A Proposed Curriculum for School Business Managers

The purpose of this study will be to formulate a proposed course of study for the school business manager at the University of New Mexico. Specifically, it will deal with the following questions: (1) How can young men and women prepare themselves to enter the profession of school business managements? (2) What program of professional training will answer the needs of the business manager? (3) Through what curriculum can be developed both the skills and judgments of a capable business man and the knowledge and vision of a progressive educator

Landing development: A first look at young children

The purpose of this study was to examine sagittal and frontal views of children (n=14) aged 4-9 landing from a maximal effort vertical jump to begin a description of landing development. Video records (collected at 30 frames/sec) of the jump and landing were viewed frame by frame with Windows Movie Maker and analyzed with a simple scoring system validated to detect improper movements during landing. Findings indicated that this stop-landing task challenged balance as most landings included a step, straddled foot position, and a wide stance. Mechanisms for force absorption (knee and hip flexion) tended to occur more often in landings of older children, but incidences of knee valgus also increased with age. Further investigation may establish developmental expectations for landing and help coaches and physical educators correct potentially harmful patterns as children age and pursue more competitive sport

How Do Children and Adolescents Reason About Excluding an Unhelpful In-group Member?

Past research indicates children and adolescents reason about excluding ingroup members by referencing concerns for how the group functions (Hitti, Mulvey, Rutland, Abrams, & Killen, 2013). Less is known about how children and adolescents reason about exclusion of ingroup members whose actions come at a cost to one’s own group. The current study examined reasoning for excluding an ingroup member who helps an outgroup at varying levels of need for each group. / The current study examined 189 responses from 4th and 8th graders, using three scenarios of varying need for water when on a camping trip: 1) in-group needs more, 2) out-group needs more, and 3) both need equal water. They were then told an in-group member found water and decided to distribute the water such that they were: 1) helping each group equally, or 2) helping the out-group more (varied between-subject). Fisher’s exact tests were conducted to compare how often 4th and 8th graders used Empathy, Generosity, Group Functioning, Group Loyalty, or Not good enough reason, to justify their judgment regarding exclusion of the in-group member. / Chi-Square tests showed children were more likely to judge exclusion as not okay than okay in all scenarios (ps \u3c .001). Compared to 4th graders, 8th graders were more likely to reference group functioning reasoning when the outgroup needed more water and the member distributed the water equally (23.5% vs. 76.5%). Eighth graders were more likely to say there was no good reason for excluding the member when both groups had an equal need for water and water was distributed equally (16.70% vs. 83.30%). 4th graders referenced empathy more than 8th graders when the outgroup needed more water and the distribution favored the outgroup (0% vs. 100%). Findings are discussed in light of previous research on children’s reasoning about exclusion

The interaction of neutrophils and amyloid-ß in Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects memory and cognition. A key molecular pathological hallmark of AD is amyloid-ß deposition. Amyloid-ß is a small aggregation-prone peptide that forms the senile plaques characteristic of AD. Although amyloid-ß has long been a focus of AD research, clinical trials targeting the aggregation and deposition of the peptide have been largely unsuccessful. The shift away from amyloid-ß focused research and advancements in genetic profiling have enabled the discovery that many of the genes affected in sporadic AD are related to immunity. Neuroinflammation is now accepted as another of the key pathological hallmarks of AD; however, the exact mechanisms of how it contributes to disease onset are still undetermined. Recent literature has shown that peripheral innate immune cells, such as neutrophils, contribute to AD pathology. Neutrophils invade the central nervous system in AD and undergo an immune response called NETosis, where they form networks of extracellular fibres, composed of DNA decorated with granule proteins. The formation of these neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) has been previously shown to occur around amyloid-ß plaques. The precise interaction between neutrophils and the amyloid-ß deposits is unknown, but NETs may modify the immunological and biochemical properties of the plaques. Thioflavin T fluorescent assays and electron microscopy were used to characterise and validate four different multimerization states of amyloid-ß42. These represent the different species found in the AD brain. Neutrophils were isolated from human blood and NETosis was induced using phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). Using a SYTOX™ green assay to measure NETosis, it was observed that amyloid-ß42 does not induce NET formation in neutrophils, irrespective of aggregation state or the presence of complement factors in serum or anti-amyloid-ß antibodies. Using immunocytochemistry and fluorescent microscopy, the binding of amyloid-ß42 to NETs was observed in an in vitro system. When micrococcal nuclease was used to degrade the DNA structure of NETs, a reduction was found in the binding of heavily aggregated amyloid-ß42 species to NETs. This reduction indicated that the binding between heavily aggregated amyloid-ß42 and NETs is likely mediated by the NET-DNA matrix. Microglia are the resident immune cells of the brain and were seen to interact with both NETs and all species of amyloid-ß42. This interaction could indicate that NET-plaque complexes are involved in initiating an immune response and contribute to the neuroinflammation seen in the AD brain. Binding with amyloid-ß plaques could enable the persistence of NETs in the AD brain. Furthermore, NETs changing the plaque structural or chemical properties could potentially contribute to the chronic inflammation seen in AD patients. Therapeutics focused on inhibiting or depleting neutrophil entry into the central nervous system, or preventing the formation of NETs, could be beneficial in the treatment of AD

