Development of LRFD Procedures for Bridge Pile Foundations in Iowa, Volume I: An Electronic Database for PIle LOad Tests (PILOT), TR-573, 2011

For well over 100 years, the Working Stress Design (WSD) approach has been the traditional basis for geotechnical design with regard to settlements or failure conditions. However, considerable effort has been put forth over the past couple of decades in relation to the adoption of the Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) approach into geotechnical design. With the goal of producing engineered designs with consistent levels of reliability, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) issued a policy memorandum on June 28, 2000, requiring all new bridges initiated after October 1, 2007, to be designed according to the LRFD approach. Likewise, regionally calibrated LRFD resistance factors were permitted by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) to improve the economy of bridge foundation elements. Thus, projects TR-573, TR-583 and TR-584 were undertaken by a research team at Iowa State University’s Bridge Engineering Center with the goal of developing resistance factors for pile design using available pile static load test data. To accomplish this goal, the available data were first analyzed for reliability and then placed in a newly designed relational database management system termed PIle LOad Tests (PILOT), to which this first volume of the final report for project TR-573 is dedicated. PILOT is an amalgamated, electronic source of information consisting of both static and dynamic data for pile load tests conducted in the State of Iowa. The database, which includes historical data on pile load tests dating back to 1966, is intended for use in the establishment of LRFD resistance factors for design and construction control of driven pile foundations in Iowa. Although a considerable amount of geotechnical and pile load test data is available in literature as well as in various State Department of Transportation files, PILOT is one of the first regional databases to be exclusively used in the development of LRFD resistance factors for the design and construction control of driven pile foundations. Currently providing an electronically organized assimilation of geotechnical and pile load test data for 274 piles of various types (e.g., steel H-shaped, timber, pipe, Monotube, and concrete), PILOT (http://srg.cce.iastate.edu/lrfd/) is on par with such familiar national databases used in the calibration of LRFD resistance factors for pile foundations as the FHWA’s Deep Foundation Load Test Database. By narrowing geographical boundaries while maintaining a high number of pile load tests, PILOT exemplifies a model for effective regional LRFD calibration procedures.

Spatial and temporal regulation of " cdc16p " in the fission yeast " Schizosaccharomyces pombe "

