Identification of Practices, Design, Construction, and Repair Using Trenchless Technology, TR-570, 2010

Trenchless technologies are methods used for the construction and rehabilitation of underground utility pipes. These methods are growing increasingly popular due to their versatility and their potential to lower project costs. However, the use of trenchless technologies in Iowa and their effects on surrounding soil and nearby structures has not been adequately documented. Surveys of and interviews with professionals working in trenchless-related industries in Iowa were conducted, and the results were analyzed and compared to survey results from the United States as a whole. The surveys focused on method familiarity, pavement distress observed, reliability of trenchless methods, and future improvements. Results indicate that the frequency of pavement distress or other trenchless-related issues are an ongoing problem in the industry. Inadequate soil information and quality control/quality assurance (QC/QA) are partially to blame. Fieldwork involving the observation of trenchless construction projects was undertaken with the purpose of documenting current practices and applications of trenchless technology in the United States and Iowa. Field tests were performed in which push-in pressure cells were used to measure the soil stresses induced by trenchless construction methods. A program of laboratory soil testing was carried out in conjunction with the field testing. Soil testing showed that the installations were made in sandy clay or well-graded sand with silt and gravel. Pipes were installed primarily using horizontal directional drilling with pipe diameters from 3 to 12 inches. Pressure cell monitoring was conducted during the following construction phases: pilot bore, pre-reaming, and combined pipe pulling and reaming. The greatest increase in lateral earth pressure was 5.6 psi and was detected 2.1 feet from the centerline of the bore during a pilot hole operation in sandy lean clay. Measurements from 1.0 to 2.5 psi were common. Comparisons were made between field measurements and analytical and finite element calculation methods.

Development of Stage-Discharge Relations for Ungaged Bridge Waterways in Western Iowa, TR-567, 2010

Stage-discharge relations constitute a viable, alternative technique for estimating accurately flow for ungaged sites. In this research, we have utilized pressure transducers and Large Scale Particle Image Velocimetry techniques to develop stage-discharge relations at eleven sites in the Hungry Canyon Area (HCA) of southwestern Iowa under different hydrologic conditions. We have employed these data to calibrate and verify an established hydrologic model and then we have used this model to provide a stage discharge relation for different hydrologic conditions (i.e. rating curves). The benefits of the project are numerous including that the discharge data will be used for a number of purposes, including operational decision making in the HCA about the design of water-control and conveyance structures, input for hydraulic and hydrologic models, and calculation of sediment and other water quality constituents transport and “loads”, and for decision making. This project has also pointed out the difficulties in measuring flows in ungaged streams with ice jams, steep banks, erodible beds, and floating debris.

Development of LRFD Procedures for Bridge Pile Foundations in Iowa Volume III: Recommended Resistance Factors with Consideration of Construction Control and Setup, TR-584, 2012

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) mandated utilizing the Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) approach for all new bridges initiated in the United States after October 1, 2007. As a result, there has been a progressive move among state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) toward an increased use of the LRFD in geotechnical design practices. For the above reasons, the Iowa Highway Research Board (IHRB) sponsored three research projects: TR-573, TR-583 and TR-584. The research information is summarized in the project web site (http://srg.cce.iastate.edu/lrfd/). Two reports of total four volumes have been published. Report volume I by Roling et al. (2010) described the development of a user-friendly and electronic database (PILOT). Report volume II by Ng et al. (2011) summarized the 10 full-scale field tests conducted throughout Iowa and data analyses. This report presents the development of regionally calibrated LRFD resistance factors for bridge pile foundations in Iowa based on reliability theory, focusing on the strength limit states and incorporating the construction control aspects and soil setup into the design process. The calibration framework was selected to follow the guidelines provided by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), taking into consideration the current local practices. The resistance factors were developed for general and in-house static analysis methods used for the design of pile foundations as well as for dynamic analysis methods and dynamic formulas used for construction control. The following notable benefits to the bridge foundation design were attained in this project: 1) comprehensive design tables and charts were developed to facilitate the implementation of the LRFD approach, ensuring uniform reliability and consistency in the design and construction processes of bridge pile foundations; 2) the results showed a substantial gain in the factored capacity compared to the 2008 AASHTO-LRFD recommendations; and 3) contribution to the existing knowledge, thereby advancing the foundation design and construction practices in Iowa and the nation.

