Business Plan Chicago to Iowa City Intercity Passenger Rail Route, March 21, 2012

Overview of the Passenger Service Connects Iowa City, Quad Cities and Chicago, 219.5 miles Twice‐daily service each way, 4 hours and 15 minutes travel time 246,800 passengers first year (676 per day) Project construction cost $310 million (80% federal, 14.5% Illinois, 5.4% Iowa) On‐time performance 90% or better (trains arrive within 10 minutes of schedule) Competitive passenger rail service operator selection Iowa’s annual share of operating cost support averages $3 million

Age differences in biological monitoring of chemical exposure: a tentative description using a toxicokinetic model

AIM: Specific factors responsible for interindividual variability should be identified and their contribution quantified to improve the usefulness of biological monitoring. Among others, age is an easily identifiable determinant, which could play an important impact on biological variability. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A compartmental toxicokinetic model developed in previous studies for a series of metallic and organic compounds was applied to the description of age differences. Young male physiological and metabolic parameters, based on Reference Man information, were taken from preceding studies and were modified to take into account age based on available information about age differences. RESULTS: Numerical simulation using the kinetic model with the modified parameters indicates in some cases important differences due to age. The expected changes are mostly of the order of 10-20%, but differences up to 50% were observed in some cases. CONCLUSION: These differences appear to depend on the chemical and on the biological entity considered. Further work should be done to improve our estimates of these parameters, by considering for example uncertainty and variability in these parameters. [Authors]

Mico-cocktail validation for CYP3A and CYP2D6 assessment using a low dose of midazolam (0.075 mg) and dextromethorphan (2.5 mg)

Background/Aim: Cocktail approach is generally preferred to individual administration of probes in order to characterize the activity of multiple enzymes. However, cocktail strategy has several drawbacks such as drug-drug interactions, tolerability and toxicity. Hence, there is a need to develop cocktails using low doses of probes. Our aim was to investigate whether the simultaneous oral administration of microdoses of midazolam (MDZ) and dextromethorphan (DEM) can be used to assess the simultaneous activities of CYP3A and CYP2D6. Methods: As part of a 5 arm randomized cross-over control trial on the analgesic efficacy of oxycodone, ten healthy young non-smoking males received the following combinations of drugs: Quinidine (Q)+ ketoconazole (K) or Q+placebo (P) or K+P or P+P. In all cases MDZ (0.075 mg) and DEM (2.5 mg) were administrated 1 hour after Q, K or P. CYP2D6 and CYP3A activities were determined after urine collection during 8 hours (ratio DEM/DOR), and a blood sample (EDTA) after 30 min (ratio 1-OH-MDZ/MDZ). DEM and DOR analysis was performed using LC-fluorescence. MDZ and 1-OH-MDZ determination was performed using GC-MS. Allele's variants of CYP2D6 were detected using the AmpliChipTMCYP450 (Roche). Results: CYP2D6 genotype predicted 1 poor (PM), 1 intermediate (IM), 7 extensive (EM) and 2 ultra rapid (UM) metabolizers. A good correlation was obtained between the predicted and the measured phenotypes except for 1 EM phenotyped as UM. Two duplications for alleles *41/*41xN and *1/*2xN were detected and the two volunteers were phenotyped as UM. A potent inhibition of CYP2D6 or CYP3A4 was obtained when Q or K were used. Mean metabolic ratio DEM/DOR in P and K groups were 0.015 (±0.028) and 0.015 (±0.019). It significantly increased in Q and QK groups (0.668 (±0.676) and 0.743 (±1.038)). Mean 1-OH-MDZ/MDZ in P, Q were 2.73 (±1.05) and 2.55 (±1.40) while it significantly decreased in K and QK groups (0.11 (±0.05), 0.10 (±0.05)). Moreover, there were no statistically significant differences between QK and K sessions for CYP3A and between QK and Q for CYP2D6 which indicate that there is no interaction between the two metabolic pathways. Conclusion: Simultaneous assessment of CYP3A and CYP2D6 activities can be obtained by low oral doses (micro-cocktail) of MDZ and DEM. Specific inhibitors such as Q or K modulates selectively CYP2D6 or CYP3A activities.

Genome-wide association study identifies eight loci associated with blood pressure.

Elevated blood pressure is a common, heritable cause of cardiovascular disease worldwide. To date, identification of common genetic variants influencing blood pressure has proven challenging. We tested 2.5 million genotyped and imputed SNPs for association with systolic and diastolic blood pressure in 34,433 subjects of European ancestry from the Global BPgen consortium and followed up findings with direct genotyping (N ≤ 71,225 European ancestry, N ≤ 12,889 Indian Asian ancestry) and in silico comparison (CHARGE consortium, N = 29,136). We identified association between systolic or diastolic blood pressure and common variants in eight regions near the CYP17A1 (P = 7 × 10(-24)), CYP1A2 (P = 1 × 10(-23)), FGF5 (P = 1 × 10(-21)), SH2B3 (P = 3 × 10(-18)), MTHFR (P = 2 × 10(-13)), c10orf107 (P = 1 × 10(-9)), ZNF652 (P = 5 × 10(-9)) and PLCD3 (P = 1 × 10(-8)) genes. All variants associated with continuous blood pressure were associated with dichotomous hypertension. These associations between common variants and blood pressure and hypertension offer mechanistic insights into the regulation of blood pressure and may point to novel targets for interventions to prevent cardiovascular disease.