Abstract: The fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe has proven to be an excellent model system for the study of eukaryotic cell cycle control. S. pombe cells are rod-shaped and grow mainly by elongation at their tips. They divide by the means of a centrallyplaced division septum which provides two daughter cells of equal size. S. pombe cytokinesis begins at mitotic entry, when the division site is defined by formation of the contractile acto-myosin ring (CAR). Formation of the division septum is triggered at the end of mitosis by the spindle pole body (SPB) associated septation initiation network (SIN) proteins. SIN signalling requires activation of the GTPase spg1p, whose nucleotide status is regulated by the bipartite GAP byr4pcdc16p. Removal of cdc16p from the SPB during early mitosis is thought to allow priming of the SIN by association of cdc7p with both SPBs. During anaphase cdc7p is retained on the new SPB, which also recruits the kinase sid1 p and cdc14p, while the old SP8 reassembles the byr4-cdc16p GAP and is presumed not to signal; SPB asymmetry persists throughout anaphase. The trigger for inactivation of SIN signalling at the new SPB is unknown. This study has concentrated upon cdc16p. We have undertaken the analysis of the localisation of cdc16p using time-lapse microscopy. We have observed that the localisation of cdc16p is regulated at different transitions. We have shown that cdc16p is removed from the SPB prior to the onset of spindle formation and that it reappears asymmetrically at the beginning of anaphase B. We have also demonstrated that the resetting of the SIN at the new SPB is linked to completion of CAR contraction and septum formation. We propose the existence of a mechanism that monitors cytokinesis and that couples the activity of the SI N with the presence of the CAR. During the biochemical characterization of cdc16p, We have found that it is an unstable protein and that it is subjected to polyubiquitination by the SCF and proteasomal degradation. Together, these observations help to shed new light upon the mechanisms by which cytokinesis is regulated in S. pombe. Résumé: La levure Schizosaccharomyces pombe est un excellent organisme modèle pour l'étude du cycle cellulaire eucaryote. Les cellules S. pombe ont la forme de bâtonnets et croissent par l'allongement de leurs extrémités. Elles se divisent en formant, en leur milieu une paroi cellulaire, appelé septum, permettant ainsi l'obtention de deux cellules filles de même taille. Chez S. pombe, la cytokinèse commence en début de mitose lorsque le site de division est déterminé par la formation d'un anneau d'acto-myosine. Le septum, lui, est formé uniquement en fin de mitose par la contraction de l'anneau d'actomyosine. Cette contraction est sous le contrôle d'un réseau de signalisation cellulaire appelé le «réseau d'initiation de synthèse du septum » ou « septation initiation network » (SIN), qui se situe sur les pôles du fuseau mitotique. L'activation du SIN dépend d'une GTPase appelé spg1p dont le statut nucléotidique dépend des protéines cdclóp et byr4p qui forment un complexe qui favorise l'hydrolyse du GTP en GDP. En début de mitose, cdc16p ne se situe plus sur les poles du fuseau mitotique. La GTPase spg1p se retrouve donc principalement sous sa forme couplée au GTP, ce quí va permettre son interaction avec la kinase cdc7p. Cette protéine ainsi que deux autres kinases sid2p (avec mob1p) et sid1p (avec cdc14p) permettent la transmission du signal d'initiation de la contraction de l'anneau d'acto-myosine en fin d'anaphase. Pendant l'anaphase, cdc7p, sid1 p et cdc14p localisent sur un des deux pôles du fuseau mitotique. Il en est de même pour cdc1p et by14p et le pôle contenant cdc16p et byr4p est toujours différent de celui ou les régulateurs positifs du SIN se situent. En fin de cytokinèse, cdc16 et byr4p se retrouvent à nouveau sur chaque pôle des deux cellules filles. Dans cette étude, nous nous sommes concentrés sur l'analyse de la localisation de cdc16p pendant la mitose en utilisant une technique de microscopie en temps réel. Nous avons été en mesure de déterminer que le départ de cdc16p du pole s'effectue juste avant la formation du fuseau mitotique. Nous avons aussi découvert que la localisation asymétrique des composants du SIN dépend fortement de l'entrée en anaphase B. Finalement, Nous avons montré que distribution asymétrique des composants du SIN sur les pôles du fuseau mitotique dépendait aussi fortement de !a présence de l'anneau d'acto-myosine. Ceci nous permet donc de proposer l'existence d'un mécanisme cellulaire qui permet de s'assurer que la cytokinèse est achevée avant de diminuer la signalisation du SIN. Par ailleurs, des études biochimiques nous ont permis de montrer que cdc16p est dégradé par le proteosome. Ces travaux ont permis la découverte de nouveaux modes de régulation du SIN.

Nasopalatine duct cyst: report of 22 cases and review of the literature

Objectives: Nasopalatine duct cysts (NPDCs) are the most common developmental, epithelial and non-odontogenic cysts of the maxillae. The present study describes the clinicopathological characteristics of 22 NPDCs and discusses their etiology, incidence, treatment and prognosis, with a review of the literature on the subject. Study design: A retrospective observational study was made comprising a period of 36 years (1970-2006), and yielding a series of 22 patients with histopathological confirmation of NPDC. Surgical treatment was carried out under local anesthesia and comprised the dissection and removal of the cyst adopting a usually palatine approach, with the preparation of an enveloping flap from 1.4 to 2.4. Results: No statistically significant correlation was observed between the size of the lesion and patient age, although the size of the cyst differed according to patient gender, with a mean NPDC diameter of 16 mm in males and 12 mm in females. In no case did we observe root reabsorption or loss of vitality of the upper incisors following surgery. The X-ray image was rounded in 15 cases and heart-shaped in the remaining 7 cases. In the majority of cases panoramic X-rays and periapical and occlusal X-rays sufficed to identify the lesion, though computed tomography was used in cases of doubt. Conclusions: The etiology of NPDC is unclear. Simple surgical resection is recommended, followed by clinical and radiological control to ensure correct resolution of the case.