Saving up for a rainy day? Savings groups and resilience to flooding in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

This paper explores the role of savings groups in resilience to urban climate-related disasters. Savings groups are a rapidly growing phenomenon in Africa. They are decentralized, non-institutional groups that provide millions of people excluded from the formal banking sector with a trusted, accessible, and relatively simple source of microfinance. Yet there is little work on the impacts of savings groups on resilience to disasters. In this paper, we use a combination of quantitative and qualitative evidence from Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) to shed new light on the role that savings groups play in helping households cope with climate-related shocks. Drawing on new data, we show that approximately one-quarter of households have at least one member in a group, and that these households recover from flood events faster than those who do not. We further argue that the structure of savings groups allows for considerable group oversight, reducing the high costs of monitoring and sanctioning that often undermine cooperative engagement in urban areas. This makes the savings group model a uniquely flexible form of financing that is well adapted to helping households cope with shocks such as repeated flooding. In addition to this, we posit that they may provide a foundation for community initiatives focusing on preventative action

Optical and mechanical design of the extreme AO coronagraphic instrument MagAO-X

Here we review the current optical mechanical design of MagAO-X. The project is post-PDR and has finished the design phase. The design presented here is the baseline to which all the optics and mechanics have been fabricated. The optical/mechanical performance of this novel extreme AO design will be presented here for the first time. Some highlights of the design are: 1) a floating, but height stabilized, optical table; 2) a Woofer tweeter (2040 actuator BMC MEMS DM) design where the Woofer can be the current f/16 MagAO ASM or, more likely, fed by the facility f/11 static secondary to an ALPAO DM97 woofer; 3) 22 very compact optical mounts that have a novel locking clamp for additional thermal and vibrational stability; 4) A series of four pairs of super-polished off-axis parabolic (OAP) mirrors with a relatively wide FOV by matched OAP clocking; 5) an advanced very broadband (0.5-1.7micron) ADC design; 6) A Pyramid (PWFS), and post-coronagraphic LOWFS NCP wavefront sensor; 7) a vAPP coronagraph for starlight suppression. Currently all the OAPs have just been delivered, and all the rest of the optics are in the lab. Most of the major mechanical parts are in the lab or instrument, and alignment of the optics has occurred for some of the optics (like the PWFS) and most of the mounts. First light should be in 2019A.Comment: 10 pages, proc. SPIE 10703, Adaptive Optics IV, Austin TX, June 201

The impact of the UK soft drink industry levy on the soft drink marketplace, 2017–2020: An interrupted time series analysis with comparator series