[Voyage en Italie : 1824-1830]. , Maison du Tasse à Sorrento : [vue perspective] : [dessin] / h. L. [Henri Labrouste]

Référence bibliographique : Weigert, 676

Bond Enhancement Techniques for PCC Whitetopping, HR-341, 1996

This research was initiated in 1991 as a part of a whitetopping project to study the effectiveness of various techniques to enhance bond strength between a new portland cement concrete (PCC) overlay and an existing asphalt cement concrete (ACC) pavement surface. A 1,676 m (5,500 ft) section of county road R16 in Dallas County was divided into 12 test sections. The various techniques used to enhance bond were power brooming, power brooming with air blast, milling, cement and water grout, and emulsion tack coat. Also, two sections were planed to a uniform cross-section, two pavement thicknesses were placed, and two different concrete mix proportions were used. Bond strength was perceived to be the key to determining an appropriate design procedure for whitetopping. If adequate bond is achieved, a bonded PCC overlay technique can be used for design. Otherwise, an unbonded overlay procedure may be more appropriate. Conclusions are as follows: (1) Bond Strength Differences - Milling increased bond strength versus no milling. Tack coat showed increased bond strength versus no tack coat. Planing, Air Blast and Grouting did not provide noticeable improvements in bond strength; nor did different PCC types or thicknesses affect bond strength significantly. (2) Structure - Structural measurements correlated strongly with the wide variation in pavement thicknesses. They did not provide enough information to determine the strength of bonding or the level of support being provided by the ACC layer. Longitudinal cracking correlated with PCC thicknesses and with planing. (3) Bond Over Time - The bond between PCC and ACC layers is degrading over time in the outside wheel path in all of the sections except tack coat (section 12). The bond strength in the section with tack coat was lower than the others, but remained relatively steady.

Gene by environment interaction: effects of a single-gene and social-environment on reproductive phenotypes of fire ant queens

1. The gene Pgm-3 (or a closely linked gene) influences the phenotype and reproductive success of queens in multiple-queen (polygynous) colonies but not single-queen (monogynous) colonies of the Fire Ant Solenopsis invicta. 2. We investigated the mechanisms of differential phenotypic expression of Pgm-3 in these alternate social forms. Mature winged queens with the homozygous genotype Pgm-3(a/a) averaged 26% heavier than queens with the genotypes Pgm-3(a/b) and Pgm 3(b/b) in the polygynous form. Heterozygotes were slightly heavier (2%) than Pgm-3(b/b) queens in this form, demonstrating that the allele Pgm-3(a) is not completely recessive in its effects on weight. 3. There was no significant difference in weight among queens of the three Pgm-3 genotypes in the monogynous form, with the mean weight of monogynous queens slightly greater than that of polygynous Pgm-3(a/a) queens. Differences in weight between queens of the two social forms and among queens of the three genotypes in the polygynous form are not evident at the pupal stage and thus appear to develop during sexual maturation of the adults. This suggests that some component of the social environment of polygynous colonies inhibits weight gains during queen maturation and that Pgm-(3a/a) queens are relatively less sensitive to this factor. 4. To test whether the high cumulative queen pheromone level characteristic of polygynous colonies is the factor responsible for the differential queen maturation, we compared phenotypes of winged queens reared in split colonies in which pheromone levels were manipulated by adjusting queen number. Queens produced in colony fragments made monogynous were heavier than those produced in polygynous fragments, a finding consistent with the hypothesis that pheromone level affects the reproductive development of queens. However, genotype-specific differences in weights of queens were similar between the two treatments, suggesting that pheromone level was not the key factor of the social environment responsible for the gene-environment interaction. 5. To test whether limited food availability to winged queens associated with the high brood/worker ratios in polygynous colonies is the factor responsible for this interaction, similar split-colony experiments were performed. Elevated brood/worker ratios decreased the weight of winged queens but there was no evidence that this treatment intensified differential weight gains among queens with different Pgm-3 genotypes. Manipulation of the amount of food provided to colonies had no effect on queen weight. 6. The combined data indicate that cumulative pheromone level and brood/worker ratio are two of the factors responsible for the differences in reproductive phenotypes between monogynous and polygynous winged queens but that these factors are not directly responsible for inducing the phenotypic effects of Pgm-3 in polygynous colonies.

