The effect of minority, low-income, and first-generation status on the financial capabilities of students at Mississippi State University

Using data collected from undergraduate students attending a southeastern United States University, the current dissertation includes two manuscripts examining the relationships between personal characteristics, financial socialization, financial capability and financial well-being among college students. These relationships were also compared between a focal group of students identifying as minority, low-income, and first-generation students to a comparison group not identifying as minority, low-income, or first-generation students. The first study used structural equation modeling to explore the relationships between personal characteristics (i.e., attachment, locus of control, and self-esteem), financial socialization, and the four dimensions of financial capability (financial knowledge, access to financial resources, attitudes, and actions). Findings suggest financial socialization partially mediated the relationships between personal characteristics and financial attitudes and financial actions. These findings suggest that parents continue to play a role in the development of financial attitudes and behaviors of college students. The second study used regression analysis to examine how financial knowledge and skills (i.e., applied knowledge), materialistic attitudes, compulsive spending behaviors, and access to financial resources (i.e., number of bank accounts, credit cards, and alternative financial services) are related to students’ financial well-being. Findings suggest greater financial skills and less materialistic views are related to greater financial well-being. However, among those not identifying as minority, low-income, or first-generation college students less compulsive spending behaviors and greater credit card use were positively related to financial well-being; among minority, low-income, or first generation college students, alternative financial services usage was related negatively to financial well-being

Convenience or reckless spending? How mobile payment apps can help college students manage their money

Mobile payment service (MPS) apps are often used because they are convenient and easy to use. However, some people may not understand how MPS use could impact day-to-day finances or long-term financial well-being. This study seeks to explore the use of MPS apps among college students. It is hypothesized that MPS app use is related to factors such as ease of use, convenience, and financial behaviors, such as monitoring spending or paying bills on time. In the fall of 2021, 122 college students from the Southeastern United States responded to an online Qualtrics questionnaire related to preferences among MPS apps, frequency of their use, and spending and bill-paying financial behaviors in the last 6 months. Responses were coded and analyzed by using IBM SPSS v 28. Correlations revealed frequent MPS use was not associated with financial skills, usefulness, convenience, awareness, or actual financial behaviors. However, financial skills were positively related to factors such as MPS usefulness (r = .62, p ≤ .001) and convenience (r = .58, p ≤ .001), and awareness of financial behaviors (r = .55, p ≤ .001). Findings suggest that MPS apps can be a tool to promote financial management behaviors such as controlling spending and paying bills on time

Reflective Practice: Connecting Assessment and Socio-Legal Research in Clinical Legal Education

This paper shares some initial attempts to investigate the socio-legal dimensions of reflective practice in a sampling of clinical programs across several jurisdictions in Europe and elsewhere. These preliminary findings were presented at the most recent ENCLE Conference, which took place in Turin, Italy in September of 2018.  For some time now, our ‘transnational team’ -- comprised of clinical teachers from US, France, Spain and Italy -- has been exploring our common interest in researching the multiple roles reflective writing can play as a tool for assessing student learning and as an instrument for socio-legal research. During the session, the team members who were present shared and discussed some possible uses of reflective writing of various sorts, identifying their impact on learning, teaching, and research. This line of inquiry can potentially assist the clinical legal education community to reflect about the reasons for choosing particular tools for reflective practice in our clinical programs. Discussion and feedback from participants contributed important input to deepen our exploration and will assist us in developing further theoretical understandings in the future

TIGIT Marks Exhausted T Cells, Correlates with Disease Progression, and Serves as a Target for Immune Restoration in HIV and SIV Infection.

HIV infection induces phenotypic and functional changes to CD8+ T cells defined by the coordinated upregulation of a series of negative checkpoint receptors that eventually result in T cell exhaustion and failure to control viral replication. We report that effector CD8+ T cells during HIV infection in blood and SIV infection in lymphoid tissue exhibit higher levels of the negative checkpoint receptor TIGIT. Increased frequencies of TIGIT+ and TIGIT+ PD-1+ CD8+ T cells correlated with parameters of HIV and SIV disease progression. TIGIT remained elevated despite viral suppression in those with either pharmacological antiretroviral control or immunologically in elite controllers. HIV and SIV-specific CD8+ T cells were dysfunctional and expressed high levels of TIGIT and PD-1. Ex-vivo single or combinational antibody blockade of TIGIT and/or PD-L1 restored viral-specific CD8+ T cell effector responses. The frequency of TIGIT+ CD4+ T cells correlated with the CD4+ T cell total HIV DNA. These findings identify TIGIT as a novel marker of dysfunctional HIV-specific T cells and suggest TIGIT along with other checkpoint receptors may be novel curative HIV targets to reverse T cell exhaustion

The Abisko Polar Prediction School

Polar regions are experiencing rapid climate change, faster than elsewhere on Earth with consequences for the weather and sea ice. This change is opening up new possibilities for businesses such as tourism, shipping, fisheries and oil and gas extraction, but also bringing new risks to delicate polar environments. Effective weather and climate prediction is essential to managing these risks, however our ability to forecast polar environmental conditions over periods from days to decades ahead falls far behind our abilities in the mid-latitudes. In order to meet the growing societal need for young scientists trained in this area, a Polar Prediction School for early career scientists from around the world was held in April 2016

Mutations in MITF and PAX3 Cause “Splashed White” and Other White Spotting Phenotypes in Horses

