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Compensation, job profile list and specs – represented civil service exempt staff (represented cses).

NOTE: To be exempt from overtime (OT), a position must (1) be paid a salary, (2) be paid at or above the OT exemption salary threshold, and (3) the duties performed meet one or more of the “duties tests.” All three criteria must be met for a position to be OT exempt.

Some represented civil service exempt staff positions may be OT non-exempt if the position is paid below the salary threshold and/or the position does not meet any of the duties tests.

Job codes in the non-exempt column of the following table have an asterisk if they are restricted to use for positions that don’t meet the salary threshold. Job codes in the non-exempt column with no asterisk may be used for positions that either do not meet the salary threshold or for those that do not meet a duties test.

Positions that meet a duties test but hired into a non-exempt job code due to not meeting the salary threshold will be converted to exempt if/when their salary meets the threshold.

• See more information on FLSA and L&I compliance

Last Updated: April 30, 2024

Some cases of Alzheimer's caused by two copies of a single gene

For the first time, researchers have identified a genetic form of late-in-life Alzheimer’s disease — in people who inherit two copies of a worrisome gene.

Scientists have long known a gene called APOE4 is one of many things that can increase people’s risk for Alzheimer’s, including simply getting older. The vast majority of Alzheimer’s cases occur after age 65. But research published Monday suggests that for people who carry not one but two copies of the gene, it’s more than a risk factor, it’s an underlying cause of the mind-robbing disease.

The findings mark a distinction with “profound implications,” said Dr. Juan Fortea, who led the study the Sant Pau Research Institute in Barcelona, Spain.

Among them: Symptoms can begin seven to 10 years sooner than in other older adults who develop Alzheimer’s.

An estimated 15% of Alzheimer’s patients carry two copies of APOE4, meaning those cases “can be tracked back to a cause and the cause is in the genes,” Fortea said. Until now, genetic forms of Alzheimer’s were thought to be only types that strike at much  younger ages  and account for less than 1% of all cases.

Scientists say the research makes it critical to develop treatments that target the APOE4 gene. Some doctors won’t offer the only drug that has been shown to modestly slow the disease, Leqembi , to people with the gene pair because they’re especially prone to a dangerous side effect, said Dr. Reisa Sperling, a study coauthor at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

Sperling  hunts ways to prevent  or at least delay Alzheimer’s and “this data for me says wow, what an important group to be able to go after before they become symptomatic.”

But the news doesn’t mean people should race for a gene test.

“It’s important not to scare everyone who has a family history” of Alzheimer’s because this gene duo isn’t behind most cases, she told The Associated Press.

How do genetics affects Alzheimer's?

More than 6 million Americans, and millions more worldwide, have Alzheimer’s. A handful of genes are known to cause rare “early-onset” forms, mutations passed through families that trigger symptoms unusually young, by age 50. Some cases also are linked to Down syndrome.

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But Alzheimer’s most commonly strikes after 65, especially in the late 70s to 80s, and the APOE gene — which also affects how the body handles fats -- was long known to play some role. There are three main varieties. Most people carry the APOE3 variant that appears to neither increase nor decrease Alzheimer’s risk. Some carry APOE2, which provides some protection against Alzheimer’s.

APOE4 has long been labeled the biggest genetic risk factor for late-in-life Alzheimer’s, with two copies risker than one. About 2% of the global population is estimated to have inherited a copy from each parent.

Pointing to a cause for a subset of Alzheimer's

To better understand the gene’s role, Fortea’s team used data from 3,297 brains donated for research and from over 10,000 people in U.S. and European Alzheimer’s studies. They examined symptoms and early hallmarks of Alzheimer’s such as sticky amyloid in the brain.

People with two APOE4 copies were accumulating more amyloid at age 55 than those with just one copy or the “neutral” APOE3 gene variety, they reported in the journal Nature Medicine. By age 65, brain scans showed significant plaque buildup in nearly three-quarters of those double carriers — who also were more likely to have initial Alzheimer’s symptoms around that age rather than in the 70s or 80s.

Fortea said the disease’s underlying biology was remarkably similar to young inherited types.

It appears more like “a familial form of Alzheimer’s,” said Dr. Eliezer Masliah of the National Institute on Aging. “It is not just a risk factor.”

Importantly, not everyone with two APOE4 genes develops Alzheimer’s symptoms and researchers need to learn why, Sperling cautioned.

“It’s not quite destiny,” she said.

