Task 6: Material Thermal Input for Iowa Materials, May 2008

The present research project was designed to determine thermal properties, such as coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and thermal conductivity, of Iowa concrete pavement materials. These properties are required as input values by the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG). In this project, a literature review was conducted to determine the factors that affect thermal properties of concrete and the existing prediction equations for CTE and thermal conductivity of concrete. CTE tests were performed on various lab and field samples of portland cement concrete (PCC) at the Iowa Department of Transportation and Iowa State University. The variations due to the test procedure, the equipment used, and the consistency of field batch materials were evaluated. The test results showed that the CTE variations due to test procedure and batch consistency were less than 5%, and the variation due to the different equipment was less than 15%. Concrete CTE values were significantly affected by different types of coarse aggregate. The CTE values of Iowa concrete made with limestone+graval, quartzite, dolomite, limestone+dolomite, and limestone were 7.27, 6.86, 6.68, 5.83, and 5.69 microstrain/oF (13.08, 12.35, 12.03, 10.50, and 10.25 microstrain/oC), respectively, which were all higher than the default value of 5.50 microstrain/oF in the MEPDG program. The thermal conductivity of a typical Iowa PCC mix and an asphalt cement concrete (ACC) mix (both with limestone as coarse aggregate) were tested at Concrete Technology Laboratory in Skokie, Illinois. The thermal conductivity was 0.77 Btu/hr•ft•oF (1.33 W/m•K) for PCC and 1.21 Btu/hr•ft•oF (2.09 W/m•K) for ACC, which are different from the default values (1.25 Btu/hr•ft•oF or 2.16 W/m•K for PCC and 0.67 Btu/hr•ft•oF or 1.16 W/m•K for ACC) in the MEPDG program. The investigations onto the CTE of ACC and the effects of concrete materials (such as cementitious material and aggregate types) and mix proportions on concrete thermal conductivity are recommended to be considered in future studies.

The Role of Interleukin-2 in Memory CD8 Cell Differentiation

The current literature on the role of interleukin (IL)-2 in memory CD8(+) T-cell differentiation indicates a significant contribution of IL-2 during primary and also secondary expansion of CD8(+) T cells. IL-2 seems to be responsible for optimal expansion and generation of effector functions following primary antigenic challenge. As the magnitude of T-cell expansion determines the numbers of memory CD8(+) T cells surviving after pathogen elimination, these events influence memory cell generation. Moreover, during the contraction phase of an immune response where most antigen-specific CD8(+) T cells disappear by apoptosis, IL-2 signals are able to rescue CD8(+) T cells from cell death and provide a durable increase in memory CD8(+) T-cell counts. At the memory stage, CD8(+) T-cell frequencies can be boosted by administration of exogenous IL-2. Significantly, only CD8(+) T cells that have received IL-2 signals during initial priming are able to mediate efficient secondary expansion following renewed antigenic challenge. Thus, IL-2 signals during different phases of an immune response are key in optimizing CD8(+) T-cell functions, thereby affecting both primary and secondary responses of these T cells.

Concrete Overlay Field Application Program Iowa Task Report US 18 Concrete Overlay Construction Under Traffic, May 2012

The National Concrete Pavement Technology Center, Iowa Department of Transportation, and Federal Highway Administration set out to demonstrate and document the design and construction of portland cement concrete (PCC) overlays on two-lane roadways while maintaining two-way traffic. An 18.82 mile project was selected for 2011 construction in northeast Iowa on US 18 between Fredericksburg and West Union. This report documents planning, design, and construction of the project and lessons learned. The work included the addition of subdrains, full-depth patching, bridge approach replacement, and drainage structural repair and cleaning prior to overlay construction. The paving involved surface preparation by milling to grade and the placement of a 4.5 inch PCC overlay and 4 foot of widening to the existing pavement. In addition, the report makes recommendations on ways to improve the process for future concrete overlays.