The data treatment dependent variability of U-Pb zircon ages obtained using mono-collector, sector field, laser ablation ICP-MS

U-Pb dating of zircons by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS) is a widely used analytical technique in Earth Sciences. For U-Pb ages below 1 billion years (1 Ga), Pb-206/U-238 dates are usually used, showing the least bias by external parameters such as the presence of initial lead and its isotopic composition in the analysed mineral. Precision and accuracy of the Pb/U ratio are thus of highest importance in LA-ICPMS geochronology. We consider the evaluation of the statistical distribution of the sweep intensities based on goodness-of-fit tests in order to find a model probability distribution fitting the data to apply an appropriate formulation for the standard deviation. We then discuss three main methods to calculate the Pb/U intensity ratio and its uncertainty in the LA-ICPMS: (1) ratio-of-the-mean intensities method, (2) mean-of-the-intensity-ratios method and (3) intercept method. These methods apply different functions to the same raw intensity vs. time data to calculate the mean Pb/U intensity ratio. Thus, the calculated intensity ratio and its uncertainty depend on the method applied. We demonstrate that the accuracy and, conditionally, the precision of the ratio-of-the-mean intensities method are invariant to the intensity fluctuations and averaging related to the dwell time selection and off-line data transformation (averaging of several sweeps); we present a statistical approach how to calculate the uncertainty of this method for transient signals. We also show that the accuracy of methods (2) and (3) is influenced by the intensity fluctuations and averaging, and the extent of this influence can amount to tens of percentage points; we show that the uncertainty of these methods also depends on how the signal is averaged. Each of the above methods imposes requirements to the instrumentation. The ratio-of-the-mean intensities method is sufficiently accurate provided the laser induced fractionation between the beginning and the end of the signal is kept low and linear. We show, based on a comprehensive series of analyses with different ablation pit sizes, energy densities and repetition rates for a 193 nm ns-ablation system that such a fractionation behaviour requires using a low ablation speed (low energy density and low repetition rate). Overall, we conclude that the ratio-of-the-mean intensities method combined with low sampling rates is the most mathematically accurate among the existing data treatment methods for U-Pb zircon dating by sensitive sector field ICPMS.

Evaluation of the Confirmation Light System at Signalized Intersections in Medium to Large Iowa Communities to Reduce Red Light Running Violations”, TR-657, 2015

Red light running continues to be a serious safety concern for many communities in the United States. The Federal Highway Administration reported that in 2011, red light running accounted for 676 fatalities nationwide. Red light running crashes at a signalized intersections are more serious, especially in high speed corridors where speeds are above 35 mph. Many communities have invested in red light countermeasures including low-cost strategies (e.g. signal backplates, targeted enforcement, signal timing adjustments and improvement with signage) to high-cost strategies (e.g. automated enforcement and intersection geometric improvements). This research study investigated intersection confirmation lights as a low-cost strategy to reduce red light running violations. Two intersections in Altoona and Waterloo, Iowa were equipped with confirmation lights which targeted the through and left turning movements. Confirmation lights enable a single police officer to monitor a specific lane of traffic downstream of the intersection. A before-after analysis was conducted in which a change in red light running violations prior to- and 1 and 3 months after installation were evaluated. A test of proportions was used to determine if the change in red light running violation rates were statistically significant at the 90 and 95 percent levels of confidence. The two treatment intersections were then compared to the changes of red light running violation rates at spillover intersections (directly adjacent to the treatment intersections) and control intersections. The results of the analysis indicated a 10 percent reduction of red light running violations in Altoona and a 299 percent increase in Waterloo at the treatment locations. Finally, the research team investigated the time into red for each observed red light running violation. The analysis indicated that many of the violations occurred less than one second into the red phase and that most of the violation occurred during or shortly after the all-red phase.

Déficits dans les apports nutritionnels chez les candidats a la chirurgie bariatrique [Nutritional deficiencies in candidates for bariatric surgery]

98% of patients who have undergone a gastric bypass for treating severe obesity develop multiple micronutrient deficits. However, prior to surgery, it isn't rare to find nutrient deficiencies. Indeed, the dietary intakes of surgery candidates are often unbalanced, lacking in variety especially in high vitamin and mineral nutrients. We present the preliminary results concerning the qualitative and quantitative analysis in a group of patients waiting for a gastric bypass. The recommended daily amounts in vitamin B9, vitamin D and iron are insufficient in the majority of the patients. The correction of nutritional intakes is advisable, even before the surgery, in order to reduce the risks of developing biological deficiencies.

22-10-19, congrès de l'U.V.F. [Union vélocipédique de France, debout, de gauche à droite, Alfred Riguelle, René Mathis, Van Steenbrugghe, Georges Duchesne, et assis, Louis Josset, Georges Chollet, Léon Breton, Schrader, Ernest Delamarre, Tristan Bernard, Claude Martin] : [photographie de presse] / [Agence Rol]

Référence bibliographique : Rol, 56597

22-10-19, congrès de l'U.V.F.[Union vélocipédique de France, debout, de gauche à droite, Alfred] Riguelle, [René] Mathis, Van Steenbrugghe, [Georges] Duchesne, [et assis, Louis] Josset, [Georges] Chollet, [Léon] Breton, Schrader, [Ernest] Delamarre, Tristan Bernard, [Claude] Martin : [photographie de presse] / [Agence Rol]

Référence bibliographique : Rol, 56598

Réflexions sur le serment de la liberté et de l'égalité ([Reprod.]) / [Bernard Lambert]

Collection : Les archives de la Révolution française ; 8.676