How new findings may affect research

The drug Leqembi works by clearing away some sticky amyloid but Sperling said it’s not clear if carriers of two APOE4 genes benefit because they have such a high risk of a side effect from the drug — dangerous brain swelling and bleeding. One research question is whether they’d do better starting such drugs sooner than other people.

Masliah said other research aims to develop gene therapy or drugs to specifically target APOE4. He said it’s also crucial to understand APOE4’s effects in diverse populations since it’s been studied mostly in white people of European ancestry.

As for gene tests, for now they’re typically used only to evaluate if someone’s a candidate for Leqembi or for people enrolling in Alzheimer’s research — especially studies of possible ways to prevent the disease. Sperling said the people most likely to carry two APOE4 genes had parents who both got Alzheimer’s relatively early, in their 60s rather than their 80s.

The Associated Press

Key events in the Bible, such as the settlement and destruction of Jerusalem, confirmed using radiocarbon dating

The research combined radiocarbon dating with measurements of atmospheric radiocarbon from tree rings to build a chronology of the ancient city.

A precise new dating of archaeological sites in Jerusalem supports some of the key historical events described in the Bible, including the settling of the city, a major earthquake and its eventual destruction by the Babylonians, according to a new study. 

The research gives an unprecedented chronology of the ancient city that sheds light on its development, said Elisabetta Boaretto , a professor of archaeological sciences at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, and the senior author of the study, which was published April 29 in the journal PNAS .

The authors studied sediments from human occupations and radioactive-carbon concentrations in charred seeds to determine dates within the time period known as the "Hallstatt plateau," between 770 and 420 B.C. Past work had found that radiocarbon dating can’t pinpoint times with accuracy during this period.

It may be because lower solar activity during that period produced less of the radioactive isotope carbon-14 — a form of carbon with eight neutrons in its nucleus instead of the usual six, which is used in radiocarbon dating to determine when a sample originated.

The Hallstatt plateau is a key reason why so little of Jerusalem has been radiocarbon-dated, although the city is of great archaeological importance.

"The archaeological record in Jerusalem was associated with times based on the Bible, or on pottery comparisons with other sites," Boaretto said. "So it was never really absolutely dated."

Related: Mysterious moat discovered in Jerusalem may have been used to divide the biblical city

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Ancient city

The researchers examined 103 samples of seeds and other remains from five sites in Jerusalem's ancient City of David neighborhood, south of the Temple Mount.

The new approach applied radiocarbon dating and a group of precise analytical methods collectively called "microarchaeology" to the layers of sediments associated with the seeds and then verified their dates with measurements of atmospheric radiocarbon from the growth rings of trees that grew between 624 and 572 B.C.

That effectively eliminated the uncertainty of most of the Hallstatt plateau time period, Boaretto said. They anchored their chronology using evidence of the Babylonian destruction in 586 B.C.  

The study revealed new evidence that Jerusalem was settled between the 12th and 10th centuries B.C. and that the city had expanded westward in the ninth century B.C.

The researchers also found evidence of an earthquake in the mid-eighth century B.C.: a layer of collapsed stones and damaged building materials, followed by a period of reconstruction. This event was mentioned in the Bible but had never been firmly dated.

The team saw signs of the prolonged use of some sites after the earthquake and before the Babylonian invasions, which indicated a period of relative economic and political stability.

The settlement period ended with a massive conflagration identified as the Babylonian destruction in 586 B.C., which is described in both the Bible and Neo-Babylonian records.

Radiocarbon chronology

Still, not everyone is convinced that the new chronology is reliable.

Archaeologist Israel Finkelstein , a professor emeritus at Tel Aviv University who wasn't involved in the latest study, told Live Science that many of the samples used in the study came from less-than-ideal archaeological contexts. That meant samples from only one of the five sites and a few others could be considered reliable, while the others "provide only the earliest possible date for a given layer," he said.

— 2,000-year-old stone receipt discovered in Jerusalem

— Ancient 'ritual bath' and elite villa unearthed by Jerusalem's Western Wall

— Evidence of Roman-era 'death magic' used to speak with the deceased found near Jerusalem

And while the ability to radiocarbon-date layers during the Hallstatt plateau was a breakthrough, "this, too, is not free of difficulties," Finkelstein said. That's because it was based on samples from a single room that had no direct evidence of the eighth-century earthquake nor the sixth-century Babylonian destruction.

However, "the project of radiocarbon-dating Iron Age Jerusalem is a first step in an important mission," he said.

Tom Metcalfe is a freelance journalist and regular Live Science contributor who is based in London in the United Kingdom. Tom writes mainly about science, space, archaeology, the Earth and the oceans. He has also written for the BBC, NBC News, National Geographic, Scientific American, Air & Space, and many others.