The importance of myth in contemporary art: myth, poetry and women

This project is intended to prove the prevalent importance of myth in contemporary art and, more specifically, to highlight how myth and poetry have shaped and reflected ideas of womanhood over time. A selection of significant literary periods, authors and works from the Renaissance to our days have been chosen in order to provide a wide scope of the evolution that the portrayal of women has undergone. Special attention has been paid to the way in which a group of selected poets have contributed to the construction and deconstruction of traditional Judeo-Christian and Greco-Roman myths strongly attached to patterns of male dominance.

Cable fixation and early total hip arthroplasty in the treatment of acetabular fractures in elderly patients.

Eighteen patients with acetabular fractures, with a mean age of 76 years, were treated with cable fixation and acute total hip arthroplasty. Nine were T-shaped fractures, 4 associated transverse and posterior wall, 2 transverse, 2 posterior column and posterior wall, and 1 anterior and posterior hemitransverse fractures. One patient experienced 3 episodes of hip dislocation within 10 months after surgery. All the others had a good outcome at a mean follow-up time of 36 months. Radiographic assessment showed healing of the fracture and a satisfactory alignment of the cup without loosening. This option provides good primary fixation, stabilizes complex acetabular fractures in elderly patients, and permits early postoperative mobilization.

Erosion and channel change as factors of landslides and valley formation in Champlain sea clays: The Chacoura river, Quebec, Canada

The Champlain Sea clays of Eastern Canada are incised by numerous rivers. Their slopes have been modified by landslides: on the Chacoura River near Trois-Rivières (Quebec), several large landslide scars, more or less recent, are visible. The role of erosion (channel incision, lateral channel migration and erosion of slopes due to agricultural drainage) as a trigger of these landslides is important. The aim of this study is to understand how erosion and landslides are related to valley development. From a detailed analysis of aerial photographs and DEMs, a map of the phenomena has been drawn by identifying various elements such as landslides, limits of the slope, position of the channel, and the area covered by forest. It is shown that channel change and erosion are strongly linked to landslides by the fact that they change the bank morphology in an unstable way. A slide in itself is a natural way for the slope to achieve stability. But when it occurs in a stream, it creates a disturbance to the stream flow enhancing local erosion which may change the river path and generate more erosion downstream or upstream resulting in more slides. Cross-valley sections and a longitudinal profile show that landslides are a major factor of valley formation. It appears that the upper part of the Chacoura River valley is still unaffected by landslides and has V-shaped sections. The lower part has been subject to intense erosion and many landslide scars can be seen. This shows that the valley morphology is transient, and that future activity is more likely to occur in the upper part of the river. Therefore the identification of areas prone to erosion will help determine the possible location of future large landslides just like the ones that occurred in the lower part.

La Incidencia de la helada de 1956 en el olivar de Navata (Alt Empordà, Girona)

In the region of Alt Empordà (Girona), olive groves historically shaped a landscape of high economic value, cultural and environmental although since mid-twentieth century is in sharp decline. One of the municipalities located on the edge of the plana altoampurdanesa that best exemplify this process of abandonment and near disappearance of that crop is Navata. This article analyzes the changes in the olive grove of this municipality in the period 1957-2004, both through the development of mapping land use and land cover level of detail as the analysis of data sources and oral exercise that makes emphasizes the loss of 90% of the existing olive grove in the middle of last century. The frost of February of 1956 was one of the main causes, but not unique. However, both the importance of the olive groves as an identity and conservation of biodiversity as the differential nature of the oil obtained from varieties natives to the area (especially argudell), justify the need to promote policies that will help your recovery

Drug concentration response relationships in normal volunteers after oral administration of losartan, an angiotensin II receptor antagonist.

