them for a median of 30 months. The primary efficacy end point was the composite of death from cardiovascular causes, myocardial infarction, or stroke. After 2 years, the data and safety monitoring board recommended discontinuation of the study treatment in patients with a history of stroke owing to the risk of intracranial hemorrhage. RESULTS: At 3 years, the primary end point had occurred in 1028 patients (9.3%) in the vorapaxar group and in 1176 patients (10.5%) in the placebo group (hazard ratio for the vorapaxar group, 0.87; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.80 to 0.94; P<0.001). Cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stroke, or recurrent ischemia leading to revascularization occurred in 1259 patients (11.2%) in the vorapaxar group and 1417 patients (12.4%) in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.82 to 0.95; P=0.001). Moderate or severe bleeding occurred in 4.2% of patients who received vorapaxar and 2.5% of those who received placebo (hazard ratio, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.43 to 1.93; P<0.001). There was an increase in the rate of intracranial hemorrhage in the vorapaxar group (1.0%, vs. 0.5% in the placebo group; P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Inhibition of PAR-1 with vorapaxar reduced the risk of cardiovascular death or ischemic events in patients with stable atherosclerosis who were receiving standard therapy. However, it increased the risk of moderate or severe bleeding, including intracranial hemorrhage. (Funded by Merck; TRA 2P-TIMI 50 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00526474.).

The effect of dose on the antimalarial efficacy of artemether-lumefantrine: a systematic review and pooled analysis of individual patient data.

BACKGROUND: Artemether-lumefantrine is the most widely used artemisinin-based combination therapy for malaria, although treatment failures occur in some regions. We investigated the effect of dosing strategy on efficacy in a pooled analysis from trials done in a wide range of malaria-endemic settings. METHODS: We searched PubMed for clinical trials that enrolled and treated patients with artemether-lumefantrine and were published from 1960 to December, 2012. We merged individual patient data from these trials by use of standardised methods. The primary endpoint was the PCR-adjusted risk of Plasmodium falciparum recrudescence by day 28. Secondary endpoints consisted of the PCR-adjusted risk of P falciparum recurrence by day 42, PCR-unadjusted risk of P falciparum recurrence by day 42, early parasite clearance, and gametocyte carriage. Risk factors for PCR-adjusted recrudescence were identified using Cox's regression model with frailty shared across the study sites. FINDINGS: We included 61 studies done between January, 1998, and December, 2012, and included 14 327 patients in our analyses. The PCR-adjusted therapeutic efficacy was 97·6% (95% CI 97·4-97·9) at day 28 and 96·0% (95·6-96·5) at day 42. After controlling for age and parasitaemia, patients prescribed a higher dose of artemether had a lower risk of having parasitaemia on day 1 (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 0·92, 95% CI 0·86-0·99 for every 1 mg/kg increase in daily artemether dose; p=0·024), but not on day 2 (p=0·69) or day 3 (0·087). In Asia, children weighing 10-15 kg who received a total lumefantrine dose less than 60 mg/kg had the lowest PCR-adjusted efficacy (91·7%, 95% CI 86·5-96·9). In Africa, the risk of treatment failure was greatest in malnourished children aged 1-3 years (PCR-adjusted efficacy 94·3%, 95% CI 92·3-96·3). A higher artemether dose was associated with a lower gametocyte presence within 14 days of treatment (adjusted OR 0·92, 95% CI 0·85-0·99; p=0·037 for every 1 mg/kg increase in total artemether dose). INTERPRETATION: The recommended dose of artemether-lumefantrine provides reliable efficacy in most patients with uncomplicated malaria. However, therapeutic efficacy was lowest in young children from Asia and young underweight children from Africa; a higher dose regimen should be assessed in these groups. FUNDING: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Timeframe of speciation inferred from secondary contact zones in the European tree frog radiation (Hyla arborea group).