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Nanofibers: innovation for the future of materials science

May 7, 2024

Blog Nanotechnology Nanofibers: innovation for the future of materials science

Nanofibers have become unsung heroes in materials science, quietly transforming various industries. From healthcare to electronics and space exploration, these microscopic marvels are paving the way to a future limited only by our imaginations.

Unveiling the Nanofiber Revolution

Nanofibers, as the name suggests, are fibers with diameters in the nanometer range. Their unique properties make them incredibly versatile, finding applications in fields as diverse as life sciences, filtration, energy, electronics, and sensors.

Forecasting the Future

The global nanofiber market is growing rapidly. According to BCC Research, the market is expected to reach $9.4 billion by 2028, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 26.0%.

This exponential growth is driven by advances in life sciences, the burgeoning nano-electronics sector, and the increasing use of nanofibers in various industries.

• Advances in Life Sciences : Nanofibers are revolutionizing healthcare with their unique properties and are ideal for tissue engineering, drug delivery, and wound healing. They also contribute to the early detection of diseases using biosensors.
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Global Markets and Technologies for Nanofibers

The global market for nanofibers is estimated to increase from $2.9 billion in 2023 to reach $9.4 billion by 2028, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 26.0% from 2023 through 2028.

Key Businesses Driving the Nanofibers Market:

• Teijin Ltd. : Teijin is a Japanese chemical, pharmaceutical, and information technology company. In the nanofiber market, they are known for their innovative products and solutions, including nanofibrous materials used in various applications such as filtration systems, medical devices, and electronics.
• Toray Industries : Toray is a multinational company headquartered in Japan. They are key players in the nanofiber market and provide advanced materials and technologies. Toray’s Nanofiber products have found applications in places such as air and liquid, as well as energy and electronic products.
• Donaldson Company, Inc. : Donaldson is a global leader in filtration solutions. Specializing in air and liquid filtration systems, their nanofiber products play a critical role in improving filtration efficiency and performance.

Challenges and Opportunities

Nanofibers offer exciting opportunities, but hurdles remain in terms of scalability, cost-effectiveness, and safety. Scaling up production methods, implementing cost-effective methods, and ensuring safe handling of engineered nanoparticles are essential to maximize their potential in various applications. Addressing these challenges will help maximize the development of nanofiber technology.

Nanofibers: Shaping Tomorrow's World

As we stand on the level of a new era of nanofibers, we must realize nanofibers' endless possibilities. From improving medicine and revolutionizing electronics to protecting the environment, these tiny fibers are rewriting the rules of materials science. The nanofiber revolution is not just an innovation, it is shaping the future.

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Nevada Today

College of agriculture, biotechnology & natural resources hosts awards night, 47 outstanding students, faculty, staff and supporters recognized at the spring celebration.

Claus Tittiger (left), the College's associate dean of academic affairs, Premjit Halarnkar (center), global head of regulatory affairs at CH Biotech and a Ph.D. graduate of the College’s Biochemistry Program and Jake DeDecker (right), Extension director and the College's associate dean for engagement are seen sharing a lighthearted moment at the event. Photo by Molly Malloy.

More than 295 attendees gathered to recognize the academic achievements of graduating students and excellence in research, innovation and leadership among faculty and staff at the College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources' annual Spring Celebration and Awards Night.  The event, which was held at Eldorado at THE ROW in Reno on April 26, recognized the 47 award winners and approximately 171 graduating undergraduate and graduate students present.

While Bill Payne, Dean of the College, was not able to attend the event, he sent his congratulatory remarks to the honorees of the event.

“This year’s ceremony is extra special as we celebrate not only our College’s accomplishments, but also, as the founding College of our University, to celebrate our University’s 150 th year of serving our state,” Payne said. “As has been the case throughout the history of our College, this year, you — our students, faculty, staff and supporters — have worked hard and given 100% to accomplish so much more than we will be able to mention this evening.

“I am delighted to recognize you and your hard work. I couldn’t be more proud and sincerely want to thank you all. I hope you enjoy the evening and sharing in each other’s successes.”

The event was emceed by Christian Kolberg, an alumnus of the University and current chair of University of Nevada, Reno Extension’s Advisory Council. Throughout the evening, Kolberg was joined by a variety of presenters consisting of faculty and staff to honor all the recipients.

