ProScan Automated Profilogram Reduction System, MLR-94-7, 1994

Kansas State University, with funding from the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT), has developed a computerized reduction system for profilograms produced by mechanical profilographs. The commercial version of the system (ProScan (trademark)) is marketed by Devore Systems, Inc. The system consists of an IBM Compatible PC 486SX33 computer or better, Epson LQ-570 printer, a Logitech Scanman 32 hand scanner system, a paper transport unit, and the ProScan software. The Scanner is not adaptable to IBM computers with the micro channel architecture. The Iowa DOT Transportation Centers could realize the following advantages by using ProScan: (1) Save about 5 to 8 staff hours of reduction and reporting time per Transportation Center per week for a Materials Technician 3 or 4 (the time savings would come during the busiest part of the season); (2) Reduce errors in reduction, transfer, and typing of profile values; (3) Increase the accuracy of the monitor results; and (4) Allow rapid evaluation of contractor traces when tolerance limits between monitor and certified results are exceeded.

Iowa State Plan for Brain Injury 2013-2018

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) impacts the lives of thousands of Iowans each year. The effects of brain injury (often called the "silent epidemic" because resulting injury is often not visible to others) are cognitive, emotional, and social but may also result in physical disability. This state plan, created by the Governor's Advisory Council on Brain Injuries, is intended to provide guidance for brain injury services and prevention activities in Iowa. This is the fourth Iowa State Plan for Brain Injury. In addition to a statewide needs assessment, development of this plan included recommendations made by the Mental Health and Disability Services Redesign Brain Injury Work-group. For the first time in the history of TBI surveillance in Iowa, the numbers and rates of TBI deaths are decreasing, however hospitalizations and emergency department visits resulting from TBI are steadily increasing. This trend is likely due to the decrease in motor vehicle accidents and improved hospitalization protocols. Looking to the future, the Advisory Council on Brain Injuries identified goals in each of four focus areas. These focus areas are: #1 Individual and family access; dedicated to the enhancement of the lives of individuals with brain injuries and their families. #2 Service and support availability; #3 Service system enhancements; continued funding growth and public awareness campaigns that draw attention to the impact of brain injury. #4 Brain injury prevention; working to prevent and reduce three of the most common causes of brain injury are falls, no helmet use, and motor vehicle crashes.

Audit report on the Black Hawk County Criminal Justice Information System for the year ended June 30, 2014

Audit report on the Black Hawk County Criminal Justice Information System for the year ended June 30, 2014

Simulation of growth and development of irrigated cowpea in Piauí State by CROPGRO model

The objective of this work was to adapt the CROPGRO model, which is part of the DSSAT system, for simulating the cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) growth and development under soil and climate conditions of the Baixo Parnaíba region, Piauí State, Brazil. In the CROPGRO, only input parameters that define crop species, cultivars, and ecotype were changed in order to characterize the cowpea crop. Soil and climate files were created for the considered site. Field experiments without water deficit were used to calibrate the model. In these experiments, dry matter (DM), leaf area index (LAI), yield components and grain yield of cowpea (cv. BR 14 Mulato) were evaluated. The results showed good fit for DM and LAI estimates. The medium values of R² and medium absolute error (MAE) were, respectively, 0.95 and 264.9 kg ha-1 for DM, and 0.97 and 0.22 for LAI. The difference between observed and simulated values of plant phenology varied from 0 to 3 days. The model also presented good performance for yield components simulation, excluding 100-grain weight, for which the error ranged from 20.9% to 34.3%. Considering the medium values of crop yield in two years, the model presented an error from 5.6%.

Continuous electroencephalographic monitoring in critically ill patients with central nervous system infections.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence, predictors, and clinical significance of electrographic seizures (ESz) and other continuous electroencephalographic monitoring findings in critically ill patients with central nervous system infections. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Eighteen-bed neurocritical care unit. PATIENTS: We identified 42 consecutive patients with primary central nervous system infection (viral, 27 patients [64%]; bacterial, 8 patients [18%]; and fungal or parasitic, 7 patients [17%]) who underwent continuous electroencephalographic monitoring between January 1, 1996, and February 28, 2007. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Presence of ESz or periodic epileptiform discharges (PEDs). RESULTS: Electrographic seizures were recorded in 14 patients (33%), and PEDs were recorded in 17 patients (40%). Twenty patients (48%) had either PEDs or ESz. Of the 14 patients with ESz, only 5 (36%) had a clinical correlate. Periodic epileptiform discharges (odds ratio=13.4; P=.001) and viral cause (odds ratio=13.0; P=.02) were independently associated with ESz. Both ESz (odds ratio=5.9; P=.02) and PEDs (odds ratio=6.1; P=.01) were independently associated with poor outcome at discharge (severe disability, vegetative state, or death). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with central nervous system infections undergoing continuous electroencephalographic monitoring, ESz and/or PEDs were frequent, occurring in 48% of our cohort. More than half of the ESz had no clinical correlate. Both ESz and PEDs were independently associated with poor outcome. Additional studies are needed to determine whether prevention or treatment of these electrographic findings improves outcome.