Wireless Sensor Networks for Infrastructure Monitoring, TR-611, 2010

A good system of preventive bridge maintenance enhances the ability of engineers to manage and monitor bridge conditions, and take proper action at the right time. Traditionally infrastructure inspection is performed via infrequent periodical visual inspection in the field. Wireless sensor technology provides an alternative cost-effective approach for constant monitoring of infrastructures. Scientific data-acquisition systems make reliable structural measurements, even in inaccessible and harsh environments by using wireless sensors. With advances in sensor technology and availability of low cost integrated circuits, a wireless monitoring sensor network has been considered to be the new generation technology for structural health monitoring. The main goal of this project was to implement a wireless sensor network for monitoring the behavior and integrity of highway bridges. At the core of the system is a low-cost, low power wireless strain sensor node whose hardware design is optimized for structural monitoring applications. The key components of the systems are the control unit, sensors, software and communication capability. The extensive information developed for each of these areas has been used to design the system. The performance and reliability of the proposed wireless monitoring system is validated on a 34 feet span composite beam in slab bridge in Black Hawk County, Iowa. The micro strain data is successfully extracted from output-only response collected by the wireless monitoring system. The energy efficiency of the system was investigated to estimate the battery lifetime of the wireless sensor nodes. This report also documents system design, the method used for data acquisition, and system validation and field testing. Recommendations on further implementation of wireless sensor networks for long term monitoring are provided.

Central control of glucose homeostasis: the brain--endocrine pancreas axis.

A large body of data gathered over the last decades has delineated the neuronal pathways that link the central nervous system with the autonomic innervation of the endocrine pancreas, which controls alpha- and beta-cell secretion activity and mass. These are important regulatory functions that are certainly keys for preserving the capacity of the endocrine pancreas to control glucose homeostasis over a lifetime. Identifying the cells involved in controlling the autonomic innervation of the endocrine pancreas, in response to nutrient, hormonal and environmental cues and how these cues are detected to activate neuronal activity are important goals of current research. Elucidation of these questions may possibly lead to new means for preserving or restoring defects in insulin and glucagon secretion associated with type 2 diabetes.

2010 Iowa Youth Survey State of Iowa Results, June 2011

The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) collaborated with schools in Iowa to conduct the 2014 Iowa Youth Survey (IYS). In a series of surveys that have been completed every two or three years since 1975. The survey is conducted with students in grades 6, 8, and 11 attending Iowa public and private schools. The IYS includes questions about students’ behaviors, attitudes, and beliefs, as well as their perceptions of peer, family, school, neighborhood, and community environments.

Entropic transport: kinetics, scaling, and control mechanisms

We show that transport in the presence of entropic barriers exhibits peculiar characteristics which makes it distinctly different from that occurring through energy barriers. The constrained dynamics yields a scaling regime for the particle current and the diffusion coefficient in terms of the ratio between the work done to the particles and available thermal energy. This interesting property, genuine to the entropic nature of the barriers, can be utilized to effectively control transport through quasi-one-dimensional structures in which irregularities or tortuosity of the boundaries cause entropic effects. The accuracy of the kinetic description has been corroborated by simulations. Applications to different dynamic situations involving entropic barriers are outlined.

Dépistage du cancer de la prostate: utilité, buts et perspectives en 2010 [Prostate cancer screening: utility, goals and perspectives in 2010].

According to recent results of a sub-group of 20,000 patients from the ERSPC study, prostate cancer screening significantly increases disease specific survival for men with a life expectancy of 15 years. However presently, only 20% of prostate biopsies lead to the diagnosis of cancer. This low yield may be increased by using new tools on their way to validation, such as the blood and urinary markers p2-PSA and PCA3, so as MRI and tridimensional computerized echography. Finally, the tumours detected must be managed with subtlety, since a third of them are not overtly aggressive clinically. Hence, a significant proportion of such tumours may not need immediate curative intent treatment, and can be followed up in an active surveillance protocol.

