Pieces of Iowa’s Past, February 27, 2008

Pieces of Iowa’s Past, published by the Iowa State Capitol Tour Guides weekly during the legislative session, features historical facts about Iowa, the Capitol, and the early workings of state government. All historical publications are reproduced here with the actual spelling, punctuation, and grammar retained. February 27, 2008 THIS WEEK: Tunnel of Progress

Pieces of Iowa’s Past, February 27, 2013

Pieces of Iowa’s Past, published by the Iowa State Capitol Tour Guides weekly during the legislative session, features historical facts about Iowa, the Capitol, and the early workings of state government. All historical publications are reproduced here with the actual spelling, punctuation, and grammar retained. THIS WEEK: 1973 Iowa Spring Snow Storm Hits the First Quarter of the Year; the U.S. Energy Crisis Hits the Last Quarter of the Year BACKGROUND: 65TH IOWA GENERAL ASSEMBLY The Sixty-fifth General Assembly was the third General Assembly to meet annually. Prior to the Sixty-third General Assembly, the Iowa Legislature met biennially. The first year of the Sixty-fifth General Assembly convened January 8 and adjourned June 24, 1973—a 168-day session. The second year of the Sixty-fifth General Assembly convened January 14 and adjourned May 4, 1974—a 111-day session. There were 22 Democratic members in the Senate and 44 Democratic members in the House of Representatives. There were 28 Republican members in the Senate and 56 Republican members in the House—a total of 150 legislators. Lieutenant Governor Arthur Neu was presiding in the Senate and Andrew Varley was the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Robert Ray was Iowa’s Governor, having been inaugurated for his first term January 16, 1969, at the age of 40. The 1970 federal census showed Iowa’s population at 2,825,368.

Pieces of Iowa’s Past, March 27, 2013

Pieces of Iowa’s Past, published by the Iowa State Capitol Tour Guides weekly during the legislative session, features historical facts about Iowa, the Capitol, and the early workings of state government. All historical publications are reproduced here with the actual spelling, punctuation, and grammar retained. THIS WEEK: History of Iowa from the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century BACKGROUND: BENJAMIN F. GUE BENJAMIN F. GUE was born in Greene County, New York, on December 25, 1828. His education was acquired in the public schools, with two terms in academies of Canandaigua and West Bloomfield. He taught school in the winter of 1851 and early in March 1852, came to Iowa, and bought a claim on Rock Creek in Scott County. He was an abolitionist and took a deep interest in the antislavery movements of that period.

Effects on blood pressure and cardiovascular risk of variations in patients' adherence to prescribed antihypertensive drugs: role of duration of drug action.

P>Aim: To determine the effects of imperfect adherence (i.e. occasionally missing prescribed doses), and the influence of rate of loss of antihypertensive effect during treatment interruption, on the predicted clinical effectiveness of antihypertensive drugs in reducing mean systolic blood pressure (SBP) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk.Method:The effects of imperfect adherence to antihypertensive treatment regimens were estimated using published patterns of missed doses, and taking into account the rate of loss of antihypertensive effect when doses are missed (loss of BP reduction in mmHg/day; the off-rate), which varies between drugs. Outcome measures were the predicted mean SBP reduction and CVD risk, determined from the Framingham Risk Equation for CVD.Results:In patients taking 75% of prescribed doses (typical of clinical practice), only long-acting drugs with an off-rate of similar to 1 mmHg/day were predicted to maintain almost the full mean SBP-lowering effect throughout the modelled period. In such patients, using shorter-acting drugs (e.g. an off-rate of similar to 5-6 mmHg/day) was predicted to lead to a clinically relevant loss of mean SBP reduction of > 2 mmHg. This change also influenced the predicted CVD risk reduction; in patients with a baseline 10-year CVD risk of 27.0% and who were taking 75% of prescribed doses, a difference in off-rate from 1 to 5 mmHg/day led to a predicted 0.5% absolute increase in 10-year CVD risk.Conclusions:In patients who occasionally miss doses of antihypertensives, modest differences in the rate of loss of antihypertensive effect following treatment interruption may have a clinically relevant impact on SBP reduction and CVD risk. While clinicians must make every effort to counsel and encourage each of their patients to adhere to their prescribed medication, it may also be prudent to prescribe drugs with a low off-rate to mitigate the potential consequences of missing doses.

Use of Recycled Products FY13, January 27, 2014

This report summarizes the purchasing activity for soy based inks and recycled content trash bags for the Iowa DOT.

FY'13 Biodiesel Fuel Revolving Fund Expenditures Report, January 27, 2014

Pursuant to Iowa Code section 307.20, the biodiesel fuel revolving fund (Fund) was created and is to be used to purchase biodiesel fuel for use in the Department of Transportation's vehicles. The act directed that the Fund receive money from the sale of EPAct credits banked by the DOT on the effective date of the act, moneys appropriated by the General Assembly, and any other moneys obtained or accepted by the DOT for deposit in the Fund. This report is of the expenditures made from the Fund during FY 2013.

Enhanced biodegradation of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) in contaminated soils via inoculation with Sphingobium indicum B90A.

