Science and Mathematics Education Commons^™

Editor's Corner - Cuts, Carl W. Bollwinkel

Iowa Science Teachers Journal

Everyone, or almost everyone, reading this editorial has experienced the effect of state budget cuts within the past year. All Iowans have directly or indirectly been affected. Most readers of this journal are Iowa educators who have felt the impact in their daily efforts to educate children. Those of us in higher education have been editorially described as working in a "university disaster area." Degree-required classes are not offered to students, offices operate without secretaries, buildings go without repairs and, it would seem, there is not even enough money to pay someone to clean the floors. The cuts are both …

Editorial Office & Staff; Officers, Iowa Academy Of Science; Executive Board & Regional Directors, Iowa Science Teachers Section

Iowa Science Teachers Journal

No abstract provided.

Science Notes - Nsf Sponsors Oceanography Summer Program, Paul D. Jones

Iowa Science Teachers Journal

Are you interested in an NSF-sponsored oceanography summer program in Massachusetts combining three weeks of intensive study with a two week "final exam" at sea? If you are, Sea Experience may be the program for you. Classrooms on land are located in a picturesque setting just outside Woods Hole, Massachusetts, while the tall-masted 134-foot S.S.V. Corwith Cramer provides the setting for the final weeks of study.

Science Notes - Marshland Magic Workshops, Jonna M. Higgins

Iowa Science Teachers Journal

A "Marshland Magic" workshop will be held July 17-19, 1992, to provide an opportunity for educators and their families to explore the origin, history and ecology of wetlands, as well as opportunities for and effects of human interactions with them. The workshop and campsite will be based at Cooper's Cove, but activities will take place throughout Pocahontas County. Graduate credit is available from Morningside College, and the Arrowhead AEA is offering staff development credit.

Science Notes - Summer Workshop For Astronomy Teachers

Iowa Science Teachers Journal

Project SPICA (Support Program for Instructional Competency in America) will conduct another summer workshop for teachers at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA) in Cambridge, Massachusetts, July 29-August 16, 1992.

Science Notes - Chlorine Institute Offers Booklet, Jonna M. Higgins

Iowa Science Teachers Journal

The Chlorine Institute is offering a booklet titled "Chlor-Alkali Chemicals and the Chlorine Institute" free to educators. The booklet discusses past and present uses of chlorine, as well as theoretical and practical information about commercial production and distribution of the chemical.

Science Notes - Genzyme Corporation Offers Posters, Jonna M. Higgins

Iowa Science Teachers Journal

Genzyme Corporation is offering free, full-color posters on biotechnology subjects. A large, wall-size poster illustrates the process of cytokine signaling in the immune system, while a smaller poster depicts glycoprotein processing inhibitors and includes some descriptive text.

Science Notes - Flinn Scientific Offers Chemistry Demonstrations, Jonna M. Higgins

Iowa Science Teachers Journal

Flinn Scientific is offering, free to educators, a series of demonstrations and experiments called Chem Fax. Chem Fax are designed to excite students' interest in chemistry and physical science while teaching them basic chemistry concepts.

Science Notes - Summer Research Opportunities At Department Of Energy National Laboratories And Technology Centers, Stephanie A. Althof

Iowa Science Teachers Journal

Iowa science teachers have the opportunity to spend their summer doing research at one of the Department of Energy's 21 national laboratories or energy technology centers located throughout the country.

Science Notes - Nickel-Cadmium Rechargeable Dry Cells May Be Dangerous, Jonna M. Higgins

Iowa Science Teachers Journal

The North Carolina Northwest Technical Assistance Center has issued a warning against using nickel-cadmium rechargeable batteries when constructing "dead circuits." The wires almost instantaneously become hot enough to burn students' fingers, melt holes in plastic or ignite magnesium.

Science Notes - Careers-In-Geoscience Pamphlet Offered, Jonna M. Higgins

Iowa Science Teachers Journal

The American Geological Institute is offering a full-color pamphlet titled "Careers in the Geosciences" free to educators. The publication describes the types of work geoscientists do, provides information about the training required of those wishing to enter this field and includes a section about the future availability of jobs in the geosciences.