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between plasma concentrations of losartan, an orally active angiotensin II inhibitor, its active metabolite EXP3174, and angiotensin II blockade. Six healthy subjects received single oral doses of 40, 80, or 120 mg losartan and placebo at 1-week intervals in a crossover study. Angiotensin II blockade was assessed by the blood pressure response to exogenous angiotensin II before and after losartan administration. EXP3174 reached higher plasma concentrations and was eliminated more slowly than its parent compound; its levels paralleled the profile of angiotensin II blockade closer than losartan. Inhibition of the pressure response was dose dependent. The Hill-shaped relationship between response and EXP3174 concentration (or time-integrated variables) approached a plateau with 80 mg. The dose-dependent increase in plasma renin and angiotensin II exhibited a considerable individual scatter. We conclude that losartan produces a dose-dependent, effective angiotensin II blockade that is largely determined by the active metabolite EXP3174.

European genetic diversity and susceptibility to pathogens.

Infectious diseases, both in their endemic and epidemic forms, have shaped the human genome. Ecology has also contributed to geographically constrained pressures on human populations. There are now multiple examples of population-specific genetic variants that modulate susceptibility to infection - several of which have been observed solely in Europeans. The pathogen genome also mutates and adapts to individuals and common alleles in populations. The current understanding has benefited from genome-wide association studies as well as from rapid progress in the genetic characterization of Mendelian immunodeficiencies that are defined by susceptibility to specific pathogens. It is expected that current efforts to characterize rare human genetic variants will contribute to the understanding of severe manifestations of common infections in European and other human groups.

Conservation of the Eurasian Lynx (Lynx lynx) in a fragmented landscape - habitat models, dispersal and potential distribution