The awardees included:

Student Achievement Awards

Department of Agriculture, Veterinary & Rangeland Sciences

• Kelly McCready – Outstanding Senior, Agricultural Science
• Sara Harvey – Outstanding Senior, Agricultural Science
• Koby Lindberg – Outstanding Senior, Nevada Teach: Agricultural Science
• Aspen Wright – Outstanding Senior, Rangeland Ecology & Management
• Naomi Maravilla – Outstanding Senior, Veterinary Science
• Isadora Batalha – Outstanding Ph.D. Student, Animal & Rangeland Science
• Uriel Cholula-Rivera – Outstanding Ph.D. Student, Animal & Rangeland Science

Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

• Grace Schmitt – Outstanding Senior, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
• Micah Woodruff – Outstanding Senior, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology 
• Jasmine Lam – Outstanding Senior, Biotechnology
• Monica Carey – Outstanding Senior, Biotechnology
• Austin Baldridge – Outstanding Master's Student, Biotechnology 
• Dean Trotta – Outstanding Master's Student, Biotechnology
• Kayleigh Robichaux – Outstanding Ph.D. Student, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology 

Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Science

• Morgan Yeager – Outstanding Senior, Environmental Science
• Belle (Angelica) Lodovico – Outstanding Senior, Forest Ecology & Management
• DidiAlice Coker – Outstanding Senior, Wildlife Ecology & Conservation
• James Golden – Outstanding Master's Student, Natural Resources & Environmental Science
• Kay Strain – Outstanding Ph.D. Student, Ecology, Evolution & Conservation Biology 
• Nathan Jackson – Outstanding Ph.D. Student, Natural Resources & Environmental Science 

Department of Nutrition

• Amanda Thurston – Outstanding Senior, Dietetics
• Barbara Stankuté – Outstanding Senior, Nutritional Science
• Masuda Akter – Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant, Nutrition
• Dillon Winkelman – Outstanding Ph.D. Student, Nutrition

Employee Award Winners

• Lindsay Chichester
• Katelyn Brinkerhoff
• Sarah Chvilicek
• Jessica Gardner
• Rachel McClure
• Kelsey Conklin
• Jill Baker-Tingey
• Kenny Haack-Damon
• Amber Yoder – Outstanding Extension Support Staff
• Andrew Nuss – Outstanding Researcher, Department of Agriculture, Veterinary & Rangeland Sciences
• Erica Bigio – Outstanding Teacher, Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Science
• Kim Higgins – Outstanding Administrative Faculty, Dean’s Office
• Natalie Mazzullo – Outstanding Extension Administrative Faculty
• Sarah Chvilicek – Outstanding Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Extension
• Stephanie Patterson– Outstanding Classified Staff, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
• Teresa Byington – Outstanding Extension Researcher

Special Recognition Awards

• Jamie Benedict– Marsha Read Outstanding Leadership in Nutrition & Dietetics
• Kris Stewart– Outstanding Agriculturist
• Sarah Kulpa– Outstanding Leadership in Natural Resources & Environmental Science
• Yutaka Nomura– Outstanding Extension Supporter

In addition to honoring the recipients of the College awards, Claus Tittiger, associate dean of academic affairs for the College, recognized three individuals who have been recognized by the University for their successes.

“I extend my heartfelt congratulations to our esteemed faculty and students who have already received honors this year,” Tittiger said. “I invite them to please stand and be recognized for their outstanding achievements."

These individuals included Karla Hernández , who received the 2024 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Leadership Award from the University for promoting underrepresented students' involvement in STEM careers; Micah Woodruff, who was honored with the Sam Lieberman Regents’ Award for Student Scholarship for his outstanding academic achievements; and Jorge Esparza, who was presented with the Dale Bohmont Student Leadership Award.

During the celebration, attendees observed a moment of silence to remember two colleagues, Stan Omaye , a long-time faculty member and prolific researcher for the Department of Nutrition, and Ivory Lyles, director of Extension and associate dean for engagement between 2017 and 2021, who both died this year.

"We gather tonight not only to celebrate our achievements but also to remember and honor the legacies of our dear colleagues,” Claus Tittiger, associate dean of academic affairs for the College, said. “Their contributions to our College and the lives they touched will forever be cherished and remembered."

To close the evening, Kolberg urged graduating students to embark on their professional and academic journeys with confidence. He emphasized the significance of using their knowledge and skills to make a meaningful impact in their fields and communities. "The world still needs to learn about eating, conserving resources and finding innovative solutions to global challenges for a sustainable future," Kolberg said. "Go out and share what you have learned, knowing that our efforts today shape tomorrow's world." More information on the College’s award recipients can be found on the College’s Spring Celebration & Awards Night page .