Norms establishment of the Diagnosis and Recommendation Integrated System (DRIS) for nutritional diagnosis of sugarcane

The objectives of this study were to establish DRIS norms for sugarcane crop, to compare mean yield, foliar nutrient contents and variance of nutrient ratios of low- and high-yielding groups and to compare mean values of nutrient ratios selected as the DRIS norms of low- and high-yielding groups. Leaf samples (analyzed for N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Cu, Mn and Zn contents) and respective yields were collected in 126 commercial sugarcane fields in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil and used to establish DRIS norms for sugarcane. Nearly all nutrient ratios selected as DRIS norms (77.8%) showed statistical differences between mean values of the low- and high-yielding groups. These different nutritional balances between the low- and high-yielding groups indicate that the DRIS norms developed in this paper are reliable. The DRIS norms for micronutrients with high S²l /S²h ratio and low coefficient of variation found can provide more security to evaluate the micronutrient status of sugarcane.

Pilot Project for a Hybrid Road-Flooding Forecasting System on Squaw Creek, TR-642

A network of 25 sonic stage sensors were deployed in the Squaw Creek basin upstream from Ames Iowa to determine if the state-of-the-art distributed hydrological model CUENCAS can produce reliable information for all road crossings including those that cross small creeks draining basins as small as 1 sq. mile. A hydraulic model was implemented for the major tributaries of the Squaw Creek where IFC sonic instruments were deployed and it was coupled to CUENCAS to validate the predictions made at small tributaries in the basin. This study demonstrates that the predictions made by the hydrological model at internal locations in the basins are as accurate as the predictions made at the outlet of the basin. Final rating curves based on surveyed cross sections were developed for the 22 IFC-bridge sites that are currently operating, and routine forecast is provided at those locations (see IFIS). Rating curves were developed for 60 additional bridge locations in the basin, however, we do not use those rating curves for routine forecast because the lack of accuracy of LiDAR derived cross sections is not optimal. The results of our work form the basis for two papers that have been submitted for publication to the Journal of Hydrological Engineering. Peer review of our work will gives a strong footing to our ability to expand our results from the pilot Squaw Creek basin to all basins in Iowa.

Audit report on the Iowa Judicial Retirement System for the year ended June 30, 2014

Audit report on the Iowa Judicial Retirement System for the year ended June 30, 2014

Dedicated to Better and Safer Highways, Iowa State Highway Commission, July 1973

The planning, construction and maintenance of its highways is the state's second highest business, next only to education. Of the nearly 113,090 miles of roads and streets in Iowa, the 10,271 miles in the Interstate and primary system are the direct responsibility of the Highway Commission.From its central headquarters in Ames, the Commission coordinates its statewide activities through facilities located in each of the 99 counties. These include six district offices, 47 resident offices and 165 maintenance garages.

Audit report on the Peace Officers' Retirement, Accident and Disability System for the year ended June 30, 2014

Audit report on the Peace Officers' Retirement, Accident and Disability System for the year ended June 30, 2014

Decentralization and the Welfare State: What Do Citizens Perceive?

Trust in public institutions and public policies are generally perceived as a precondition for economic recovery in times of recession. Recent empirical evidence tends to find a positive link between decentralization and trust. But our knowledge about whether decentralization – through increased trust – improves the perception of the delivery and effectiveness of public policies is still limited. In this paper we estimate the impact of fiscal and political decentralization on the perception of the state of the education system and of health services, by using the 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008 waves of the European social survey. The analysis of the views of 160,000 individuals in 31 European countries indicates that while the effect of fiscal decentralization on the perception of the state of the health and education system is limited, political decentralization clearly affects citizen’s satisfaction with education and health delivery. The influence of political decentralization, however, is highly contingent on whether we consider the capacity of the local or regional government to exercise authority over its citizens (self-rule) or to influence policy at the national level (shared-rule). Keywords: Education, health, satisfaction, fiscal and political decentralization, Europe. JEL codes: H11, H77

Audit report of the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System (IPERS) as of June 30, 2014

Audit report of the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System (IPERS) as of June 30, 2014

Issue review : electronic document management system, or EDMS.

This issue review provides an overview of the electronic document management system, or EDMS, project, withing the judicial branch and courts.

Issue review : Cedar Rock State Park.

This issue review provides an overview of Cedar Rock State Park, that is part of Iowa's park system and managed by the Department of Natural Resources, or DNR.

Report on a review of selected general and application controls over the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System I-Que Pension Administration System for the period May 5, 2014 through July 1, 2014

Report on a review of selected general and application controls over the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System I-Que Pension Administration System for the period May 5, 2014 through July 1, 2014