Abstract: The expansion of a recovering population - whether re-introduced or spontaneously returning - is shaped by (i) biological (intrinsic) factors such as the land tenure system or dispersal, (ii) the distribution and availability of resources (e.g. prey), (iii) habitat and landscape features, and (iv) human attitudes and activities. In order to develop efficient conservation and recovery strategies, we need to understand all these factors and to predict the potential distribution and explore ways to reach it. An increased number of lynx in the north-western Swiss Alps in the nineties lead to a new controversy about the return of this cat. When the large carnivores were given legal protection in many European countries, most organizations and individuals promoting their protection did not foresee the consequences. Management plans describing how to handle conflicts with large predators are needed to find a balance between "overabundance" and extinction. Wildlife and conservation biologists need to evaluate the various threats confronting populations so that adequate management decisions can be taken. I developed a GIS probability model for the lynx, based on habitat information and radio-telemetry data from the Swiss Jura Mountains, in order to predict the potential distribution of the lynx in this mountain range, which is presently only partly occupied by lynx. Three of the 18 variables tested for each square kilometre describing land use, vegetation, and topography, qualified to predict the probability of lynx presence. The resulting map was evaluated with data from dispersing subadult lynx. Young lynx that were not able to establish home ranges in what was identified as good lynx habitat did not survive their first year of independence, whereas the only one that died in good lynx habitat was illegally killed. Radio-telemetry fixes are often used as input data to calibrate habitat models. Radio-telemetry is the only way to gather accurate and unbiased data on habitat use of elusive larger terrestrial mammals. However, it is time consuming and expensive, and can therefore only be applied in limited areas. Habitat models extrapolated over large areas can in turn be problematic, as habitat characteristics and availability may change from one area to the other. I analysed the predictive power of Ecological Niche Factor Analysis (ENFA) in Switzerland with the lynx as focal species. According to my results, the optimal sampling strategy to predict species distribution in an Alpine area lacking available data would be to pool presence cells from contrasted regions (Jura Mountains, Alps), whereas in regions with a low ecological variance (Jura Mountains), only local presence cells should be used for the calibration of the model. Dispersal influences the dynamics and persistence of populations, the distribution and abundance of species, and gives the communities and ecosystems their characteristic texture in space and time. Between 1988 and 2001, the spatio-temporal behaviour of subadult Eurasian lynx in two re-introduced populations in Switzerland was studied, based on 39 juvenile lynx of which 24 were radio-tagged to understand the factors influencing dispersal. Subadults become independent from their mothers at the age of 8-11 months. No sex bias neither in the dispersal rate nor in the distance moved was detected. Lynx are conservative dispersers, compared to bear and wolf, and settled within or close to known lynx occurrences. Dispersal distances reached in the high lynx density population - shorter than those reported in other Eurasian lynx studies - are limited by habitat restriction hindering connections with neighbouring metapopulations. I postulated that high lynx density would lead to an expansion of the population and validated my predictions with data from the north-western Swiss Alps where about 1995 a strong increase in lynx abundance took place. The general hypothesis that high population density will foster the expansion of the population was not confirmed. This has consequences for the re-introduction and recovery of carnivores in a fragmented landscape. To establish a strong source population in one place might not be an optimal strategy. Rather, population nuclei should be founded in several neighbouring patches. Exchange between established neighbouring subpopulations will later on take place, as adult lynx show a higher propensity to cross barriers than subadults. To estimate the potential population size of the lynx in the Jura Mountains and to assess possible corridors between this population and adjacent areas, I adapted a habitat probability model for lynx distribution in the Jura Mountains with new environmental data and extrapolated it over the entire mountain range. The model predicts a breeding population ranging from 74-101 individuals and from 51-79 individuals when continuous habitat patches < 50 km2 are disregarded. The Jura Mountains could once be part of a metapopulation, as potential corridors exist to