Effect of maternal clinical chorioamnionitis on neonatal morbidity in very-low birthweight infants: a case control study

Aims: To assess the relationship between maternal clinical chorioamnionitis and neonatal outcome in preterm very-low birthweight (VLBW) infants. Methods: An observational case-control study was conducted in the Neonatology Services of 12 acute-care teaching hospitals in Spain. Between January 2004 and December 2006, all consecutive VLBW (F1500 g) infants born to a mother with clinical chorioamnionitis were enrolled. Controls were infants without chorioamnionitis matched by gestational age who were born immediately after each index case. Results: There were 165 cases and 163 controls. A significantly higher percentage of cases than controls required intubation (53% vs. 35.8%), had normal intrauterine growth (98.1% vs. 84.7%), were born in a tertiary center (inborn) (95.1% vs. 89.1%), from single gestations (76.4% vs. 65.6%) and vaginal delivery (47.3% vs. 33.3%), showed a lowerApgar score at 5 min, and presented a higher rate of earlyonset sepsis (10.4% vs. 1.2%). Older maternal age (32.5 vs. 30.8 years), premature labor (67.3% vs. 25.8%), premature rupture of membranes (61.3% vs. 25.8%), and antibiotic treatment (88.5% vs. 52.3%) were significantly more frequent among cases than controls. Conclusions: After controlling by gestational age, maternal chorioamnionitis was associated with neonatal depression and early sepsis but not with other prematurity-related complications.

Evaluation of Recycled Rubber in Asphalt Concrete, HR-330, Construction Report, 1991

Discarded tires present major disposal and environmental problems. The recycling of those tires in asphalt cement concrete is what this research deals with. The Iowa DOT and the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) are evaluating the use of discarded tires in asphalt rubber cement and rubber chip mixes. The project is located on US 61 between Blue Grass and Muscatine in Muscatine County. It contains four rubberized asphalt sections and control sections. One section consists of reacted rubber asphalt cement used in both the binder and surface courses, and one section, both lanes, contains a rubber chip mix. The reacted rubber asphalt and the rubber chip mixes were laid in July 1991. The project construction went well with a few problems of shoving and cracking of the mat. This report contains information about procedures and tests that were run and those that will be run. It also has a cost comparison since this is a major concern with the use of asphalt rubber. Evaluation of this project will continue for five years. Three more research projects containing rubberized asphalt were constructed in 1991 and another is to be constructed in 1992.

Iowa Immunization Program Annual Report 2010, March 31, 2011

The Bureau of Immunization is part of the Division of Acute Disease Prevention and Emergency Response (ADPER) at the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH). The ADPER division provides support, technical assistance and consultation to local hospitals, public health agencies, community health centers, emergency medical service programs and local health care providers regarding infectious diseases, disease prevention and control, injury prevention and public health and health care emergency preparedness and response. The division encompasses the Center for Acute Disease Epidemiology (CADE), the Bureau of Immunization and Tuberculosis (ITB), the Bureau of Emergency Medical Services (EMS), the Bureau of Communication and Planning (CAP), the Office of Health Information Technology (HIT), and the Center for Disaster Operations and Response (CDOR). The Bureau of Immunization and Tuberculosis includes the Immunization Program, the Tuberculosis Control Program, and the Refugee Health Program. The mission of the Immunization Program is to decrease vaccine‐preventable diseases through education, advocacy and partnership. While there has been major advancement in expanding immunizations to many parts of Iowa’s population, work must continue with public and private health care providers to promote the program’s vision of healthy Iowans living in communities free of vaccine‐preventable diseases. Accomplishing this goal will require achieving and maintaining high vaccination coverage levels, improving vaccination strategies among under‐vaccinated populations, prompt reporting and thorough investigation of suspected disease cases, and rapid institution of control measures. The Immunization Program is comprised of multiple programs that provide immunization services throughout the state: Adolescent Immunization Program, Adult Immunization Program, Immunization Registry Information System (IRIS), Vaccines for Children Program (VFC), Perinatal Hepatitis B Program, and Immunization Assessment Program.

