Barley Crop Survey: A Report on the 1977 and 1978 Six-Row Malting Barley Crops

The 1977 and 1978 six-row malting barley crops grown in the prim growing areas of North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota were surveyed by the Department of Cereal Chemistry and Technology. The more than 800 samples collected each year were assayed for protein content, moisture, kernel plumpness and brightness and test weight. The 1978 crop was lower in protein content, moisture, plumpness and test weight and showed greater kernel brightness than the 1977 crop. It is estimated that about 65% of the total crop will fall below 13.5% protein and will be suitable for malting purposes

Warm season cloud-to-ground lightning–precipitation relationships

ABSTRACT This study examines the relationship between cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning and surface precipitation using observations from six regions (each on the order of 10 000 km 2 ), April through October (1989-93), in the southcentral United States. The relationship is evaluated using two different methods. First, regression equations are fit to the data, initially for only the CG lightning flash density and precipitation, and then with additional atmospheric and lightning parameters. Second, days are categorized according to differences in the precipitationto-CG lightning ratio; the same additional parameters are then examined for differences occurring within each category. Results show that the relationship between CG lightning and surface precipitation is highly variable; r 2 coefficients range from 0.121 in Baton Rouge to 0.601 in Dallas. A measure of the positive CG lightning flash density is the best addition to the model, statistically significant in all regions. When days are categorized, the percentage of lightning that is positive shows the most significant differences between categories, ranging from Ͻ4% on days with a ''low'' precipitation-to-CG lightning ratio, to 12%-36% on days with a ''high'' ratio. Other lightning parameters give less significant results; however, three atmospheric parameters (CAPE, lifted index, and Showalter index) do show a significant trend suggesting that there is much less instability in the atmosphere on ''high'' ratio days than on ''low'' ratio days

Use of Polarimetric Radar Measurements to Constrain Simulated Convective Cell Evolution: A Pilot Study with Lagrangian Tracking

To probe the potential value of a radar-driven field campaign to constrain simulation of isolated convection subject to a strong aerosol perturbation, convective cells observed by the operational KHGX weather radar in the vicinity of Houston, Texas, are examined individually and statistically. Cells observed in a single case study of onshore flow conditions during July 2013 are first examined and compared with cells in a regional model simulation. Observed and simulated cells are objectively identified and tracked from observed or calculated positive specific differential phase (K(sub DP)) above the melting level, which is related to the presence of supercooled liquid water. Several observed and simulated cells are subjectively selected for further examination. Below the melting level, we compare sequential cross sections of retrieved and simulated raindrop size distribution parameters. Above the melting level, we examine time series of KDP and radar differential reflectivity (Z(sub DR)) statistics from observations and calculated from simulated supercooled rain properties, alongside simulated vertical wind and supercooled rain mixing ratio statistics. Results indicate that the operational weather radar measurements offer multiple constraints on the properties of simulated convective cells, with substantial value added from derived K(sub DP) and retrieved rain properties. The value of collocated three-dimensional lightning mapping array measurements, which are relatively rare in the continental US, supports the choice of Houston as a suitable location for future field studies to improve the simulation and understanding of convective updraft physics. However, rapid evolution of cells between routine volume scans motivates consideration of adaptive scan strategies or radar imaging technologies to amend operational weather radar capabilities. A 3-year climatology of isolated cell tracks, prepared using a more efficient algorithm, yields additional relevant information. Isolated cells are found within the KHGX domain on roughly 40 % of days year-round, with greatest concentration in the northwest quadrant, but roughly 5-fold more cells occur during June through September. During this enhanced occurrence period, the cells initiate following a strong diurnal cycle that peaks in the early afternoon, typically follow a south-to-north flow, and dissipate within 1 h, consistent with the case study examples. Statistics indicate that 150 isolated cells initiate and dissipate within 70 km of the KHGX radar during the enhanced occurrence period annually, and roughly 10 times as many within 200 km, suitable for multi-instrument Lagrangian observation strategies. In addition to ancillary meteorological and aerosol measurements, robust vertical wind speed retrievals would add substantial value to a radar-driven field campaign

Photoreversible interconversion of a phytochrome photosensory module in the crystalline state.