During fetal development neural-crest-derived melanoblasts migrate across the entire body surface and differentiate into melanocytes, the pigment-producing cells. Alterations in this precisely regulated process can lead to white spotting patterns. White spotting patterns in horses are a complex trait with a large phenotypic variance ranging from minimal white markings up to completely white horses. The “splashed white” pattern is primarily characterized by an extremely large blaze, often accompanied by extended white markings at the distal limbs and blue eyes. Some, but not all, splashed white horses are deaf. We analyzed a Quarter Horse family segregating for the splashed white coat color. Genome-wide linkage analysis in 31 horses gave a positive LOD score of 1.6 in a region on chromosome 6 containing the PAX3 gene. However, the linkage data were not in agreement with a monogenic inheritance of a single fully penetrant mutation. We sequenced the PAX3 gene and identified a missense mutation in some, but not all, splashed white Quarter Horses. Genome-wide association analysis indicated a potential second signal near MITF. We therefore sequenced the MITF gene and found a 10 bp insertion in the melanocyte-specific promoter. The MITF promoter variant was present in some splashed white Quarter Horses from the studied family, but also in splashed white horses from other horse breeds. Finally, we identified two additional non-synonymous mutations in the MITF gene in unrelated horses with white spotting phenotypes. Thus, several independent mutations in MITF and PAX3 together with known variants in the EDNRB and KIT genes explain a large proportion of horses with the more extreme white spotting phenotypes

WORKSHOP ON GUIDELINES FOR MANAGEMENT STRATEGY EVALUATIONS (WKGMSE2)

The purpose of the meeting was to bring up to date the methodologies and technical specifications that should be incorporated in Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE) work in ICES. The workshop was tasked with reviewing recent methodological and practical MSE work conducted in ICES and around the world, as well as the guidelines provided by the 2013 ICES Workshop on Guidelines for Management Strategy Evaluations (WKGMSE). The Terms of Reference indicated that the revision should include all aspects involved in MSE, while paying specific attention to several issues that had been identified through ICES practice. The Terms of Reference also requested WKGMSE 2 to consider how best to disseminate the guidelines to experts within the ICES community and the need for training courses. The workshop addressed all its Terms of Reference. The main results of the workshop are the revised MSE guidelines, as well as recommendations in relation to the ICES criterion for defining a management strategy as precautionary and in relation to the evaluation and advice on rebuilding strategies.publishedVersio

A High Density SNP Array for the Domestic Horse and Extant Perissodactyla: Utility for Association Mapping, Genetic Diversity, and Phylogeny Studies

An equine SNP genotyping array was developed and evaluated on a panel of samples representing 14 domestic horse breeds and 18 evolutionarily related species. More than 54,000 polymorphic SNPs provided an average inter-SNP spacing of ∼43 kb. The mean minor allele frequency across domestic horse breeds was 0.23, and the number of polymorphic SNPs within breeds ranged from 43,287 to 52,085. Genome-wide linkage disequilibrium (LD) in most breeds declined rapidly over the first 50–100 kb and reached background levels within 1–2 Mb. The extent of LD and the level of inbreeding were highest in the Thoroughbred and lowest in the Mongolian and Quarter Horse. Multidimensional scaling (MDS) analyses demonstrated the tight grouping of individuals within most breeds, close proximity of related breeds, and less tight grouping in admixed breeds. The close relationship between the Przewalski's Horse and the domestic horse was demonstrated by pair-wise genetic distance and MDS. Genotyping of other Perissodactyla (zebras, asses, tapirs, and rhinoceros) was variably successful, with call rates and the number of polymorphic loci varying across taxa. Parsimony analysis placed the modern horse as sister taxa to Equus przewalski. The utility of the SNP array in genome-wide association was confirmed by mapping the known recessive chestnut coat color locus (MC1R) and defining a conserved haplotype of ∼750 kb across all breeds. These results demonstrate the high quality of this SNP genotyping resource, its usefulness in diverse genome analyses of the horse, and potential use in related species

Mice Null for Calsequestrin 1 Exhibit Deficits in Functional Performance and Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Calcium Handling

In skeletal muscle, the release of calcium (Ca2+) by ryanodine sensitive sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ release channels (i.e., ryanodine receptors; RyR1s) is the primary determinant of contractile filament activation. Much attention has been focused on calsequestrin (CASQ1) and its role in SR Ca2+ buffering as well as its potential for modulating RyR1, the L-type Ca2+ channel (dihydropyridine receptor, DHPR) and other sarcolemmal channels through sensing luminal [Ca2+]. The genetic ablation of CASQ1 expression results in significant alterations in SR Ca2+ content and SR Ca2+ release especially during prolonged activation. While these findings predict a significant loss-of-function phenotype in vivo, little information on functional status of CASQ1 null mice is available. We examined fast muscle in vivo and in vitro and identified significant deficits in functional performance that indicate an inability to sustain contractile activation. In single CASQ1 null skeletal myofibers we demonstrate a decrease in voltage dependent RyR Ca2+ release with single action potentials and a collapse of the Ca2+ release with repetitive trains. Under voltage clamp, SR Ca2+ release flux and total SR Ca2+ release are significantly reduced in CASQ1 null myofibers. The decrease in peak Ca2+ release flux appears to be solely due to elimination of the slowly decaying component of SR Ca2+ release, whereas the rapidly decaying component of SR Ca2+ release is not altered in either amplitude or time course in CASQ1 null fibers. Finally, intra-SR [Ca2+] during ligand and voltage activation of RyR1 revealed a significant decrease in the SR[Ca2+]free in intact CASQ1 null fibers and a increase in the release and uptake kinetics consistent with a depletion of intra-SR Ca2+ buffering capacity. Taken together we have revealed that the genetic ablation of CASQ1 expression results in significant functional deficits consistent with a decrease in the slowly decaying component of SR Ca2+ release