Growing Farm Size and the Distribution of Farm Payments

Crop production is shifting to much larger farms. Since government commodity payments reflect production volumes for program commodities, payments are also shifting to larger farms. In turn, the operators of very large farms have substantially higher household incomes than other farm households, and as a result government commodity payments are also shifting to much higher-income households. Since the changes in farm structure appear to be ongoing, commodity payments will likely, under current policies, continue to shift to higher income households. This brief uses 2003 Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS) data to detail the shifts.Farm structure, commodity programs, farm payments, farm household income, farm income, farm program payments, ERS, USDA, Agricultural and Food Policy, Industrial Organization,

PRICE AND NONPRICE TERMS IN U.S. AGRICULTURAL CONTRACTS

The industrialization of the food system is proceeding at a rapid rate and contracting is a key element in that industrialization. The purposes of this paper are to summarize contract terms in agricultural contracts for major commodities and to assess the determinants of variations in contract prices/fees in selected commodity contracts, with an emphasis on the nonprice contract terms.Agricultural and Food Policy,

Anisotropic Thermal Conduction in Supernova Remnants: Relevance to Hot Gas Filling Factors in the Magnetized ISM

We explore the importance of anisotropic thermal conduction in the evolution of supernova remnants via numerical simulations. The mean temperature of the bubble of hot gas is decreased by a factor of ~3 compared to simulations without thermal conduction, together with an increase in the mean density of hot gas by a similar factor. Thus, thermal conduction greatly reduces the volume of hot gas produced over the life of the remnant. This underscores the importance of thermal conduction in estimating the hot gas filling fraction and emissivities in high-stage ions in Galactic and proto-galactic ISMs.Comment: Submitted to Astrophysical Journal Letters. 4 pages, 3 figure

Companion animals and well-being in palliative care nursing: a literature review

Aims and objectives To evaluate and critique current knowledge regarding the role of animals in palliative care. To explore the impact that animals may have on the well-being of individuals and to identify gaps in the evidence base. Background There is recognition that having a companion animal will affect patient experience. Similarly, there has been some previous exploration on the use of specific animal assisted therapies for patients with different healthcare needs. Design A literature review was conducted to identify published and unpublished research about companion animals or animal-assisted therapy in palliative and/or end-of-life care. The primary objective was to explore the impact of animals on well-being at the end of life. Methods A search for literature was carried out using a variety of databases and different combinations of search terms linked to animals in palliative care. Included works were critically appraised and thematically analysed. Results A limited range of literature was identified. From the small number of studies included in the review (n = 4), it appears that there is some evidence of animals (either companion animals or those used specifically to enhance care) having a positive impact on the patient experience. Conclusion This study suggests that animals play a large part in the lives of people receiving palliative care. Using animals to support care may also offer some benefits to the patient experience. However, there appears to be a dearth of high-quality literature in this area. More research is therefore required. Relevance to clinical practice Nurses providing palliative care need to be aware of the part that a companion animal may play in the life of patients. There may also be the opportunity for nurses in some settings to integrate animal therapy into their provision of palliative care

Seasonal Variation in 25(OH)D at Aberdeen (57°N) and Bone Health Indicators- Could Holidays in the Sun and Cod Liver Oil Supplements Alleviate Deficiency?

Vitamin D has been linked with many health outcomes. The aim of this longitudinal study, was to assess predictors of seasonal variation of 25-hydroxy-vitamin D (25(OH)D) (including use of supplements and holidays in sunny destinations) at a northerly latitude in the UK (57°N) in relation to bone health indicators. 365 healthy postmenopausal women (mean age 62.0 y (SD 1.4)) had 25(OH)D measurements by immunoassay, serum C-telopeptide (CTX), estimates of sunlight exposure (badges of polysulphone film), information regarding holidays in sunny destinations, and diet (from food diaries, including use of supplements such as cod liver oil (CLO)) at fixed 3-monthly intervals over 15 months (subject retention 88%) with an additional 25(OH)D assessment in spring 2008. Bone mineral density (BMD) at the lumbar spine (LS) and dual hip was measured in autumn 2006 and spring 2007 (Lunar I-DXA). Deficiency prevalence (25(OH)

The design of a Space-borne multispectral canopy LiDAR to estimate global carbon stock and gross primary productivity

Understanding the dynamics of the global carbon cycle is one of the most challenging issues for the scientific community. The ability to measure the magnitude of terrestrial carbon sinks as well as monitoring the short and long term changes is vital for environmental decision making. Forests form a significant part of the terrestrial biosystem and understanding the global carbon cycle, Above Ground Biomass (AGB) and Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) are critical parameters. Current estimates of AGB and GPP are not adequate to support models of the global carbon cycle and more accurate estimates would improve predictions of the future and estimates of the likely behaviour of these sinks. Various vegetation indices have been proposed for the characterisation of forests including canopy height, canopy area, Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Photochemical Reflectance Index (PRI). Both NDVI and PRI are obtained from a measure of reflectivity at specific wavelengths and have been estimated from passive measurements. The use of multi-spectral LiDAR to measure NDVI and PRI and their vertical distribution within the forest represents a significant improvement over current techniques. This paper describes an approach to the design of an advanced Multi-Spectral Canopy LiDAR, using four wavelengths for measuring the vertical profile of the canopy simultaneously. It is proposed that the instrument be placed on a satellite orbiting the Earth on a sun synchronous polar orbit to provide samples on a rectangular grid at an approximate separation of 1km with a suitable revisit frequency. The systems engineering concept design will be presented