Science Notes - Review: Earth, Darrel Hoff

Iowa Science Teachers Journal

Kalmbach Publishing Co., the publisher of Astronomy magazine, has released the first issues of its new publication, Earth. This company has established a solid reputation for publishing the popular journal Astronomy. While the new publication is directed toward a general audience, its level of coverage and breadth of topics will make it a useful resource for earth-science teachers.

Science Notes - Elementary Science Teachers Section Receives Grant

Iowa Science Teachers Journal

The Elementary Science Teachers Section of the Iowa Academy of Science received a $12,374.25 grant from the Iowa Space Grant Consortium, directed by Dr. Wallace Sanders, at Iowa State University. (Although administered by state groups, funds are from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.)

Editor's Corner - Beyond Environmental Awareness, Jonna M. Higgins

Iowa Science Teachers Journal

By now, most educated people must be aware that we are sitting on an environmental time bomb. Being aware of these problems is like knowing that a house is on fire somewhere in our city: we feel vaguely sad for those whose home is being destroyed, but the situation doesn't urgently demand our attention. We feel sure that someone else is taking care of the problem. Unfortunately, everyone seems to view our environmental difficulties as a fire in the distance - someone else's problem.

Index To Volume 28

Iowa Science Teachers Journal

No abstract provided.

Radon In Iowa Homes: Results Of Screening Measurements, Laurent Hodges, Lynne Gillette

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

Homeowner-initiated short-term radon screening measurements in Iowa homes show that only about 30% of the homes have low enough radon levels - below 148 Bq/m (4.0 pC1/L) - that no follow-up measurements are necessary. Over 6 percent of the homes have screening measurements in excess of 740 Bq/m³ (20 pCi/L), a level at which prompt follow-up measurements are recommended. In all parts of the state, the range of radon results extends from low levels (below 37 Bq/m³ = 1 pCi/L) to high levels (above 740 Bq/m³). The average radon results tend to be higher than the …

Editorial Board & Iowa Academy Of Science Officers And Directors

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

No abstract provided.

Front Matter

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

No abstract provided.

Hormonal Regulation Of Gene Expression M The Aleurone Layers Of Cereal Grains, Tuan-Hua David Ho

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

The aleurone layers of cereal grains offer a convenient system for studies of the molecular action of two plant hormones, gibberellins (GA) and abscisic acid (ABA). Gibberellins induce the synthesis of ix-amylase and several other hydrolytice enzymes. The action of GA is essentially at the transcriptional level, it enhances the level of steady-state levels of ix-amylase mRNAs, the rate of transcription of ᴕ-amylase genes and the activity of a trans-acting factor which interacts with specific regions of ix-amylase genes. Abscisic acid antagonizes the effect of GA by inhibiting the induction of hydrolytic enzymes, yet the effect of ABA itself is …

The Future Of Lasers And Laser Applications, William C. Stwalley

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

Lasers are increasingly used in· an astounding variety of scientific, engineering, medical and commercial applications. Here the prospective improvements in lasers will first be addressed, e.g., improvements in wavelength range, tunability, pulse duration, efficiency, cost, etc.

Laser applications will then be briefly surveyed, including selected topics involving basic research, materials processing, analytical and diagnostic applications, information transmission and storage, measurement and alignment and photochemical and biomedical application.

Relative Abundance Of Eastern Screech-Owls In A South-Central Iowa Township, David E. Geus, John B. Bowles

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

Roadside playback surveys of Eastern Screech-Owls were conducted each spring and fall from September 1984 through April 1986 in Summit Township, Marion County, Iowa. An average of 18 screech-owls were located during each survey, often near riparian woodland. Screech-owl population densities (0.1-0.2 owls/km²) were comparable to those in other regions.