the adjoining areas (Alps, Vosges Mountains, and Black Forest). Monitoring of the population size, spatial expansion, and the genetic surveillance in the Jura Mountains must be continued, as the status of the population is still critical. ENFA was used to predict the potential distribution of lynx in the Alps. The resulting model divided the Alps into 37 suitable habitat patches ranging from 50 to 18,711 km2, covering a total area of about 93,600 km2. When using the range of lynx densities found in field studies in Switzerland, the Alps could host a population of 961 to 1,827 residents. The results of the cost-distance analysis revealed that all patches were within the reach of dispersing lynx, as the connection costs were in the range of dispersal cost of radio-tagged subadult lynx moving through unfavorable habitat. Thus, the whole Alps could once be considered as a metapopulation. But experience suggests that only few disperser will cross unsuitable areas and barriers. This low migration rate may seldom allow the spontaneous foundation of new populations in unsettled areas. As an alternative to natural dispersal, artificial transfer of individuals across the barriers should be considered. Wildlife biologists can play a crucial role in developing adaptive management experiments to help managers learning by trial. The case of the lynx in Switzerland is a good example of a fruitful cooperation between wildlife biologists, managers, decision makers and politician in an adaptive management process. This cooperation resulted in a Lynx Management Plan which was implemented in 2000 and updated in 2004 to give the cantons directives on how to handle lynx-related problems. This plan was put into practice e.g. in regard to translocation of lynx into unsettled areas. Résumé: L'expansion d'une population en phase de recolonisation, qu'elle soit issue de réintroductions ou d'un retour naturel dépend 1) de facteurs biologiques tels que le système social et le mode de dispersion, 2) de la distribution et la disponibilité des ressources (proies), 3) de l'habitat et des éléments du paysage, 4) de l'acceptation de l'espèce par la population locale et des activités humaines. Afin de pouvoir développer des stratégies efficaces de conservation et de favoriser la recolonisation, chacun de ces facteurs doit être pris en compte. En plus, la distribution potentielle de l'espèce doit pouvoir être déterminée et enfin, toutes les possibilités pour atteindre les objectifs, examinées. La phase de haute densité que la population de lynx a connue dans les années nonante dans le nord-ouest des Alpes suisses a donné lieu à une controverse assez vive. La protection du lynx dans de nombreux pays européens, promue par différentes organisations, a entraîné des conséquences inattendues; ces dernières montrent que tout plan de gestion doit impérativement indiquer des pistes quant à la manière de gérer les conflits, tout en trouvant un équilibre entre l'extinction et la surabondance de l'espèce. Les biologistes de la conservation et de la faune sauvage doivent pour cela évaluer les différents risques encourus par les populations de lynx, afin de pouvoir rapidement prendre les meilleuresmdécisions de gestion. Un modèle d'habitat pour le lynx, basé sur des caractéristiques de l'habitat et des données radio télémétriques collectées dans la chaîne du Jura, a été élaboré afin de prédire la distribution potentielle dans cette région, qui n'est que partiellement occupée par l'espèce. Trois des 18 variables testées, décrivant pour chaque kilomètre carré l'utilisation du sol, la végétation ainsi que la topographie, ont été retenues pour déterminer la probabilité de présence du lynx. La carte qui en résulte a été comparée aux données télémétriques de lynx subadultes en phase de dispersion. Les jeunes qui n'ont pas pu établir leur domaine vital dans l'habitat favorable prédit par le modèle n'ont pas survécu leur première année d'indépendance alors que le seul individu qui est mort dans l'habitat favorable a été braconné. Les données radio-télémétriques sont souvent utilisées pour l'étalonnage de modèles d'habitat. C'est un des seuls moyens à disposition qui permette de récolter des données non biaisées et précises sur l'occupation de l'habitat par des mammifères terrestres aux moeurs discrètes. Mais ces méthodes de- mandent un important investissement en moyens financiers et en temps et peuvent, de ce fait, n'être appliquées qu'à des zones limitées. Les modèles d'habitat sont ainsi souvent extrapolés à de grandes surfaces malgré le risque d'imprécision, qui résulte des variations des caractéristiques et de la disponibilité de l'habitat d'une zone à l'autre. Le pouvoir de prédiction de l'Analyse Ecologique de la Niche (AEN) dans les zones où les données de présence n'ont pas été prises en compte dans le calibrage du modèle a été analysée dans le cas du lynx en Suisse. D'après les résultats obtenus, la meilleure mé- thode pour prédire la distribution du lynx dans une zone alpine dépourvue