Technology Diffusion and Aggregate Dynamics

This paper develops and analyzes a macroeconomic model in which aggregate growth and fluctuations arise from the discovery and diffusion of new technologies; there are no exogenous aggregate shocks. The temporal behavior of aggregates is driven by individuals' efforts to innovate and/or make use of others' innovations. Parameters describing preferences, production possibilities and learning technologies are estimated using post-war U.S. data. The model delivers predicted aggregates that grow and fluctuate much like the data. The key feature of post-war growth are explained by new technologies that differ in terms of the magnitude of their improvement over existing methods and the difficulty of acquiring them. The model implies a negative trend in technological dispersion, and that the generally lower growth witnessed during the last two decades is the result of new technologies offering comparatively minor or less broadly-applicable improvements. Data on the growing and fluctuating share of engineering Ph.D.s support the model's technological interpretation of the growth facts, and data on patent applications and adult schooling are consistent with the notion that newer technologies are more specific and proprietary. Ce papier développe et analyse un modèle macroéconomique dans lequel croissance et fluctuations sont le résultat de la découverte et de la diffusion de nouvelles technologies; il n'y a pas de chocs agrégés exogènes. Le comportement dans le temps des agrégats est mû par l'effort d'innovation des individus ou par l'effort d'utilisation des innovations faites par des autres. Les paramètres décrivant les préférences, les possibilités de production et les technologies d'apprentissage sont estimés au moyen de données américaines d'après-guerre. Le modèle livre des agrégats qui croissent et fluctuent en grande partie comme dans les données. Les faits saillants concernant la croissance d'après-guerre sont expliqués par de nouvelles technologies qui diffèrent en termes d'ampleur d'amélioration par rapport aux méthodes existantes et de difficulté d'acquisition. Le modèle implique une tendance négative de la dispersion technologique. De plus, il montre que la croissance généralement plus faible des deux dernières décennies est le résultat de nouvelles technologies offrant des améliorations comparativement faibles ou moins bien applicables. Les données sur la part croissante et variable de Ph.D. en ingénieurie corroborent l'interprétation technologique des faits saillants de la croissance par le modèle, et les données sur les demandes de brevets et l'éducation des adultes sont conformes avec la notion que les technologies les plus récentes sont plus spécifiques et exclusives.Growth, Technology, Fluctuations

Investigating the productivity and sustainability of weathered basement aquifers in tropical Africa using numerical simulation and global sensitivity analysis

Groundwater stored in weathered basement aquifers (WBAs) is a strategic water resource. In this study, we investigate the productivity of WBAs and sustainability of groundwater abstractions using a novel process‐based stochastic modeling approach, which is applied to simulate abstractions in the Precambrian basement aquifer in Ghana. The statistical distribution of the generated synthetic yield data was found in very good agreement with observed yield data from the same Ghanaian aquifer. Further analysis provided robust insights regarding how different hydrogeological parameters of the WBA, and their interplay, control aquifer productivity and sustainability. Results indicate that 97% of the simulated abstractions could sustain the yield of a hand pump (6 L/min), approximately 30% could also sustain yields >60 L/min, while only 1% could sustain yields greater than 300 L/min. The model indicates that an aquifer transmissivity value of approximately 1.4 m2/day is required for a successful hand‐pumped borehole, while a higher yielding source (60 L/min) requires a transmissivity value of at least 9.5 m2/day. A global sensitivity analysis of 13 model input parameters shows that the thickness of the regolith and the maximum hydraulic conductivity developed at the base of the saprolite are the critical factors controlling success and sustainability for low yielding hand‐pumped boreholes. For higher yielding supplies, the net recharge, the depth to groundwater, and the aquifer extent become increasingly significant. Results from this work have important implications for the potential for increased development of groundwater from WBAs in tropical Africa

Repeated impact of simulated hail ice on glass fibre composite materials

Wind turbine blade damage, particularly leading edge erosion, is a significant problem faced by the renewable energy industry. Wind turbines are subject to a wide range of environmental factors during a 20 + year lifespan, with hailstones often touted as a key contributor to the deterioration of the blade profile. An experimental campaign was carried out to investigate the effects of repeated impact of smaller diameter simulated hail ice (SHI) on composite materials, to correspond to those most prevalent at wind farm locations. Hailstones of four different diameters (5 mm, 10 mm, 15 mm and 20 mm) were fired at velocities in the range of 50 ms −1 to 95 ms −1. Samples used for experimentation were manufactured from triaxial stitched glass fibre [0°/−45°/+45°] and epoxy resin. Damage was evaluated in terms of sample mass loss and microscopy of the composite surface. For all examples, mass loss was negligible and optical microscopy showed little evidence of surface damage. Surface degradation was discernible under scanning electron microscopy for the larger diameter SHI (≥15mm), with projectile velocity a notable factor in the extent of the damage. Even for large numbers of impacts, there was little noteworthy damage caused by smaller, more prevalent SHI (≤10mm). This suggests that hail is not a direct cause of wind turbine blade erosion

Method of fabricating a photonics module comprising a spherical lens

A laser (15) is mounted on a planar surface of a monocrystalline silicon mounting member (12). A spherical lens (20) is mounted in a monocrystalline silicon cover member (13) which, when abutted and registered to the mounting member (12), aligns the spherical lens with the laser so that the output light can be projected along a precise predetermined path. The spherical lens (20) is mounted in a first V-shaped groove (31) which is made in the cover member by masking and etching. A second V-shaped groove intersects the first groove and defines a V-shaped edge in one side of the first groove. The spherical lens is then seated in the first V-shaped groove such that it bears against two points of the V-shaped edge and against one side wall (35) of the first V-shaped groove. A second lens (19) is mounted in the cover member in the same manner as the first lens and directs laser light from a rear facet of the laser to a mirror 30 and hence to a photodetector (21) mounted in the cover member.Published versio