Iowa Comprehensive Heart Disease and Stroke Plan, 2010-2014, March 22, 2010

Heart disease is the number one cause of death for both men and women nationally as well as in the state of Iowa, while stroke is the third leading cause of death. These two diseases are often grouped together under the broader term ―cardiovascular disease‖ (CVD), which accounts for one-third of all deaths within the state. Ongoing efforts to increase prevention of, and improve care for, those who experience CVD have resulted in a decline in the number of deaths in Iowa caused by these conditions. In 1991, the death rate as a result of cardiovascular disease was 344.9 per 100,000 people; by 2006, that number had fallen to 239.9. Deaths as a result of stroke have also dropped, from 74.7 in 1991 to 57.4 in 2006.1 Although progress has been made; these illnesses are still major causes of death and serious disability for many Iowans. Despite the fact that some progress has been made through past efforts, current data show that the journey must continue to achieve the long, quality filled lives that Iowans deserve, free of chronic disease. Up to this point, there has been a lack of involvement by stakeholders against heart disease and stroke in Iowa. Causes of CVD are largely known and preventable, and more must be done to educate and spread this information throughout the state. This comprehensive statewide plan is a call to action to improve prevention, treatment, and management of heart disease and stroke in Iowa. Through the commitment and collaborative efforts of many, the Iowa Comprehensive Heart Disease and Stroke Plan 2010-2014 provides a guide to improve the health status of all Iowans. The people of Iowa have a long history of working together to do the right thing. We must rise to the challenge of lowering the incidence of heart disease and stroke through early and ongoing education that stresses prevention and healthy lifestyle choices, medical services that provide evidence-based, effective treatment and long term care management without disparity, and environmental policies that support the prevention of heart disease and stroke in our schools, work sites, and communities. This strategic plan is a guide to improving cardiovascular health in Iowa through 2014.

Body mass index and risk of head and neck cancer in a pooled analysis of case-control studies in the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology (INHANCE) Consortium.

BACKGROUND: Head and neck cancer (HNC) risk is elevated among lean people and reduced among overweight or obese people in some studies; however, it is unknown whether these associations differ for certain subgroups or are influenced by residual confounding from the effects of alcohol and tobacco use or by other sources of biases. METHODS: We pooled data from 17 case-control studies including 12 716 cases and the 17 438 controls. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated for associations between body mass index (BMI) at different ages and HNC risk, adjusted for age, sex, centre, race, education, tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption. RESULTS: Adjusted ORs (95% CIs) were elevated for people with BMI at reference (date of diagnosis for cases and date of selection for controls) 25.0-30.0 kg/m(2) (0.52, 0.44-0.60) and BMI >/=30 kg/m(2) (0.43, 0.33-0.57), compared with BMI >18.5-25.0 kg/m(2). These associations did not differ by age, sex, tumour site or control source. Although the increased risk among people with BMI 25 kg/m(2) was present only in smokers and drinkers. CONCLUSIONS: In our large pooled analysis, leanness was associated with increased HNC risk regardless of smoking and drinking status, although reverse causality cannot be excluded. The reduced risk among overweight or obese people may indicate body size is a modifier of the risk associated with smoking and drinking. Further clarification may be provided by analyses of prospective cohort and mechanistic studies.

Social and medical vulnerability factors of frequent users at the emergency department: a case-control study