BACKGROUND: Hybridization between incipient species is expected to become progressively limited as their genetic divergence increases and reproductive isolation proceeds. Amphibian radiations and their secondary contact zones are useful models to infer the timeframes of speciation, but empirical data from natural systems remains extremely scarce. Here we follow this approach in the European radiation of tree frogs (Hyla arborea group). We investigated a natural hybrid zone between two lineages (Hyla arborea and Hyla orientalis) of Mio-Pliocene divergence (~5 My) for comparison with other hybrid systems from this group. RESULTS: We found concordant geographic distributions of nuclear and mitochondrial gene pools, and replicated narrow transitions (~30 km) across two independent transects, indicating an advanced state of reproductive isolation and potential local barriers to dispersal. This result parallels the situation between H. arborea and H. intermedia, which share the same amount of divergence with H. orientalis. In contrast, younger lineages show much stronger admixture at secondary contacts. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings corroborate the negative relationship between hybridizability and divergence time in European tree frogs, where 5 My are necessary to achieve almost complete reproductive isolation. Speciation seems to progress homogeneously in this radiation, and might thus be driven by gradual genome-wide changes rather than single speciation genes. However, the timescale differs greatly from that of other well-studied amphibians. General assumptions on the time necessary for speciation based on evidence from unrelated taxa may thus be unreliable. In contrast, comparative hybrid zone analyses within single radiations such as our case study are useful to appreciate the advance of speciation in space and time.

First secondary metabolites from Herissantia crispa L (Brizicky) and the toxicity activity against Artemia salina Leach

The phytochemical investigation of Herissantia crispa led to the isolation of seven compounds, identified as: sitosterol 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, stigmasterol 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, 3,5,7,4'-tetrahydroxyflavone (kaempferol), 3,5,7,3',4'-pentahydroxyflavone (quercetin), unpublished in the genus Herissantia, besides β-sitosterol, kaempferol 3-O-β-D-(6''-E-p-coumaroil) (tiliroside) glucopyranoside and kaempferol 3,7-di-O-α-L-ramnopyranoside (lespedin), described for the first time in the species. The structural determination of the compounds was made by means of spectroscopy methods such as Infrared Spectroscopy, ¹H and 13C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, with the aid of two dimensional techniques, and by comparison with literature data. The toxicity activity of the MeOH extract and lespedin on Artemia salina Leach. was also carried out.

Middle school mediocrity : quality and inequality in secondary education

Centrala teman i min avhandling är parallellskolesystem, linjedelning och segregering i högstadier och gymnasier. Det finns stora skillnader mellan länder gällande den årskurs då eleverna sorteras in i olika nivåer genom skilda klasser eller skolor. I Tyskland och Nederländerna till exempel delas eleverna upp före högstadiet medan Sverige och Finland har enhetsskolor på högstadienivå. Jag argumenterar att parallellskolesystem har en positiv effekt på elevernas testresultat i årskurserna före linjedelningen. Eleverna har incitament att jobba hårdare för att komma på i den akademiska linjen. Jag undersöker incitamentseffekter empiriskt, och hittar mönster konsistenta med incitamentseffekter både i brittisk och i internationell data. Det andra bidraget i avhandlingen är metodologiskt. Nationalekonomer brukar behandla testresultat från t.ex. IQ-tester eller internationella PISA-undersökningar som om absoluta nivån på poängantalen har betydelse i sig. I verkligheten antyder de endast en rangordning. Jag visar att normalfördelade testresultat i många fall ligger tillräckligt nära dess pengavärde på arbetsmarknaden för att ändå kunna tolkas som absoluta.

Density of primary and secondary epidermal laminae of equine hoof

Differences in the microscopic morphology of the hoof in forelimbs and hindlimbs of horses have been scarcely reported in the literature, especially concerning the distribution of primary and secondary epidermal laminae in the different regions. This study aimed to determine the density of primary and secondary epidermal laminae in the hoof of horses. For this, it was used fore and hindlimbs of 16 adult mixed breed horses. With a cross section 0.5 cm above the sole, it was quantified the primary epidermal laminae in the regions of the toe, and of lateral and medial quarters. Fragments with about 1cm ³ were taken from the proximal, middle and distal thirds of the hooves, in the different regions, subjected to conventional histological techniques and examined with an optical microscope. Data were statistically analyzed in relation to the fore and hindlimbs and between their various regions. The density of primary epidermal laminae varied around the hoof circumference, with greater values in the hoof toe, which gradually decreased towards the bulb of the hoof, without difference between thoracic and pelvic limbs. The average density of the secondary epidermal laminae per primary epidermal lamina does not change around the circumference of the hoof. Our findings indicated that the density of epidermal laminae is not different between fore and hindlimbs. The variation in the density of primary epidermal laminae around the hoof seems to be part of an adaptive response to different stresses in each region. A better understanding of the structural morphology contributes to a better understanding of the diagnosis, pathophysiology, and treatment of disorders that affect the hoof.