A comparative long-memory Analysis between Spanish, Mexican and U.S. interest rates

Evidence exists that many natural facts are described better as a fractal. Although fractals are very useful for describing nature, it is also appropiate to review the concept of random fractal in finance. Due to the extraordinary importance of Brownian motion in physics, chemistry or biology, we will consider the generalization that supposes fractional Brownian motion introduced by Mandelbrot.The main goal of this work is to analyse the existence of long range dependence in instantaneous forward rates of different financial markets. Concretelly, we perform an empirical analysis on the Spanish, Mexican and U.S. interbanking interest rate. We work with three time series of daily data corresponding to 1 day operations from 28th March 1996 to 21st May 2002. From among all the existing tests on this matter we apply the methodology proposed in Taqqu, Teverovsky and Willinger (1995).

Outcomes from studies of Antineutrophil Cytoplasm Antibody Associated Vasculitis: a systematic review by the European League Against Rheumatism systemic vasculitis task force.

Objectives: We undertook a systematic literature review as a background to the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) recommendations for conducting clinical trials in anti-neutrophil cytoplasm antibody associated vasculitis (AAV), and to assess the quality of evidence for outcome measures in AAV. Methods: Using a systematic Medline search, we categorised the identified studies according to diagnoses. Factors affecting remission, relapse, renal function and overall survival were identified. Results: A total of 44 papers were reviewed from 502 identified by our search criteria. There was considerable inconsistency in definitions of end points. Remission rates varied from 30% to 93% in Wegener granulomatosis (WG), 75% to 89% in microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) and 81% to 91% in Churg¿Strauss syndrome (CSS). The 5-year survival for WG, MPA and CSS was 74¿91%, 45¿76% and 60¿97%. Relapse (variably defined) was common in the first 2 years but the frequency varied: 18% to 60% in WG, 8% in MPA, and 35% in CSS. The rate of renal survival in WG varied from 23% at 15 months to 23% at 120 months. Methods used to assess morbidity varied between studies. Ignoring the variations in definitions of the stage of disease, factors influencing remission, relapse, renal and overall survival included immunosuppressive therapy used, type of organ involvement, presence of ANCA, older age and male ender. Conclusions: Factors influencing remission, relapse, renal and overall survival include the type of immunosuppressive therapy used, pattern of organ involvement, presence of ANCA, older age and male gender. Methodological variations between studies highlight the need for a consensus on terminology and definitions for future conduct of clinical studies in AAV.