Background: In April 2018, the UK government implemented a levy on soft drinks importers and manufacturers, tiered according to the amount of sugar in drinks. The stated aim was to encourage manufacturers to reduce sugar and portion sizes. Previous evidence suggests that the policy has been successful in reducing sugar in drinks in the short-term since implementation, but their sustained effects have not been explored. This study aimed to assess the impact of the soft drink industry levy (SDIL) on sugar levels, price, portion size and use of non-sugar sweeteners in the medium-term. Methods and findings: Product data from 30 November 2017 to 14 March 2020 from one major UK retail supermarket were analysed (112,452 observations, 126 weekly time points). We used interrupted time series analysis, to assess the impact of the soft-drink industry levy (SDIL) on levy-eligible soft drinks, with exempt drinks (i.e. 100% fruit juices, milks, flavoured milks) acting as a comparator series. At the point of implementation of the SDIL (April 2018) there was a step change in the proportion of eligible drinks with sugar content below the SDIL levy threshold (5g per 100ml) (+0.08, 95%CI: +0.04, +0.12), with a similar sized decrease in the proportion in the highest levy category (> = 8g sugar per 100ml) (-0.06, 95%CI: -0.10, -0.03). Between April 2018 and March 2020, the proportion of eligible drinks below the SDIL levy threshold continued to gradually increase (p = 0.003), while those in the highest levy category decreased (p = 0.007). There was a step change in price of eligible drinks in the higher levy category at the point of implementation of +£0.049 (95%CI: +£0.034, +£0.065) per 100mL (for comparison, the levy is set at £0.024 per 100mL for this group). Trends in price for the high levy category were not altered by the SDIL. In the no levy category, there was a step change in price at the implementation (+£0.012 per 100mL, 95%CI: +£0.008, +£0.023), followed by a second step change in October 2018 (-£0.018p per 100mL, 95%CI: -£0.033, -£0.001p). The volume of products in the higher levy group decreased at the time of the implementation (-305mL on average including multipacks, 95%CI: -511, -99). The change in trend for the product volume of drinks in the higher levy group between April 2018 and March 2020 was in the increasing direction (+704mL per year, 95%CI: -95, 1504), but it did not meet our threshold for statistical significance (p = 0.084). There were no changes observed in the volume of lower levy drinks or no levy drinks. There was a step change in the proportion of drinks with non-sugar sweeteners at the implementation of the SDIL (+0.04, 95%CI: +0.02, +0.06). Conclusion: These results suggest that the SDIL was successful in [1] producing reductions in sugar levels that were maintained over the medium term up to March 2020 and [2] a reduction in product volume for higher tier drinks that may be diminishing over time. Our results also show that the SDIL was associated with a maintained price differential between high and low sugar drinks

Updated Planetary Mass Constraints of the Young V1298 Tau System Using MAROON-X

The early K-type T-Tauri star, V1298 Tau ($V=10\,{\rm mag}$, ${\rm age}\approx20-30\,{\rm Myr}$) hosts four transiting planets with radii ranging from $4.9-9.6\,R_\oplus$. The three inner planets have orbital periods of $\approx8-24\,{\rm d}$ while the outer planet's period is poorly constrained by single transits observed with \emph{K2} and \emph{TESS}. Planets b, c, and d are proto-sub-Neptunes that may be undergoing significant mass loss. Depending on the stellar activity and planet masses, they are expected to evolve into super-Earths/sub-Neptunes that bound the radius valley. Here we present results of a joint transit and radial velocity (RV) modelling analysis, which includes recently obtained \emph{TESS} photometry and MAROON-X RV measurements. Assuming circular orbits, we obtain a low-significance ($\approx2\sigma$) RV detection of planet c implying a mass of $19.8_{-8.9}^{+9.3}\,M_\oplus$ and a conservative $2\sigma$ upper limit of $<39\,M_\oplus$. For planets b and d, we derive $2\sigma$ upper limits of $M_{\rm b}<159\,M_\oplus$ and $M_{\rm d}<41\,M_\oplus$. For planet e, plausible discrete periods of $P_{\rm e}>55.4\,{\rm d}$ are ruled out at a $3\sigma$ level while seven solutions with $43.3<P_{\rm e}/{\rm d}<55.4$ are consistent with the most probable $46.768131\pm000076\,{\rm d}$ solution within $3\sigma$. Adopting the most probable solution yields a $2.6\sigma$ RV detection with mass a of $0.66\pm0.26\,M_{\rm Jup}$. Comparing the updated mass and radius constraints with planetary evolution and interior structure models shows that planets b, d, and e are consistent with predictions for young gas-rich planets and that planet c is consistent with having a water-rich core with a substantial ($\sim5\%$ by mass) H$_2$ envelope.Comment: 18 pages, 13 figures, accepted for publication in A

Mutations in TUBG1, DYNC1H1, KIF5C and KIF2A cause malformations of cortical development and microcephaly.

International audienceThe genetic causes of malformations of cortical development (MCD) remain largely unknown. Here we report the discovery of multiple pathogenic missense mutations in TUBG1, DYNC1H1 and KIF2A, as well as a single germline mosaic mutation in KIF5C, in subjects with MCD. We found a frequent recurrence of mutations in DYNC1H1, implying that this gene is a major locus for unexplained MCD. We further show that the mutations in KIF5C, KIF2A and DYNC1H1 affect ATP hydrolysis, productive protein folding and microtubule binding, respectively. In addition, we show that suppression of mouse Tubg1 expression in vivo interferes with proper neuronal migration, whereas expression of altered γ-tubulin proteins in Saccharomyces cerevisiae disrupts normal microtubule behavior. Our data reinforce the importance of centrosomal and microtubule-related proteins in cortical development and strongly suggest that microtubule-dependent mitotic and postmitotic processes are major contributors to the pathogenesis of MCD