A major barrier to defining the structural intermediates that arise during the reversible photointerconversion of phytochromes between their biologically inactive and active states has been the lack of crystals that faithfully undergo this transition within the crystal lattice. Here, we describe a crystalline form of the cyclic GMP phosphodiesterases/adenylyl cyclase/FhlA (GAF) domain from the cyanobacteriochrome PixJ in Thermosynechococcus elongatus assembled with phycocyanobilin that permits reversible photoconversion between the blue light-absorbing Pb and green light-absorbing Pg states, as well as thermal reversion of Pg back to Pb. The X-ray crystallographic structure of Pb matches previous models, including autocatalytic conversion of phycocyanobilin to phycoviolobilin upon binding and its tandem thioether linkage to the GAF domain. Cryocrystallography at 150 K, which compared diffraction data from a single crystal as Pb or after irradiation with blue light, detected photoconversion product(s) based on Fobs - Fobs difference maps that were consistent with rotation of the bonds connecting pyrrole rings C and D. Further spectroscopic analyses showed that phycoviolobilin is susceptible to X-ray radiation damage, especially as Pg, during single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses, which could complicate fine mapping of the various intermediate states. Fortunately, we found that PixJ crystals are amenable to serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX) analyses using X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs). As proof of principle, we solved by room temperature SFX the GAF domain structure of Pb to 1.55-Å resolution, which was strongly congruent with synchrotron-based models. Analysis of these crystals by SFX should now enable structural characterization of the early events that drive phytochrome photoconversion

Proceedings of a Conference on Agricultural Education in Our Public Schools

Vocational Agriculture has played an important role in helping young men become established in farming. Much of our success in more than meeting the food and fiber needs of our rapidly growing population today can b~ attributed to Vocational Agriculture. But, questions are being raised about the need for cominuation of such an extensive program of preparation for farming in view of the reduced number of farming opportunities each year. Furthermore, questions are being raised about the adeqwacy of preparation for farming by a program that is terminal at the high school level, and about the adequacy of preparation for college if a student devotes much of his high school time to Vocational Agriculture.https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/card_reports/1000/thumbnail.jp

Social change and the family: Comparative perspectives from the west, China, and South Asia

This paper examines the influence of social and economic change on family structure and relationships: How do such economic and social transformations as industrialization, urbanization, demographic change, the expansion of education, and the long-term growth of income influence the family? We take a comparative and historical approach, reviewing the experiences of three major sociocultural regions: the West, China, and South Asia. Many of the changes that have occurred in family life have been remarkably similar in the three settings—the separation of the workplace from the home, increased training of children in nonfamilial institutions, the development of living arrangements outside the family household, increased access of children to financial and other productive resources, and increased participation by children in the selection of a mate. While the similarities of family change in diverse cultural settings are striking, specific aspects of change have varied across settings because of significant pre-existing differences in family structure, residential patterns of marriage, autonomy of children, and the role of marriage within kinship systems.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/45661/1/11206_2005_Article_BF01124383.pd

Enlightening Lightning! Coupling Earth Systems Research to K-12 Education Using Planetarium Presentations

This is a two-year project to produce a curriculum ensemble on the topic of thunderstorms and lightning for middle school students (grades 5 through 8). A multi-media visual program has been developed for presentation in a planetarium setting, along with companion written and laboratory materials designed for classroom use. This is a pilot project with three overriding objectives. First, we have created materials to educate students in the fundamental concepts of thunderstorm and lightning processes. Second, we have demonstrated the capacity of the planetarium as an out-of-classroom milieu for learning and teaching about the physical systems of the atmosphere and earth. Third, we have developed this curriculum ensemble as the first in a series of planetarium-based programs addressing the middle school science curriculum standards related to the study of the global climate and hydrologic systems. These objectives directly support national goals to improve education in science and mathematics, advance the sense of excitement in students of all ages regarding the study of science and mathematics, and bring innovative science and math learning experiences to all students, including minority and other populations with scarce educational resources. This project provides an innovative way for students to learn about thunderstorms and lightning (and later, about other earth and atmospheric processes), including both basic information and current scientific research