Processus de reconnaissance et d'identification de personnes décédées

Recognition and identification processes for deceased persons. Determining the identity of deceased persons is a routine task performed essentially by police departments and forensic experts. This thesis highlights the processes necessary for the proper and transparent determination of the civil identities of deceased persons. The identity of a person is defined as the establishment of a link between that person ("the source") and information pertaining to the same individual ("identifiers"). Various identity forms could emerge, depending on the nature of the identifiers. There are two distinct types of identity, namely civil identity and biological identity. The paper examines four processes: identification by witnesses (the recognition process) and comparisons of fingerprints, dental data and DNA profiles (the identification processes). During the recognition process, the memory function is examined and helps to clarify circumstances that may give rise to errors. To make the process more rigorous, a body presentation procedure is proposed to investigators. Before examining the other processes, three general concepts specific to forensic science are considered with regard to the identification of a deceased person, namely, matter divisibility (Inman and Rudin), transfer (Locard) and uniqueness (Kirk). These concepts can be applied to the task at hand, although some require a slightly broader scope of application. A cross comparison of common forensic fields and the identification of deceased persons reveals certain differences, including 1 - reverse positioning of the source (i.e. the source is not sought from traces, but rather the identifiers are obtained from the source); 2 - the need for civil identity determination in addition to the individualisation stage; and 3 - a more restricted population (closed set), rather than an open one. For fingerprints, dental and DNA data, intravariability and intervariability are examined, as well as changes in these post mortem (PM) identifiers. Ante-mortem identifiers (AM) are located and AM-PM comparisons made. For DNA, it has been shown that direct identifiers (taken from a person whose civil identity has been alleged) tend to lead to determining civil identity whereas indirect identifiers (obtained from a close relative) direct towards a determination of biological identity. For each process, a Bayesian model is presented which includes sources of uncertainty deemed to be relevant. The results of the different processes combine to structure and summarise an overall outcome and a methodology. The modelling of dental data presents a specific difficulty with respect to intravariability, which in itself is not quantifiable. The concept of "validity" is, therefore, suggested as a possible solution to the problem. Validity uses various parameters that have an acknowledged impact on teeth intravariability. In cases where identifying deceased persons proves to be extremely difficult due to the limited discrimination of certain procedures, the use of a Bayesian approach is of great value in bringing a transparent and synthetic value. RESUME : Titre: Processus de reconnaissance et d'identification de personnes décédées. L'individualisation de personnes décédées est une tâche courante partagée principalement par des services de police, des odontologues et des laboratoires de génétique. L'objectif de cette recherche est de présenter des processus pour déterminer valablement, avec une incertitude maîtrisée, les identités civiles de personnes décédées. La notion d'identité est examinée en premier lieu. L'identité d'une personne est définie comme l'établissement d'un lien entre cette personne et des informations la concernant. Les informations en question sont désignées par le terme d'identifiants. Deux formes distinctes d'identité sont retenues: l'identité civile et l'identité biologique. Quatre processus principaux sont examinés: celui du témoignage et ceux impliquant les comparaisons d'empreintes digitales, de données dentaires et de profils d'ADN. Concernant le processus de reconnaissance, le mode de fonctionnement de la mémoire est examiné, démarche qui permet de désigner les paramètres pouvant conduire à des erreurs. Dans le but d'apporter un cadre rigoureux à ce processus, une procédure de présentation d'un corps est proposée à l'intention des enquêteurs. Avant d'entreprendre l'examen des autres processus, les concepts généraux propres aux domaines forensiques sont examinés sous l'angle particulier de l'identification de personnes décédées: la divisibilité de la matière (Inman et Rudin), le transfert (Locard) et l'unicité (Kirk). Il est constaté que ces concepts peuvent être appliqués, certains nécessitant toutefois un léger élargissement de leurs principes. Une comparaison croisée entre les domaines forensiques habituels et l'identification de personnes décédées montre des différences telles qu'un positionnement inversé de la source (la source n'est plus à rechercher en partant de traces, mais ce sont des identifiants qui sont recherchés en partant de la source), la nécessité de devoir déterminer une identité civile en plus de procéder à une individualisation ou encore une population d'intérêt limitée plutôt qu'ouverte. Pour les empreintes digitales, les dents et l'ADN, l'intra puis l'inter-variabilité sont examinées, de même que leurs modifications post-mortem (PM), la localisation des identifiants ante-mortem (AM) et les comparaisons AM-PM. Pour l'ADN, il est démontré que les identifiants directs (provenant de la personne dont l'identité civile est supposée) tendent à déterminer une identité civile alors que les identifiants indirects (provenant d'un proche parent) tendent à déterminer une identité biologique. Puis une synthèse des résultats provenant des différents processus est réalisée grâce à des modélisations bayesiennes. Pour chaque processus, une modélisation est présentée, modélisation intégrant les paramètres reconnus comme pertinents. À ce stade, une difficulté apparaît: celle de quantifier l'intra-variabilité dentaire pour laquelle il n'existe pas de règle précise. La solution préconisée est celle d'intégrer un concept de validité qui intègre divers paramètres ayant un impact connu sur l'intra-variabilité. La possibilité de formuler une valeur de synthèse par l'approche bayesienne s'avère d'une aide précieuse dans des cas très difficiles pour lesquels chacun des processus est limité en termes de potentiel discriminant.

