Agency Fact Sheet, Department of Corrections: Administration, FY2009

This document produced by the Iowa Department of Administrative Services has been developed to provide a multitude of information about executive branch agencies/department on a single sheet of paper. The facts provides general information, contact information, workforce data, leave and benefits information and affirmative action data.

Agency Fact Sheet, Department of Human Services: Administration, FY2009

This document produced by the Iowa Department of Administrative Services has been developed to provide a multitude of information about executive branch agencies/department on a single sheet of paper. The facts provides general information, contact information, workforce data, leave and benefits information and affirmative action data.

Immune activation alters cellular and humoral responses to yellow fever 17D vaccine.

Background. Defining the parameters that modulate vaccine responses in African populations will be imperative to design effective vaccines for protection against HIV, malaria, tuberculosis, and dengue virus infections. This study aimed to evaluate the contribution of the patient-specific immune microenvironment to the response to the licensed yellow fever vaccine 17D (YF-17D) in an African cohort. Methods. We compared responses to YF-17D in 50 volunteers in Entebbe, Uganda, and 50 volunteers in Lausanne, Switzerland. We measured the CD8+ T cell and B cell responses induced by YF-17D and correlated them with immune parameters analyzed by flow cytometry prior to vaccination. Results. We showed that YF-17D-induced CD8+ T cell and B cell responses were substantially lower in immunized individuals from Entebbe compared with immunized individuals from Lausanne. The impaired vaccine response in the Entebbe cohort associated with reduced YF-17D replication. Prior to vaccination, we observed higher frequencies of exhausted and activated NK cells, differentiated T and B cell subsets and proinflammatory monocytes, suggesting an activated immune microenvironment in the Entebbe volunteers. Interestingly, activation of CD8+ T cells and B cells as well as proinflammatory monocytes at baseline negatively correlated with YF-17D-neutralizing antibody titers after vaccination. Additionally, memory T and B cell responses in preimmunized volunteers exhibited reduced persistence in the Entebbe cohort but were boosted by a second vaccination. Conclusion. Together, these results demonstrate that an activated immune microenvironment prior to vaccination impedes efficacy of the YF-17D vaccine in an African cohort and suggest that vaccine regimens may need to be boosted in African populations to achieve efficient immunity. Trial registration. Registration is not required for observational studies. Funding. This study was funded by Canada's Global Health Research Initiative, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and United States Agency for International Development.

Agency Fact Sheet, Department of Corrections: Administration, FY2010

This document produced by the Iowa Department of Administrative Services has been developed to provide a multitude of information about executive branch agencies/department on a single sheet of paper. The facts provides general information, contact information, workforce data, leave and benefits information and affirmative action data.

Agency Fact Sheet, Department of Corrections: Administration, FY2011

This document produced by the Iowa Department of Administrative Services has been developed to provide a multitude of information about executive branch agencies/department on a single sheet of paper. The facts provides general information, contact information, workforce data, leave and benefits information and affirmative action data.

Agency Fact Sheet, Department of Human Services: Administration, FY2011

This document produced by the Iowa Department of Administrative Services has been developed to provide a multitude of information about executive branch agencies/department on a single sheet of paper. The facts provides general information, contact information, workforce data, leave and benefits information and affirmative action data.

Concomitant administration of intravenous drugs in the ICU: evaluation of physico-chemical compatibilities

