Editorial research and the publication process in biomedicine and health: Report from the Esteve Foundation Discussion Group, December 2012.

Despite the fact that there are more than twenty thousand biomedical journals in the world, research into the work of editors and publication process in biomedical and health care journals is rare. In December 2012, the Esteve Foundation, a non-profit scientific institution that fosters progress in pharmacotherapy by means of scientific communication and discussion organized a discussion group of 7 editors and/or experts in peer review biomedical publishing. They presented findings of past editorial research, discussed the lack of competitive funding schemes and specialized journals for dissemination of editorial research, and reported on the great diversity of misconduct and conflict of interest policies, as well as adherence to reporting guidelines. Furthermore, they reported on the reluctance of editors to investigate allegations of misconduct or increase the level of data sharing in health research. In the end, they concluded that if editors are to remain gatekeepers of scientific knowledge they should reaffirm their focus on the integrity of the scientific record and completeness of the data they publish. Additionally, more research should be undertaken to understand why many journals are not adhering to editorial standards, and what obstacles editors face when engaging in editorial research.

Program and Summary of Budget Fiscal Years 2012-2013, January 27, 2011

Program and Summary of Budget by Governor Terry Branstad

Iowa Program Budget and Summary, Fiscal Years 2012-2013, January 27, 2011

Governor Branstad's budget reccommendations for the fiscal years 2012 and 2013. NOTE: this is a very large file and may take a while for it to download.

Métodos de representación en la pintura figurativa

El conocido secretismo de los talleres y el desinterés de los pintores en dejar constancia escrita de su trabajo dificultan el estudio de la representación en la pintura. Esta situación obliga al pintor a recorrer personalmente paso a paso el mismo camino que sus antecesores. No existe más guía que las obras de los maestros y las máximas que, de taller en taller, se han transmitido hasta nosotros; es cierto que algunas son curiosas y con visos de verdad, pero en el fondo, poco aportan al pintor actual. Nos falta el conocimiento contrastado de lo que los pintores llamamos "el concepto", que es la suma de ideas en las que se sustenta nuestro trabajo. En este artículo expongo dos procedimientos que he podido identificar y en los que principalmente he basado mi obra.

2012-2016 Iowa Transportation Improvement Program

The Iowa Transportation Improvement Program (Program) is published to inform Iowans of planned investments in our state’s transportation system. The Iowa Transportation Commission (Commission) and Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) are committed to programming those investments in a fiscally responsible manner. This document reflects Iowa’s multimodal transportation system by the inclusion of investments in aviation, transit, railroads, trails, and highways. A major component of this program is the highway section that documents programmed investments on the primary highway system for the next five years. A large part of funding available for highway programming comes from the federal government. Accurately estimating future federal funding levels is dependent on having a current enacted multi-year federal transportation authorization. The most recent authorization, Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), expired September 30, 2009, and to date it has been extended seven times because a new authorization has not yet been enacted. The current extension will expire September 30, 2011. This leads to significant uncertainty in federal funding; however, it is becoming evident that, in Federal Fiscal Year 2012 and beyond, federal funding revenue will likely be reduced by 25 percent from current levels in order to match revenue that flows into the Highway Trust Fund. This Program reflects this anticipated reduction in federal funding. While Iowa law does not require the adoption of a Program when federal transportation funding is being reauthorized, the Commission believes it is important to adopt a Program in order to continue on-going planning and project development efforts so that Iowa will be well positioned when a new authorization is adopted. However, it is important to recognize that, absent a federal authorization bill, there is significant uncertainty in the forecast of federal revenues. The Commission and the Iowa DOT will continue to monitor federal revenues and will adjust future investments as needed to maintain a fiscally responsible Program. For 2012-2016, approximately $2.3 billion is forecast to be available for highway right of way and construction. In developing the highway section of the Program, the Commission’s primary investment objective remains stewardship (i.e. safety, maintenance and preservation) of Iowa’s existing highway system. Over $1.3 billion is programmed in FY2012 through FY2016 for preservation of Iowa’s existing highway system and for enhanced highway safety features. The highway section also includes significant interstate investments on I-29 in Sioux City, I-29/80/480 in Council Bluffs, and I-74 in Bettendorf/Davenport. The FY2016 programming for construction on I-74 in Bettendorf/Davenport is the first of several years of significant investments that will be monitored for available funding. Approximately $200 million of the investments on these three major urban interstate projects address preservation needs. In total, approximately $1.5 billion is programmed for highway preservation activities for 2012- 2016. Another highway programming objective is maintaining the scheduled completion of capacity and economic development projects. Projects that were previously scheduled to be completed within the previous Program continue on their current schedule. However, due to the reduction of projected federal revenues, the Commission has delayed by one year the initiation of construction of all multi-year non-Interstate capacity and economic development projects that cannot be completed within this Program. These projects are U.S. 20 in Woodbury County, U.S. 30 in Benton County, U.S. 61 in Louisa County, and Iowa 100 in Linn County. The Iowa DOT and Commission appreciate the public’s involvement in the state’s transportation planning process. Comments received personally, by letter or through participation in the Commission’s regular meetings or public input meetings held around the state each year, are invaluable in providing guidance for the future of Iowa’s transportation system. It should be noted that this document is a planning guide. It does not represent a binding commitment or obligation of the Commission or Iowa DOT, and is subject to change.

El tratamiento numérico de la realidad. Reflexiones sobre la importancia actual de la estadística en la Sociedad de la Información.

La estadística se ha convertido en un método práctico para describir los valores de datos económicos, políticos, sociales, psicológicos, médicos, biológicos y físicos, como herramienta para relacionar y analizar dichos datos. El trabajo del estadístico no consiste sólo en obtener, reunir o tabular los datos, sino sobre todo el proceso de interpretación de esa información solo o en colaboración con los expertos en cada ámbito. A pesar de que es imposible entender la Sociedad de la Información sin la estadística, es preocupante la situación actual de las ciencias matemáticas y más concretamente de la estadística, ya que a pesar de su imprescindibilidad existe una falta de vocación entre los jóvenes por su estudio y uso, ya sea por su dificultad matemática, desconocimiento u otros motivos. Este artículo pretende reflexionar sobre la importancia de la misma en la sociedad actual que permite tratar numéricamente la realidad.

Highway Program Summary, 2012 to 2016

The Iowa Transportation Commission (Commission) and the Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) develop Iowa’s Five Year Highway Program to inform Iowans of planned investments in our state’s primary highway system. This brochure summarizes the 2012-2016 Iowa Highway Program (Program) and provides information about long-term highway programming issues, through the year 2020. The Program is typically updated and approved each year in June.

Las capas de 'Bulimus gerundensis' Vidal de la región de Utiel (Valencia)

Se da cuenta de nuevos hallazgos del Bulimus gerundensis, Vidal, en la región de Utiel, estudiandose su situación estratigráfica, su relación con el Microcodium y su posible utilización paleogeográfica.

Department of Administrative Services Four Year Strategic Plan, FY 2012-2015

Through the strategic initiatives outlined in this plan, and incorporation of those initiatives into the department’s business plans, DAS believes other departments will be able to concentrate their resources on core missions and rely on DAS for the administrative expertise for their operations. This realignment of effort will result in both an increase in efficiency and a reduction in overall cost to State government. Areas of human resources, information technology, financial services, and general services will be provided statewide in a comprehensive, cohesive, and manageable form with opportunity to make those services available to other public entities outside of state government where efficiency and economics support that cooperation.