BACKGROUND: Up to 5% of patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) four or more times within a 12 month period represent 21% of total ED visits. In this study we sought to characterize social and medical vulnerability factors of ED frequent users (FUs) and to explore if these factors hold simultaneously. METHODS: We performed a case-control study at Lausanne University Hospital, Switzerland. Patients over 18 years presenting to the ED at least once within the study period (April 2008 toMarch 2009) were included. FUs were defined as patients with four or more ED visits within the previous 12 months. Outcome data were extracted from medical records of the first ED attendance within the study period. Outcomes included basic demographics and social variables, ED admission diagnosis, somatic and psychiatric days hospitalized over 12 months, and having a primary care physician.We calculated the percentage of FUs and non-FUs having at least one social and one medical vulnerability factor. The four chosen social factors included: unemployed and/or dependence on government welfare, institutionalized and/or without fixed residence, either separated, divorced or widowed, and under guardianship. The fourmedical vulnerability factors were: ≥6 somatic days hospitalized, ≥1 psychiatric days hospitalized, ≥5 clinical departments used (all three factors measured over 12 months), and ED admission diagnosis of alcohol and/or drug abuse. Univariate and multivariate logistical regression analyses allowed comparison of two JGIM ABSTRACTS S391 random samples of 354 FUs and 354 non-FUs (statistical power 0.9, alpha 0.05 for all outcomes except gender, country of birth, and insurance type). RESULTS: FUs accounted for 7.7% of ED patients and 24.9% of ED visits. Univariate logistic regression showed that FUs were older (mean age 49.8 vs. 45.2 yrs, p=0.003),more often separated and/or divorced (17.5%vs. 13.9%, p=0.029) or widowed (13.8% vs. 8.8%, p=0.029), and either unemployed or dependent on government welfare (31.3% vs. 13.3%, p<0.001), compared to non-FUs. FUs cumulated more days hospitalized over 12 months (mean number of somatic days per patient 1.0 vs. 0.3, p<0.001; mean number of psychiatric days per patient 0.12 vs. 0.03, p<0.001). The two groups were similar regarding gender distribution (females 51.7% vs. 48.3%). The multivariate linear regression model was based on the six most significant factors identified by univariate analysis The model showed that FUs had more social problems, as they were more likely to be institutionalized or not have a fixed residence (OR 4.62; 95% CI, 1.65 to 12.93), and to be unemployed or dependent on government welfare (OR 2.03; 95% CI, 1.31 to 3.14) compared to non-FUs. FUs were more likely to need medical care, as indicated by involvement of≥5 clinical departments over 12 months (OR 6.2; 95%CI, 3.74 to 10.15), having an ED admission diagnosis of substance abuse (OR 3.23; 95% CI, 1.23 to 8.46) and having a primary care physician (OR 1.70;95%CI, 1.13 to 2.56); however, they were less likely to present with an admission diagnosis of injury (OR 0.64; 95% CI, 0.40 to 1.00) compared to non-FUs. FUs were more likely to combine at least one social with one medical vulnerability factor (38.4% vs. 12.1%, OR 7.74; 95% CI 5.03 to 11.93). CONCLUSIONS: FUs were more likely than non-FUs to have social and medical vulnerability factors and to have multiple factors in combination.

Individual differences in control of language interference in late bilinguals are mainly related to general executive abilities

Background: Recent research based on comparisons between bilinguals and monolinguals postulates that bilingualism enhances cognitive control functions, because the parallel activation of languages necessitates control of interference. In a novel approach we investigated two groups of bilinguals, distinguished by their susceptibility to cross-language interference, asking whether bilinguals with strong language control abilities ('non-switchers") have an advantage in executive functions (inhibition of irrelevant information, problem solving, planning efficiency, generative fluency and self-monitoring) compared to those bilinguals showing weaker language control abilities ('switchers"). Methods: 29 late bilinguals (21 women) were evaluated using various cognitive control neuropsychological tests [e.g., Tower of Hanoi, Ruff Figural Fluency Task, Divided Attention, Go/noGo] tapping executive functions as well as four subtests of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale. The analysis involved t-tests (two independent samples). Non-switchers (n = 16) were distinguished from switchers (n = 13) by their performance observed in a bilingual picture-naming task. Results: The non-switcher group demonstrated a better performance on the Tower of Hanoi and Ruff Figural Fluency task, faster reaction time in a Go/noGo and Divided Attention task, and produced significantly fewer errors in the Tower of Hanoi, Go/noGo, and Divided Attention tasks when compared to the switchers. Non-switchers performed significantly better on two verbal subtests of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (Information and Similarity), but not on the Performance subtests (Picture Completion, Block Design). Conclusions: The present results suggest that bilinguals with stronger language control have indeed a cognitive advantage in the administered tests involving executive functions, in particular inhibition, self-monitoring, problem solving, and generative fluency, and in two of the intelligence tests. What remains unclear is the direction of the relationship between executive functions and language control abilities.