Background and objective: Patients in the ICU often get many intravenous (iv) drugs at the same time. Even with three-lumen central venous catheters, the administration of more than one drug in the same iv line (IVL) is frequently necessary. The objective of this study was to observe how nurses managed to administer these many medications and to evaluate the proportion of two-drugs associations (TDA) that are compatible or not, based on known compatibility data. Design: Observational prospective study over 4 consecutive months. All patients receiving simultaneously more than one drugs in the same IVL (Y-site injection or mixed in the same container) were included. For each patient, all iv drugs were recorded, as well as concentration, infusion solution, location on the IVL system, time, rate and duration of administration. For each association of two or more drugs, compatibility of each drug was checked with each other. Compatibilities between these pairs of drugs were assessed using published data (mainly Trissel LA. Handbook on Injectable Drugs and Trissel's Tables of Physical Compatibility) and visual tests performed in our quality control laboratory. Setting: 34 beds university hospital adult ICU. Main outcome measures: Percentage of compatibilities and incompatibilities between drugs administered in the same IVL. Results: We observed 1,913 associations of drugs administered together in the same IVL, 783 implying only two drugs. The average number of drugs per IVL was 3.1 ± 0.8 (range: 2-9). 83.2% of the drugs were given by continuous infusion, 14.3% by intermittent infusion and 2.5% in bolus. The associations observed allowed to form 8,421 pairs of drugs (71.7% drug-drug and 28.3% drug-solute). According to literature data, 80.2% of the association were considered as compatible and 4.4% incompatible. 15.4% were not interpretable because of different conditions between local practices and those described in the literature (drug concentration, solute, etc.) or because of a lack of data. After laboratory tests performed on the most used drugs (furosemide, KH2PO4, morphine HCl, etc.), the proportion of compatible TDA raised to 85.7%, the incompatible stayed at 4.6% and only 9.7% remain unknown or not interpretable. Conclusions: Nurses managed the administration of iv medications quite well, as only less than 5% of observed TDA were considered as incompatible. But the 10% of TDA with unavailable compatibility data should have been avoided too, since the consequences of their concomitant administration cannot be predictable. For practical reasons, drugs were analysed only by pairs, which constitutes the main limit of this work. The average number of drugs in the same association being three, laboratory tests are currently performed to evaluate some of the most observed three-drugs associations.

State of Iowa Long-Term Economic Recovery Strategy Prepared for the Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, October 2010

The Rebuild Iowa Office (RIO) continues to coordinate the state‘s recovery effort from the storms, tornadoes and floods of 2008. Much has been accomplished since the Office‘s last quarterly report was issued in July 2010. State funding has been disbursed to help Iowans with unmet needs and housing. Local governments and entities are utilizing millions of federal dollars so thousands of disaster-impacted homeowners can be offered a buyout. More infrastructure projects are under construction and new neighborhoods are being built with mitigation efforts in mind. However, as Iowa continues to celebrate many successes along the road to recovery, it must also address the numerous challenges that are encountered along the path. Recovering from the state‘s largest disaster must be looked at as a marathon, not a sprint. Over the past three months, the RIO has especially remained focused on helping small business owners impacted by the 2008 disasters. Many disaster-affected businesses have reopened their doors, however their debt load continues to be overwhelming and many still struggle with the timeliness of the disbursement of funds. This report describes how programs and recent modifications are working to assist recovering businesses. This report contains updates on housing progress while outlining the complexities behind certain programs and the bottlenecks communities are facing due to strict federal guidelines for implementation. This following pages also describe how Iowa is implementing Smart Planning principles, publicizing flood awareness through outreach efforts and preparing a blueprint for the state to follow when future disasters occur. As always, the RIO recognizes and thanks the countless leaders and front-line workers from local, regional, state and federal government, businesses, non-profit organizations and private citizens that have provided input, support and leadership. Their dedication to Iowa‘s disaster recovery has made the plans and projects on the following pages possible.

Single cell gene expression profiling reveals qualitatively distinct CD8 T cells elicited by different gene-based vaccines

The CD8 T cell response generatedby gene-based vaccines is importantfor protective immunity againstmany infectious diseases but its complexityis incompletely understood.Here, we report that different vaccinesencoding HIV Env elicit qualitativelydistinct CD8 T cells that wereidentified by patterns of gene expressionin individual cells. Three alternativeprime-boost vector combinationsstimulated antigen-specific CD8 Tcell populations of similar magnitudeand function by intracellular cytokinestaining; however, single cell geneexpression profiling enabled the discriminationof distinct CM and EMCD8 cells elicited by the three vaccines.Two previously unrecognizedCD8 T cell subsets have been definedby their coexpression of Eomes,Cxcr3 and Ccr7; or Klrk1, Klrg1 andCcr5 in CM and EM cells respectively.