d'indices de présence est de combiner des données provenant de régions contrastées (Alpes, Jura). Par contre, seules les données sur la présence locale de l'espèce doivent être utilisées pour les zones présentant une faible variance écologique tel que le Jura. La dispersion influence la dynamique et la stabilité des populations, la distribution et l'abondance des espèces et détermine les caractéristiques spatiales et temporelles des communautés vivantes et des écosystèmes. Entre 1988 et 2001, le comportement spatio-temporel de lynx eurasiens subadultes de deux populations réintroduites en Suisse a été étudié, basé sur le suivi de 39 individus juvéniles dont 24 étaient munis d'un collier émetteur, afin de déterminer les facteurs qui influencent la dispersion. Les subadultes se sont séparés de leur mère à l'âge de 8 à 11 mois. Le sexe n'a pas eu d'influence sur le nombre d'individus ayant dispersés et la distance parcourue au cours de la dispersion. Comparé à l'ours et au loup, le lynx reste très modéré dans ses mouvements de dispersion. Tous les individus ayant dispersés se sont établis à proximité ou dans des zones déjà occupées par des lynx. Les distances parcourues lors de la dispersion ont été plus courtes pour la population en phase de haute densité que celles relevées par les autres études de dispersion du lynx eurasien. Les zones d'habitat peu favorables et les barrières qui interrompent la connectivité entre les populations sont les principales entraves aux déplacements, lors de la dispersion. Dans un premier temps, nous avons fait l'hypothèse que les phases de haute densité favorisaient l'expansion des populations. Mais cette hypothèse a été infirmée par les résultats issus du suivi des lynx réalisé dans le nord-ouest des Alpes, où la population connaissait une phase de haute densité depuis 1995. Ce constat est important pour la conservation d'une population de carnivores dans un habitat fragmenté. Ainsi, instaurer une forte population source à un seul endroit n'est pas forcément la stratégie la plus judicieuse. Il est préférable d'établir des noyaux de populations dans des régions voisines où l'habitat est favorable. Des échanges entre des populations avoisinantes pourront avoir lieu par la suite car les lynx adultes sont plus enclins à franchir les barrières qui entravent leurs déplacements que les individus subadultes. Afin d'estimer la taille de la population de lynx dans le Jura et de déterminer les corridors potentiels entre cette région et les zones avoisinantes, un modèle d'habitat a été utilisé, basé sur un nouveau jeu de variables environnementales et extrapolé à l'ensemble du Jura. Le modèle prédit une population reproductrice de 74 à 101 individus et de 51 à 79 individus lorsque les surfaces d'habitat d'un seul tenant de moins de 50 km2 sont soustraites. Comme des corridors potentiels existent effectivement entre le Jura et les régions avoisinantes (Alpes, Vosges, et Forêt Noire), le Jura pourrait faire partie à l'avenir d'une métapopulation, lorsque les zones avoisinantes seront colonisées par l'espèce. La surveillance de la taille de la population, de son expansion spatiale et de sa structure génétique doit être maintenue car le statut de cette population est encore critique. L'AEN a également été utilisée pour prédire l'habitat favorable du lynx dans les Alpes. Le modèle qui en résulte divise les Alpes en 37 sous-unités d'habitat favorable dont la surface varie de 50 à 18'711 km2, pour une superficie totale de 93'600 km2. En utilisant le spectre des densités observées dans les études radio-télémétriques effectuées en Suisse, les Alpes pourraient accueillir une population de lynx résidents variant de 961 à 1'827 individus. Les résultats des analyses de connectivité montrent que les sous-unités d'habitat favorable se situent à des distances telles que le coût de la dispersion pour l'espèce est admissible. L'ensemble des Alpes pourrait donc un jour former une métapopulation. Mais l'expérience montre que très peu d'individus traverseront des habitats peu favorables et des barrières au cours de leur dispersion. Ce faible taux de migration rendra difficile toute nouvelle implantation de populations dans des zones inoccupées. Une solution alternative existe cependant : transférer artificiellement des individus d'une zone à l'autre. Les biologistes spécialistes de la faune sauvage peuvent jouer un rôle important et complémentaire pour les gestionnaires de la faune, en les aidant à mener des expériences de gestion par essai. Le cas du lynx en Suisse est un bel exemple d'une collaboration fructueuse entre biologistes de la faune sauvage, gestionnaires, organes décisionnaires et politiciens. Cette coopération a permis l'élaboration du Concept Lynx Suisse qui est entré en vigueur en 2000 et remis à jour en 2004. Ce plan donne des directives aux cantons pour appréhender la problématique du lynx. Il y a déjà eu des applications concrètes sur le terrain, notamment par des translocations d'individus dans des zones encore inoccupées.

