A variant within the AQP1 3ʹ-untranslated region is associated with running performance,but not weight changes,during an Ironman Triathlon

The objective of this study was to test the association of the rs1049305 (G > C) variant within the 3?-untranslated region of the aquaporin 1 gene, AQP1, with changes in body weight, post-race serum sodium concentration and performance in Ironman triathletes. Five hundred and four male Ironman triathletes were genotyped for the rs1049305 variant within the AQP1 gene. Change in pre- and post-race body weight was calculated for 470 triathletes and used as a proxy for changes in body fluid during the race, as well as to divide triathletes into biologically relevant weight-loss groups (0–3%, 3–5% and >5%). There were no rs1049305 genotype effects on post-race serum sodium concentrations (P = 0.647), pre-race weight (P = 0.610) nor relative weight change during the Ironman Triathlons (P = 0.705). In addition, there were no significant differences in genotype (P = 0.640) nor allele (P = 0.643) distributions between the weight loss groups. However, triathletes who carry a C-allele were found to complete the 42.2-km run stage faster (mean 286, s = 49 min) than triathletes with a GG genotype (mean 296, s = 47 min; P = 0.032). The AQP1 rs1049305 variant is associated with running performance, but not relative body weight change, during the 2000, 2001 and 2006 South African Ironman Triathlons.     

Isolation and manipulation of living adherent cells by micromolded magnetic rafts

A new strategy for magnetically manipulating and isolating adherent cells with extremely high post-collection purity and viability is reported. Micromolded magnetic elements (termed microrafts) were fabricated in an array format and used as culture surfaces and carriers for living, adherent cells. A poly(styrene-co-acrylic acid) polymer containing well dispersed magnetic nanoparticles was developed for creating the microstructures by molding. Nanoparticles of γFe(2)O(3) at concentrations up to 1% wt.∕wt. could be used to fabricate microrafts that were optically transparent, highly magnetic, biocompatible, and minimally fluorescent. To prevent cellular uptake of nanoparticles from the magnetic polymer, a poly(styrene-co-acrylic acid) layer lacking γFe(2)O(3) nanoparticles was placed over the initial magnetic microraft layer to prevent cellular uptake of the γFe(2)O(3) during culture. The microraft surface geometry and physical properties were altered by varying the polymer concentration or layering different polymers during fabrication. Cells plated on the magnetic microrafts were visualized using standard imaging techniques including brightfield, epifluorescence, and confocal microscopy. Magnetic microrafts possessing cells of interest were dislodged from the array and efficiently collected with an external magnet. To demonstrate the feasibility of cell isolation using the magnetic microrafts, a mixed population of wild-type cells and cells stably transfected with a fluorescent protein was plated onto an array. Microrafts possessing single, fluorescent cells were released from the array and magnetically collected. A post-sorting single-cell cloning rate of 92% and a purity of 100% were attained.     

Discursive positioning of beginning teachers’ professional learning during induction: a critical literature review from 2004 to 2014

This study reports on findings from a critical literature review, from 2004 to 2014, in relation to the positioning of beginning teachers’ professional learning during induction. The study uses theoretical frameworks drawn from competing discourses: an instrumental standpoint based on performativity and a dialectical standpoint based on a transformative view of good teaching as an advanced specialised practice. A critical analysis was conducted, using a systematic literature review that yielded 14 peer-reviewed papers, to discursively position teachers’ professional learning and pinpoint questions for future study. Findings showed that while studies reported positive outcomes they were often atheoretical and framed within narrow chains of logic that neglected important strands, such as, teacher “knowledge-of-practice”. The study raises important questions not only about the positioning of beginning teachers’ professional learning but about meaningful professional learning for all teachers across the continuum of teacher education.     

The Development of Perspective Taking: Understanding Differences in Information and Weighting

2 separate aspects of perspective taking are that judgments attributed to another should depend on the information available to the other (Information effect) and on how the other's use of information differs from one's own (Weighting effect). These 2 aspects of perspective taking were studied in a moral judgment task with preschoolers, and second and fifth graders. Subjects were read a series of stories about a little boy transgressing and asked to make judgments from both their own perspective and that of a mother character in the stories. The mother story character had either the same information as the subject or only partial information. Valence of intention and consequence and the amount of mother's knowledge varied factorially. Subjects were clustered using scores derived from the judgements. 3 clusters were found that showed different levels of perspective-taking ability. There was a developmental progression in the 3 levels of perspective taking. Subjects in the Harshness cluster attributed harsher judgments to the mother perspective. Subjects in the Weighting cluster weighted information differently depending on the perspective from which they judged. Subjects in the Information-and-Weighting cluster weighted information differently depending on perspective, and also considered the amount of information available to the mother character in attributing judgments. The findings are compared to current theory on the development of perspective taking. Future research and theory need to consider the influence of both information and weighting differences on performance in perspective-taking tasks.     

Need for approval and children's well-being

This research examined the hypothesis that a tendency to base one's self-worth on peer approval is associated with positive and negative aspects of children's well-being. A sample of 153 fourth through eighth graders (9.0 to 14.8 years) reported on need for approval, global self-worth, social-evaluative concerns, anxiety and depression, and exposure to victimization. Teachers reported on social behavior. Results confirmed that need for approval is a two-dimensional construct composed of positive (enhanced self-worth in the face of social approval) and negative (diminished self-worth in the face of social disapproval) approval-based self-appraisals. Need for approval had trade-offs for well-being that depended on the dimension (positive vs. negative), the psychological domain (emotional vs. social adjustment), children's sex and age, and children's social context (high vs. low peer victimization).     

Dog Treat Ball: An Activity to Introduce Systems of Differential Equations

Abstract

This paper describes an activity using a dog treat ball to introduce systems of first-order differential equations. Beads are placed in the first of two hemispherical chambers of a food-dispensing dog toy. As the ball is turned, students track the number of beads in the first chamber, the second chamber, and the exterior of the ball. Students develop a working assumption, write a system of differential equations to model the number of beads in each region, and use a spreadsheet to compare their experimental and model results.     

A synthesis of fluency interventions for secondary struggling readers

Previous research studies examining the effects of fluency interventions on the fluency and comprehension outcomes for secondary struggling readers are synthesized. An extensive search of the professional literature between 1980 and 2005 yielded a total of 19 intervention studies that provided fluency interventions to secondary struggling readers and measured comprehension and/or fluency outcomes. Findings revealed fluency outcomes were consistently improved following interventions that included listening passage previewing such as listening to an audiotape or adult model of good reading before attempting to read a passage. In addition, there is preliminary evidence that there may be no differential effects between repeated reading interventions and the same amount of non-repetitive reading with older struggling readers for increasing reading speed, word recognition, and comprehension.