Federal Highway Administration Finding of No Significant Impact for the Council Bluffs Interstate System Improvements Project, August 23, 2012

FHWA and the Iowa Department of Transportation are proposing geometric and capacity improvements to the Interstate 29 and Interstate 80 mainline in Segment 3 and the I-80/I-29 East System interchange, the South Expressway interchange, the U.S. Highway 275 interchange, and the Madison Avenue interchange to to safely and efficiently of transportation in the City of Council Bluffs, the Iowa DOT is also proposing to eliminate several railroad alignments and to develop new, consolidated tracks in Segment 3.

Federal Highway Administration Finding of No Signification Impact, September 2011

Description of the Proposed Action The Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) propose to improve a 3.9-mile segment of Iowa Highway 86 (IA 86) from Iowa Highway 9 (IA 9) to near the Minnesota border within Dickinson County, Iowa (the Project). The existing IA 86 has narrow travel lanes and shoulders, steep foreslopes, and poor vertical alignment. Environmental Assessment Availability The Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Project was signed on June 30, 2011, and distributed to selected federal, state, and local resource agencies on July 5, 2011, for review and comment. A Notice of Public Hearing and Environmental Assessment Availability was published in the legal section of the Estherville Daily News on July 5, 2011, and the Ocheyedan Press-Melvin News and Dickinson County News on July 6, 2011. Review and Comment Period A review and comment period was established for receipt of comments on the EA, with an expiration date of August 8, 2011. A public hearing for the Project was held at the Dickinson County Courthouse on July 21, 2011. The public hearing used a combined open forum and formal format. A transcript of this meeting has been prepared and is available upon request.

Assessment of driving capability through the use of clinical and psychomotor tests in relation to blood cannabinoids levels following oral administration of 20 mg dronabinol or of a cannabis decoction made with 20 or 60 mg Delta9-THC.

Delta(9)-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is frequently found in the blood of drivers suspected of driving under the influence of cannabis or involved in traffic crashes. The present study used a double-blind crossover design to compare the effects of medium (16.5 mg THC) and high doses (45.7 mg THC) of hemp milk decoctions or of a medium dose of dronabinol (20 mg synthetic THC, Marinol on several skills required for safe driving. Forensic interpretation of cannabinoids blood concentrations were attempted using the models proposed by Daldrup (cannabis influencing factor or CIF) and Huestis and coworkers. First, the time concentration-profiles of THC, 11-hydroxy-Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (11-OH-THC) (active metabolite of THC), and 11-nor-9-carboxy-Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THCCOOH) in whole blood were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-negative ion chemical ionization. Compared to smoking studies, relatively low concentrations were measured in blood. The highest mean THC concentration (8.4 ng/mL) was achieved 1 h after ingestion of the strongest decoction. Mean maximum 11-OH-THC level (12.3 ng/mL) slightly exceeded that of THC. THCCOOH reached its highest mean concentration (66.2 ng/mL) 2.5-5.5 h after intake. Individual blood levels showed considerable intersubject variability. The willingness to drive was influenced by the importance of the requested task. Under significant cannabinoids influence, the participants refused to drive when they were asked whether they would agree to accomplish several unimportant tasks, (e.g., driving a friend to a party). Most of the participants reported a significant feeling of intoxication and did not appreciate the effects, notably those felt after drinking the strongest decoction. Road sign and tracking testing revealed obvious and statistically significant differences between placebo and treatments. A marked impairment was detected after ingestion of the strongest decoction. A CIF value, which relies on the molar ratio of main active to inactive cannabinoids, greater than 10 was found to correlate with a strong feeling of intoxication. It also matched with a significant decrease in the willingness to drive, and it matched also with a significant impairment in tracking performances. The mathematic model II proposed by Huestis et al. (1992) provided at best a rough estimate of the time of oral administration with 27% of actual values being out of range of the 95% confidence interval. The sum of THC and 11-OH-THC blood concentrations provided a better estimate of impairment than THC alone. This controlled clinical study points out the negative influence on fitness to drive after medium or high dose oral THC or dronabinol.

Intrathecal administration of Ziconotide: does single-shot injection predict efficacy?