Soil pollution with hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) has caused serious environmental problems. Here we describe the targeted degradation of all HCH isomers by applying the aerobic bacterium Sphingobium indicum B90A. In particular, we examined possibilities for large-scale cultivation of strain B90A, tested immobilization, storage and inoculation procedures, and determined the survival and HCH-degradation activity of inoculated cells in soil. Optimal growth of strain B90A was achieved in glucose-containing mineral medium and up to 65% culturability could be maintained after 60 days storage at 30 degrees C by mixing cells with sterile dry corncob powder. B90A biomass produced in water supplemented with sugarcane molasses and immobilized on corncob powder retained 15-20% culturability after 30 days storage at 30 degrees C, whereas full culturability was maintained when cells were stored frozen at -20 degrees C. On the contrary, cells stored on corncob degraded gamma-HCH faster than those that had been stored frozen, with between 15 and 85% of gamma-HCH disappearance in microcosms within 20 h at 30 degrees C. Soil microcosm tests at 25 degrees C confirmed complete mineralization of [(14)C]-gamma-HCH by corncob-immobilized strain B90A. Experiments conducted in small pits and at an HCH-contaminated agricultural site resulted in between 85 and 95% HCH degradation by strain B90A applied via corncob, depending on the type of HCH isomer and even at residual HCH concentrations. Up to 20% of the inoculated B90A cells survived under field conditions after 8 days and could be traced among other soil microorganisms by a combination of natural antibiotic resistance properties, unique pigmentation and PCR amplification of the linA genes. Neither the addition of corncob nor of corncob immobilized B90A did measurably change the microbial community structure as determined by T-RFLP analysis. Overall, these results indicate that on-site aerobic bioremediation of HCH exploiting the biodegradation activity of S. indicum B90A cells stored on corncob powder is a promising technology.

Hemodynamic effects of sodium bicarbonate in critically ill neonates.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the cardiovascular effects of sodium bicarbonate in neonates with metabolic acidosis. DESIGN: Prospective, open, non-randomized, before-after intervention study with hemodynamic measurements performed before and 1, 5, 10, 20, and 30 min after bicarbonate administration. SETTING: Neonatal intensive care unit, tertiary care center. PATIENTS: Sequential sample of 16 paralysed and mechanically ventilated newborn infants with a metabolic acidosis (pH < 7.25 in premature and < 7.30 in term infants, base deficit > -8). INTERVENTION: An 8.4% sodium bicarbonate solution diluted 1:1 with water (final osmolality of 1000 mOsm/l) was administered in two equal portions at a rate of 0.5 mmol/min. The dose in mmol was calculated using the formula "base deficit x body weight (kg) x 1/3 x 1/2". MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Sodium bicarbonate induced a significant but transient rise in pulsed Doppler cardiac output (CO) (+27.7%), aortic blood flow velocity (+15.3%), systolic blood pressure (BP) (+9.3%), (+14.6%), transcutaneous carbon dioxide pressure (PtcCO2) (+11.8%), and transcutaneous oxygen pressure (PtcO2) (+8%). In spite of the PaCO2 elevation, pH significantly improved (from a mean of 7.24 to 7.30), and the base deficit decreased (-39.3%). Calculated systemic vascular resistance (SVR) (-10.7%) and diastolic BP (-11.7%) decreased significantly, while PaO2 and heart rate (HR) did not change. Central venous pressure (CVP) (+6.5%) increased only slightly. By 30 min after bicarbonate administration all hemodynamic parameters, with the exception of the diastolic BP, had returned to baseline. CONCLUSION: Sodium bicarbonate in neonates with metabolic acidosis induces an increase in contractility and a reduction in afterload.

Iowa Agri-News, November 29, 2013, Vol. 27

Crop and livestock summaries for the state of Iowa, produced by the Iowa Department of Agriculture. Previously Agri-News

Iowa Agri-News, January 27, 2014, Vol. 14, no. 3

Crop and livestock summaries for the state of Iowa, produced by the Iowa Department of Agriculture. Previously Agri-News

La jurisdicción competente en materia de responsabilidad patrimonial de la Administración: una polémica que no cesa. Comentario a los Autos de la Sala Especial de Conflictos de Competencia del Tribunal Supremo de 27 de diciembre de 2001 y 21 de octubre de 2002 y propuesta de reforma legislativa

En el presente trabajo se comenta la línea jurisprudencial iniciada por el Auto de la Sala Especial de Conflictos de Competencia del Tribunal Supremo de 27 de diciembre de 2001, por la que se atribuye al orden civil la competencia para enjuiciar las demandas dirigidas conjuntamente contra la Administraciónpública y su aseguradora de responsabilidad extracontractual, reabriendo la polémica que parecía zanjada tras la triple reforma legislativa de 1998 y 1999, que afirmó la competencia exclusiva de la jurisdicción contencioso-administrativa para conocer de los pleitos de responsabilidad patrimonial de la Administración.

La jurisdicció competent en matèria de responsabilitat patrimonial de l'Administració: una polèmica que no acaba. Comentari a les Interlocutòries de la Sala Especial de Conflictes de Competència del Tribunal Suprem de 27 de desembre de 2001 i 21 de octubre de 2002 i proposta de reforma legislativa

En aquest treball es comenta la línia jurisprudencial iniciada per la Interlocutòria de la Sala Especial de Conflictes de Competència del Tribunal Suprem de 27 de desembre de 2001, per la qual s¿atribueix a l'orde civil la competència per jutjar les demandes dirigides conjuntament contra l'Administració pública i la seva asseguradora de responsabilitat extracontractual, reobrint la polèmica que semblava tancada després de la triple reforma legislativa de 1998 i 1999, que afirmà la competència exclusiva de la jurisdicció contenciosa administrativa per conèixer dels plets de responsabilitat patrimonial de l'Administració.

Nursing Newsletter, February, March, April 2008, Vol. 27, no. 1

Newsletter produced by the Iowa Board of Nursing for nurses to keep them informed to CE classes, renewals, board meetings, etc. Produced 4 times a year. Also known as Iowa Board of Nursing Newsletter.