Differential effects of sodium oxybate and baclofen on EEG, sleep, neurobehavioral performance, and memory.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Sodium oxybate (SO) is a GABA(B) agonist used to treat the sleep disorder narcolepsy. SO was shown to increase slow wave sleep (SWS) and EEG delta power (0.75-4.5 Hz), both indexes of NREM sleep (NREMS) intensity and depth, suggesting that SO enhances recuperative function of NREM. We investigated whether SO induces physiological deep sleep. DESIGN: SO was administered before an afternoon nap or before the subsequent experimental night in 13 healthy volunteers. The effects of SO were compared to baclofen (BAC), another GABA(B) receptor agonist, to assess the role of GABA(B) receptors in the SO response. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: As expected, a nap significantly decreased sleep need and intensity the subsequent night. Both drugs reversed this nap effect on the subsequent night by decreasing sleep latency and increasing total sleep time, SWS during the first NREMS episode, and EEG delta and theta (0.75-7.25 Hz) power during NREMS. The SO-induced increase in EEG delta and theta power was, however, not specific to NREMS and was also observed during REM sleep (REMS) and wakefulness. Moreover, the high levels of delta power during a nap following SO administration did not affect delta power the following night. SO and BAC taken before the nap did not improve subsequent psychomotor performance and subjective alertness, or memory consolidation. Finally, SO and BAC strongly promoted the appearance of sleep onset REM periods. CONCLUSIONS: The SO-induced EEG slow waves seem not to be functionally similar to physiological slow waves. Our findings also suggest a role for GABA(B) receptors in REMS generation. CITATION: Vienne J; Lecciso G; Constantinescu I; Schwartz S; Franken P; Heinzer R; Tafti M. Differential effects of sodium oxybate and baclofen on EEG, sleep, neurobehavioral performance, and memory. SLEEP 2012;35(8):1071-1084.

A Candidate HIV/AIDS Vaccine (MVA-B) Lacking Vaccinia Virus Gene C6L Enhances Memory HIV-1-Specific T-Cell Responses.

The vaccinia virus (VACV) C6 protein has sequence similarities with the poxvirus family Pox_A46, involved in regulation of host immune responses, but its role is unknown. Here, we have characterized the C6 protein and its effects in virus replication, innate immune sensing and immunogenicity in vivo. C6 is a 18.2 kDa protein, which is expressed early during virus infection and localizes to the cytoplasm of infected cells. Deletion of the C6L gene from the poxvirus vector MVA-B expressing HIV-1 Env, Gag, Pol and Nef antigens from clade B (MVA-B ΔC6L) had no effect on virus growth kinetics; therefore C6 protein is not essential for virus replication. The innate immune signals elicited by MVA-B ΔC6L in human macrophages and monocyte-derived dendritic cells (moDCs) are characterized by the up-regulation of the expression of IFN-β and IFN-α/β-inducible genes. In a DNA prime/MVA boost immunization protocol in mice, flow cytometry analysis revealed that MVA-B ΔC6L enhanced the magnitude and polyfunctionality of the HIV-1-specific CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cell memory immune responses, with most of the HIV-1 responses mediated by the CD8(+) T-cell compartment with an effector phenotype. Significantly, while MVA-B induced preferentially Env- and Gag-specific CD8(+) T-cell responses, MVA-B ΔC6L induced more Gag-Pol-Nef-specific CD8(+) T-cell responses. Furthermore, MVA-B ΔC6L enhanced the levels of antibodies against Env in comparison with MVA-B. These findings revealed that C6 can be considered as an immunomodulator and that deleting C6L gene in MVA-B confers an immunological benefit by enhancing IFN-β-dependent responses and increasing the magnitude and quality of the T-cell memory immune responses to HIV-1 antigens. Our observations are relevant for the improvement of MVA vectors as HIV-1 vaccines.