The Determinants of Exit in Argentina: Core and Peripheral Regions

This paper analyses the regional determinants of exit in Argentina. We find evidence of a dynamic revolving door by which past entrants increase current exits, particularly in the peripheral regions. In the central regions, current and past incumbents cause an analogous displacement effect. Also, exit shows a U-shaped relationship with respect to the informal economy, although the positive effect is weaker in the central regions. These findings point to the existence of a core-periphery structure in the spatial distribution of exits. Key words: firm exit, count data models, Argentina JEL: R12; R30; C33

Revisiting spatial distribution and biochemical composition of calcium-containing crystals in human osteoarthritic articular cartilage.

INTRODUCTION: Calcium-containing (CaC) crystals, including basic calcium phosphate (BCP) and calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate (CPP), are associated with destructive forms of osteoarthritis (OA). We assessed their distribution and biochemical and morphologic features in human knee OA cartilage. METHODS: We prospectively included 20 patients who underwent total knee replacement (TKR) for primary OA. CaC crystal characterization and identification involved Fourier-transform infra-red spectrometry and scanning electron microscopy of 8 to 10 cartilage zones of each knee, including medial and lateral femoral condyles and tibial plateaux and the intercondyle zone. Differential expression of genes involved in the mineralization process between cartilage with and without calcification was assessed in samples from 8 different patients by RT-PCR. Immunohistochemistry and histology studies were performed in 6 different patients. RESULTS: Mean (SEM) age and body mass index of patients at the time of TKR was 74.6 (1.7) years and 28.1 (1.6) kg/m², respectively. Preoperative X-rays showed joint calcifications (chondrocalcinosis) in 4 cases only. The medial femoro-tibial compartment was the most severely affected in all cases, and mean (SEM) Kellgren-Lawrence score was 3.8 (0.1). All 20 OA cartilages showed CaC crystals. The mineral content represented 7.7% (8.1%) of the cartilage weight. All patients showed BCP crystals, which were associated with CPP crystals for 8 joints. CaC crystals were present in all knee joint compartments and in a mean of 4.6 (1.7) of the 8 studied areas. Crystal content was similar between superficial and deep layers and between medial and femoral compartments. BCP samples showed spherical structures, typical of biological apatite, and CPP samples showed rod-shaped or cubic structures. The expression of several genes involved in mineralization, including human homolog of progressive ankylosis, plasma-cell-membrane glycoprotein 1 and tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase, was upregulated in OA chondrocytes isolated from CaC crystal-containing cartilages. CONCLUSIONS: CaC crystal deposition is a widespread phenomenon in human OA articular cartilage involving the entire knee cartilage including macroscopically normal and less weight-bearing zones. Cartilage calcification is associated with altered expression of genes involved in the mineralisation process.

The slow transformation of Swiss federal administrative elites

This article sets out to study the profile of Swiss administrative elites at federal level by showing how their profile has evolved in the light of what has come to be known as the wave of New Public Management (NPM), which has benefited from a very fertile ground in Switzerland. These elites correspond to a specific institutional order, in relation to specific organizational structures and workings, and have specific characteristics in terms of career paths and academic background. However, the administrative reforms that have been rolled out since the 1980s have transformed the institutional order within which executives of the federal administration evolve. This article analyses the extent to which these transformations have had an impact on the characteristics of these elites, through indicators such as academic capital, social capital, and career path within and outside the administration. The results show a slow but significant transformation in the profiles of these elites towards an increasing managerialization, reflecting that of the context in which they evolve.Points for practitioners The relationship between politics and the administration is naturally shaped by individuals but is closely dependent on the profiles of the players. They are currently undergoing a transformation in the wake of administrative reforms, and also of the changing profiles of both the political and administrative players. Gaining an insight into the slow transformation of the profiles of administrative elites therefore sheds light on the political-administrative nexus. The gradual managerialization of the administrative elite highlighted in this article also allows for a better understanding of which professional experiences, qualifications and skills are valued today within the senior civil service in Switzerland.

Iowa Study of No Passing Zone Signing, 1962

This report is compiled from data gathered by interviewing motorists to sample their opinion of Iowa's method of supplementing the yellow barrier line pavement marking of no passing zones on primary highways with yellow pennant shaped "No Passing Zone" signs mounted on the left shoulder of the highway. The effective designation of no passing zones is one form of control that can contribute to a reduction in the number of fatal high-speed head-on collisions resulting from passing in areas which do not afford sufficient sight distance of approaching traffic. It is the purpose of this report to present an evaluation of the Iowa "No Passing Zone" sign by individuals from all states who have traveled on Iowa's primary highways and who must obey the no passing zone restrictions and be warned by this sign of the presence of the zones. The "No Passing Zone" sign was formulated and approved by the Governor's Safety Committee a short time prior to the experimental erection of the signs. The Governor's Safety Committee adopted this sign as they felt that such a sign should be distinctive (not similar to any other type of sign) and easily visible to a driver attempting a passing maneuver.

Ultimate Load Behavior of Full-Scale Highway Truss Bridges: Phase I - Ultimate Load Tests of the Hubby Bridge - Boone County, Interim Report, HR-169, 1975

As a result of the construction of the Saylorville Dam and Reservoir on the Des Moines River, six highway bridges crossing the river were scheduled for removal. One of these, an old pinconnected high-truss single-lane bridge, was selected for a testing program which included ultimate load tests. The purpose of the ultimate load tests, which are summarized in this report, was to relate design and rating procedures presently used in bridge design to the field behavior of this type of truss bridge. The ultimate load tests consisted of ultimate load testing of one span of the bridge, of two I-shaped floorbeams, and of two panels of the timber deck. The theoretical capacity of each of these components is compared with the results from the field tests.