Lxodes Dammini (Acari, Ixodidae) And Borrelia Burgdorferi In Iowa, Mark G. Novak, Wayne A. Rowley, Kenneth B. Platt, David M. Bartholomew, Michelle D. Senne

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

A statewide study to evaluate the presence, distribution and abundance of the deer tick, Ixodes dammini, and the spirochete, Borrelia burgdorfen, in Iowa was initiated in 1989. Six hundred and seventy-one tick collections were received from health professionals, conservation employees and concerned citizens. Additional ticks were obtained by flagging, small mammal trapping and deer checks in selected areas of Iowa. Nine I. dammini were collected in 1989 from seven counties in the eastern half of the state. Six of these were tested for B. burgdorferi and all were negative. Flagging, small mammal trapping and deer checks in eastern Iowa failed …

Cover - Table Of Contents

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

No abstract provided.

Area-Dependent Changes In Bird Densities In Iowa Marshes, Mike Brown, James J. Dinsmore

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

Species richness and density of Iowa marsh birds were positively correlated with marsh area, but area accounted for 69% of the variation in species richness and only 19% of the variation in density. Although densities of five of nine species examined correlated with marsh area, total density was not significantly correlated with area when the effects of species richness were eliminated. Area was the most frequent significant variable in regression equations for species richness, total density, and the densities of nine individual species on six variables. Unlike species-area relationships, density-area relationships are relatively weak, and knowledge of other ecological factors …

Front Matter

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

No abstract provided.

Heating Degree Days In Iowa Relative To Home Natural Gas Consumption, Conservation Efforts, And Long-Term Trends, Richard E. Carlson

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

A methodology is presented to assess the effectiveness of conservation efforts relative to home heating. Billing period heating degree days and natural gas consumption relationships are established for a typical household for nineteen heating seasons using simple linear regression. Associated correlations (r² values) were greater than 0. 95 for nineteen different seasons. Regression coefficients (b₀ and b₁) were found to decrease with time indicating reduced natural gas consumption due to conservation efforts. Procedures are presented to illustrate dollar savings relative to conservation efforts using the regression relationships. Long-term trends for heating degree days at the Ames, …

Food Habits Of The Northern Saw-Whet Owl In Central Iowa: Effects Of Roost Location, Stephen J. Dinsmore, William R. Clark

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

During the period 1979-89, 900 northern saw-whet owl (Aegolius acadicus) pellets with identifable remains of prey were collected at 18 central Iowa locations. Peromyscus were the most frequent prey consumed, comprising 81.2% of all prey items. Other prey species were voles (Microtus), western harvest mice (Reithrodontomys megalotis), shrews (Blarina brevicauda, Sorex cinereus, and Cryptotis parva), and a single unidentified bird. Peromyscus comprised the largest proportion of pellets from different successional stages. There were significant differences for four prey groups (Peromyscus, Microtus, Reithrodontomys, and shrews) among years. Peromyscus and R. megalotis showed significant differences among locations. Microtus and shrews were variable …

Studies Of The Precambrian Geology Of Iowa: Part 3. Geochronologic Data For The Matlock Drill Holes, W. R. Van Schmus, E. T. Wallin

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

U-Pb ages have been determined for quartz monzodiorite (2,535 ± 5Ma) recovered from drill hole ClO and for keratophyre (1,782±10 Ma) recovered from drill hole C5 of the Matlock exploration project. Sm-Nd whole-rock analyses for several rock types from the Otter Creek layered mafic complex recovered from several drill holes of the Matlock project yield an isochron age of 2,890 ± 90 Ma, with an ϵNd(t) of -0.9 ± 2.4. These ages document crustal evolution in northwest Iowa, including the southern margin of the Superior Province, over more than one billion years from 2.9 to 1.8 Ga. Isotopic data also …

Comprehensive Examination In Physics, Timothy Cooney

Iowa Science Teachers Journal

The following exam has been developed over several years of physics teaching and research. It is designed to serve as the comprehensive final exam for graduating seniors completing physics at Northern University High School in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Astronomy Bulletin - The 1991 Summer Sky, P. Steven Leiker

Iowa Science Teachers Journal

No abstract provided.