Introduction: Though a trial of intrathecal (IT) therapy should always be performed before implantation of a definitive intrathecal pump, there is no agreement as to how this test should be performed. Ziconotide is trialed in most of cases with continuous IT administration using implanted catheters. Unlike other intrathecal drugs, there is little experience with single bolus IT injections of ziconotide. The aim of the study is to assess the feasibility of single-shot IT trialing with ziconotide. Patients and methods: Eleven consecutive patients with chronic neuropathic intractable pain were trialed with a single IT bolus of 2.5 mcg of ziconotide. Pain and side effects are monitored for at least 72 hours after the injection. Depending on the response, a second injection is given a week later, with either the same dose (if VAS decreased &#8805;50% without side effects), a higher dose of 3.75 mcg (if VAS decreased <50% without side effects) or a lower dose of 1.25 mcg (if VAS decreased &#8805;50% but with side effects). If VAS decreased less than 50% and side effects occurred, no further injection was performed. When VAS decreased >50% without side effects after the first or the second dose, the result is confirmed by one more injection of the same dose one week later. The trial is considered positive if two successive injections provide a VAS decreased more than 50% without side effects. Results: Eleven patients (6 females and 5 males) were included. Nine patients experienced modest or no pain relief. Four of these had significant side effects (dizziness, nausea, vomiting or abdominal pain) and had no further injection. In the others 5, one patient retired from study and four received a second injection of 3.75 mcg. The trial was negative in all 5 cases because of side effects (dizziness, drowsiness, weakness, muscle cramps), the pain decreased in only 2 patients. Two patients experienced profound pain relief with an IT injection of 2.5 mcg. One patient had no side effects and the other had dizziness and drowsiness that disappeared with an injection of 1.25 mcg. Pain relief without adverse effects was confirmed with the second injection. The trial was considered positive for those two patients. Discussion and conclusion: The response rate of 18% (2/11) is consistent with the success rate of a continuous infusion trialing with an implanted catheter. Single-shot injection of ziconotide may therefore predict efficacy.

Indicators of therapeutic effect in FIT-06, a Phase II trial of a DNA vaccine, GTU(®)-Multi-HIVB, in untreated HIV-1 infected subjects.

BACKGROUND: Combination highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has significantly decreased HIV-1 related morbidity and mortality globally transforming HIV into a controllable condition. HAART has a number of limitations though, including limited access in resource constrained countries, which have driven the search for simpler, affordable HIV-1 treatment modalities. Therapeutic HIV-1 vaccines aim to provide immunological support to slow disease progression and decrease transmission. We evaluated the safety, immunogenicity and clinical effect of a novel recombinant plasmid DNA therapeutic HIV-1 vaccine, GTU(®)-multi-HIVB, containing 6 different genes derived from an HIV-1 subtype B isolate. METHODS: 63 untreated, healthy, HIV-1 infected, adults between 18 and 40 years were enrolled in a single-blinded, placebo-controlled Phase II trial in South Africa. Subjects were HIV-1 subtype C infected, had never received antiretrovirals, with CD4 &#8805; 350 cells/mm(3) and pHIV-RNA &#8805; 50 copies/mL at screening. Subjects were allocated to vaccine or placebo groups in a 2:1 ratio either administered intradermally (ID) (0.5mg/dose) or intramuscularly (IM) (1mg/dose) at 0, 4 and 12 weeks boosted at 76 and 80 weeks with 1mg/dose (ID) and 2mg/dose (IM), respectively. Safety was assessed by adverse event monitoring and immunogenicity by HIV-1-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells using intracellular cytokine staining (ICS), pHIV-RNA and CD4 counts. RESULTS: Vaccine was safe and well tolerated with no vaccine related serious adverse events. Significant declines in log pHIV-RNA (p=0.012) and increases in CD4+ T cell counts (p=0.066) were observed in the vaccine group compared to placebo, more pronounced after IM administration and in some HLA haplotypes (B*5703) maintained for 17 months after the final immunisation. CONCLUSIONS: The GTU(®)-multi-HIVB plasmid recombinant DNA therapeutic HIV-1 vaccine is safe, well tolerated and favourably affects pHIV-RNA and CD4 counts in untreated HIV-1 infected individuals after IM administration in subjects with HLA B*57, B*8101 and B*5801 haplotypes.