Coming into Focus A Needs Assessment and State Plan for Iowans with Brain Injury, November 1998

Coming Into Focus presents a needs assessment related to Iowans with brain injury, and a state action plan to improve Iowa’s ability to meet those needs. Support for this project came from a grant from the Office of Maternal and Child Health to the Iowa Department of Public Health, Iowa’s lead agency for brain injury. The report is a description of the needs of people with brain injuries in Iowa, the status of services to meet those needs and a plan for improving Iowa’s system of supports. Brain injury can result from a skull fracture or penetration of the brain, a disease process such as tumor or infection, or a closed head injury, such as shaken baby syndrome. Traumatic brain injury is a leading cause of death and disability in children and young adults (Fick, 1997). In the United States there are as many as 2 million brain injuries per year, with 300,000 severe enough to require hospitalization. Some 50,000 lives are lost every year to TBI. Eighty to 90 thousand people have moderate to acute brain injuries that result in disabling conditions which can last a lifetime. These conditions can include physical impairments, memory defects, limited concentration, communication deficits, emotional problems and deficits in social abilities. In addition to the personal pain and challenges to survivors and their families, the financial cost of brain injuries is enormous. With traumatic brain injuries, it is estimated that in 1995 Iowa hospitals charged some $38 million for acute care for injured persons. National estimates offer a lifetime cost of $4 million for one person with brain injury (Schootman and Harlan, 1997). With this estimate, new injuries in 1995 could eventually cost over $7 billion dollars. Dramatic improvements in medicine, and the development of emergency response systems, means that more people sustaining brain injuries are being saved. How can we insure that supports are available to this emerging population? We have called the report Coming into Focus, because, despite the prevalence and the personal and financial costs to society, brain injury is poorly understood. The Iowa Department of Public Health, the Iowa Advisory Council on Head Injuries State Plan Task Force, the Brain Injury Association of Iowa and the Iowa University Affiliated Program have worked together to begin answering this question. A great deal of good information already existed. This project brought this information together, gathered new information where it was needed, and carried out a process for identifying what needs to be done in Iowa, and what the priorities will be.

Missouri River Flood Coordination Task Force Report, September 25, 2011

The Missouri River floods of 2011 will go down in history as the longest duration flooding event this state has seen to date. The combination of above normal snowfall in the upper Missouri River basin followed by the equivalent of nearly one year’s worth of rainfall in May created an above normal runoff situation which filled the Missouri River and the six main reservoirs within the basin. Compounding this problem was colder than normal temperatures which kept much of the snowpack in the upper basin on the ground longer into the spring, setting the stage for this historic event. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) began increasing the outflow at Gavin’s Point, near Yankton, South Dakota in May. On June 14, 2011, the outflow reached a record rate of over 160,000 cubic feet per second (cfs), over twice the previous record outflow set in 1997. This increased output from Gavin’s Point caused the Missouri River to flow out of its banks covering over 283,000 acres of land in Iowa, forcing hundreds of evacuations, damaging 255,000 acres of cropland and significantly impacting the levee system on the Missouri River basin. Over the course of the summer, approximately 64 miles of primary roads closed due to Missouri River flooding, including 54 miles of Interstate Highway. Many county secondary roads were closed by high water or overburdened due to the numerous detours and road closures in this area. As the Missouri River levels began to increase, municipalities and counties aided by State and Federal agencies began preparing for a sustained flood event. Citizens, businesses, state agencies, local governments and non‐profits made substantial preparations, in some cases expending millions of dollars on emergency protective measures to protect their facilities from the impending flood. Levee monitors detected weak spots in the levee system in all affected counties, with several levees being identified as at risk levees that could potentially fail. Of particular concern was the 28 miles of levees protecting Council Bluffs. Based on this concern, Council Bluffs prepared an evacuation plan for the approximately 30,000 residents that resided in the protected area. On May 25, 2011, Governor Branstad directed the execution of the Iowa Emergency Response Plan in accordance with Section 401 of the Stafford Act. On May 31, 2011, HSEMD Administrator, Brigadier General J. Derek Hill, formally requested the USACE to provide technical assistance and advanced measures for the communities along the Missouri River basin. On June 2, 2011 Governor Branstad issued a State of Iowa Proclamation of Disaster Emergency for Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Monona, Pottawattamie, and Woodbury counties. The length of this flood event created a unique set of challenges for Federal, State and local entities. In many cases, these organizations were conducting response and recovery operations simultaneously. Due to the length of this entire event, the State Emergency Operations Center and the local Emergency Operations Centers remained open for an extended period of time, putting additional strain on many organizations and resources. In response to this disaster, Governor Branstad created the Missouri River Recovery Coordination Task Force to oversee the State’s recovery efforts. The Governor announced the creation of this Task Force on October 17, 2011 and appointed Brigadier General J. Derek Hill, HSEMD Administrator as the chairman. This Task Force would be a temporary group of State agency representatives and interested stakeholders brought together to support the recovery efforts of the Iowa communities impacted by the Missouri River Flood. Collectively, this group would analyze and share damage assessment data, coordinate assistance across various stakeholders, monitor progress, capture best practices and identify lessons learned.