Transition into the teaching profession: induction and mentoring issues surrounding secondary music teachers /

The purpose of this study was to investigate the issues surrounding the transition into the teaching profession by specifically focusing on teacher induction and mentoring issues while explicitly addressing matters of concern by secondary music teachers in a large suburban school board in southern Ontario. Participants included beginning teachers with fewer than 5 years of teaching, mid career teachers with between 6 and 15 years of instruction, and experienced teachers with more than 16 years of practice. The ' processes of mentoring and inducting new teachers within the board were examined, along with their relationships between proteges, mentors, and administrators. Further, internal and external programs specifically designed and implemented for newer music teachers were scrutinized and discussed. An analysis of key documents and literature on the subject was performed, and data were collected through 16 personal interviews. The findings suggest that although the necessity of mentoring and induction processes has begun to be recognized, there exists a fundamental relationship between mentoring and induction and the effect of the professional attachments to mentoring; the institutional and administrative supports that are enabled; and essential processes and practices between mentors and proteges. Together these three arms combine to support successfiil induction and mentoring initiatives that will help ease the transition into teaching.

"Where is the value in education for me?": experiences and perspectives of Ontario secondary students at risk of non-completion of their Ontario Secondary School Diploma /

This study examined students considered at risk of non-completion of their Ontario Secondary School Diploma and aimed to offer insight into the questions, "What factors currently lead to school disconnect" and "How can these factors be addressed?" Eight students currently enrolled in an alternative learning environment participated in the study. Each was asked to take part in two, digitally recorded interviews that were subsequently transcribed by the researcher. The data were then coded and analysed according to specific themes: obstacles, empowerment, goals, views about success, opinions of school, and power of the teacher. From these themes, three broad focus areas emerged that were used to keep the data analysis focused: worldview, school effects, and self-image. Variances between the data collected and ideas presented in the current literature were highlighted as a reminder that when dealing with a human population, we cannot rely on textbook definitions and theory alone.

Ethical space in a secondary school: a case study /

Discourse in the provincial education system that includes Aboriginal peoples is a convoluted one-sided affair. This has contributed to the limited academic success for Aboriginal secondary students in the provincial school system. The Office of the Auditor General (2004) announced a 27-28 year gap in Academic success compared to non- Aboriginal students (p. I). Both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal stakeholders are fiiistrated and confused with the lack of support for long-term solutions to address academic success for Aboriginal students. The boundaries in education that exist between the dominant society of Canada and Aboriginal peoples in education are hindering the development of ethical space in which to negotiate and apply "concrete arguments and concepts" (Ermine, 2000, p. 140) for 'best' solutions across the cultural divide. Recent literature suggests a gap in knowledge to address this cultural divide. This study reveals racism is still prevalent and the problem lies in the fallacy of Euro-Western pedagogical beliefs. There is a need to design ethical space that will assist transformation of cross-relations in education for inclusion of Aboriginal voices and content. I submit that ethical space involves physical and abstract space. This report is a qualitative, exploratory, and single case study of one northern Ontario secondary school attended by First Nations and Metis peoples who comprise 35% of the school population. Twenty-six stakeholders volunteered to participate in six interviews. The volunteers in this study are Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal. Aboriginal peoples are firom two First Nations, and Metis peoples. It is an Aboriginal designed and delivered study that a) describes an Aboriginally-designed research method to gather data across cultural divides in a secondary school, b) reviews Tri-Council Policy Section 6 (TCPS) regarding 'good practices' in ethical research involving Aboriginal peoples, and c) summarizes stakeholder perspectives of the 'best educational environment' for one secondary school.