Elder Abuse Task Force Report Pursuant to HF 2387: An Act Relating to Improvements to and Implementation of Laws Concerning Elder Abuse

During its 2012 session, Iowa’s 84th General Assembly passed House File 2387. The bill was signed into law by Governor Branstad and mandated a review of occurrences of and laws relating to abuse, neglect, or exploitation of individuals who are sixty years of age or older. After conducting the review, the twenty-three member Elder Abuse Task Force presents the following recommendations. These recommendations build upon current Iowa law and practice for the purpose of protecting older Iowans from abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

Heterologous prime-boost regimen adenovector 35-circumsporozoite protein vaccine/recombinant Bacillus Calmette-Guérin expressing the Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite induces enhanced long-term memory immunity in BALB/c mice.

BACKGROUND: Sustained antibody levels are a hallmark of immunity against many pathogens, and induction of long-term durable antibody titers is an essential feature of effective vaccines. Heterologous prime-boost approaches with vectors are optimal strategies to improve a broad and prolonged immunogenicity of malaria vaccines. RESULTS: In this study, we demonstrate that the heterologous prime-boost regimen Ad35-CS/BCG-CS induces stronger immune responses by enhancing type 1 cellular producing-cells with high levels of CSp-specific IFN-γ and cytophilic IgG2a antibodies as compared to a homologous BCG-CS and a heterologous BCG-CS/CSp prime-boost regimen. Moreover, the heterologous prime-boost regimen elicits the highest level of LLPC-mediated immune responses. CONCLUSION: The increased IFN-γ-producing cell responses induced by the combination of Ad35-CS/BCG-CS and sustained type 1 antibody profile together with high levels of LLPCs may be essential for the development of long-term protective immunity against liver-stage parasites.

Can postictal memory predict postoperative memory in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy?

We investigated the contribution of postictal memory testing for lateralizing the epileptic focus and predicting memory outcome after surgery for temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Forty-five patients with TLE underwent interictal, postictal, and postoperative assessment of verbal and nonverbal memory. Surgery consisted of anterior temporal lobectomy (36), selective isolated amygdalohippocampectomy (6), or amygdalohippocampectomy coupled to lesionectomy (3). Postictal and postoperative but not interictal memory were significantly lower in left TLE than in right TLE. Nonverbal memory showed no significant difference in left TLE versus right TLE in all conditions. Postictal memory was significantly correlated with postoperative memory, but the effect disappeared when the lateralization of the focus was considered. Postictal verbal memory is a useful bedside tool that can help lateralize the epileptic focus. Larger studies are needed to further estimate its predictive value of the postoperative outcome.