The College celebrates excellence in academics and leadership

• Claus Tittiger, the College’s associate dean of academic affairs, addresses attendees before announcing the first set of award recipients.
• Event attendees applaud as winners are announced.
• Graduating seniors and graduate students, who received outstanding academic achievement awards from various departments in the College, pose for a group picture. (Left to right-R) Sara Harvey, Kelly McCready, Koby Lindberg, Belle (Angelica) Lodovico, Austin Baldridge, Monica Carey and Dean Trotta.
• Graduating seniors from various departments pose for a picture as they celebrate the culmination of their 4-year academic journey.
• Teresa Byington (center), who won the Outstanding Extension Researcher Award, is surrounded by her colleagues to commemorate her achievement.
• Monica Carey, a first-generation American and the recipient of the Outstanding Senior Award (Biotechnology), poses with her parents.
• Event organizers and College employees pose for a photo while others assist student participants with event registration.

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Kerikeri student wins major science award for groundbreaking research

Mike Dinsdale

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Prime Minister’s Future Scientist Prize winner, Kerikeri’s Sunny Perry, working in the lab on her award-winning soil research.

A Kerikeri high school student has won the Prime Minister’s Future Scientist Prize for her groundbreaking soil research that will change the way landowners and councils manage land.

Sunny Perry has received the award for her research, which discovered that some soils in Northland are highly corrosive — acidic enough to eat away at concrete foundations and damage ecosystems.

Perry was a Year 12 student at Kerikeri High School when she completed the project, which earned her the Prime Minister’s Future Scientist Prize.

The research has the potential for wide-reaching impact, by generating new data that will change the way landowners and councils manage land.

She said the idea for her research came when her father, an engineer, told her about potential acid sulphate soils (PASS). These types of soils, when exposed to oxygen, generate sulphuric acid, which can have a detrimental impact on biodiversity, infrastructure, and human health.

He explained that not much was known about whether these types of soils are found in Northland, and his daughter decided to investigate further.

“I found it quite interesting how one type of soil can be so damaging for the environment and damage infrastructure and the ecosystem,” Perry said.

She did preliminary research and found maps of these soils for Whangārei and the Kaipara district, but none for the Far North district.

“My project was about mapping where these soils are, and trying to predict where they can be found in Northland.”

Based on her research, she knew that PASS are formed from soil that is rich in organic matter, waterlogged, and deficient in oxygen. In those conditions, microbes and bacteria in the soil are forced to use anaerobic respiration, which converts sulphates into sulphides.

She put together a research plan, selecting sites in wetlands to begin sampling, trying to find the “mysterious soils”.

She also used historical records to identify low-lying sites that had been wetlands about 10,000 years ago. Based on these predictions, she hypothesised she would detect PASS at 70 per cent of her selected sites.

Over the span of her fieldwork, Perry collected 480 samples from 20 sites in the Far North, all while completing her normal schoolwork.

She developed a geographic information system (GIS) map to help her predict sites that might be likely to have PASS, and modified a method for sampling and testing from the Australian National Acid Sulfates Soils Guidance.

Perry developed a procedure involving bagging, vacuum packing, and chilling her samples — this significantly increased efficiency and accuracy compared with the methods described in the Australian manual.

She reduced errors by including triple trials for each depth, calibrating the digital pH meter, and thoroughly cleaning her equipment to prevent cross-contamination.

And the results showed her predictions were quite accurate — she detected PASS at 90 per cent of the sites, including inland sites where PASS had never been recorded before.

Perry said when these types of soils were exposed to air, iron sulphides can react rapidly with oxygen to produce sulphuric acid. Sulphuric acid in soils can have a range of negative effects, including for plants, animals and humans, and can even “attack” materials such as concrete.

Importantly, though, PASS can be treated to reduce this danger, for example by adding lime (calcium carbonate) to the soil to neutralise the acidity.

So results will be useful for the agricultural and building industries in Northland, and for efforts to preserve biodiversity in and around waterways and the natural environment. She hopes she can take her research further — “with more development to my map and further refinement I’ll have a map that can be used by land developers and councils to show what soils need to be treated and which soils to avoid”.

Perry’s chemistry teacher, Jackie Robertson, head of the science department at Kerikeri High, is incredibly proud of Perry and her pioneering research.

“It’s just wonderful what she’s achieved. She’s a lovely girl and she deserves to get this award,” Robertson said.

She said her enthusiasm and love of science can inspire other girls to get into science — “she’ll go a long way”.

Kerikeri High Principal Mike Clint has known Perry since she started at the school in Year 7 and has watched her grow into “a really confident, capable, very able student”.

“Sunny’s award is huge for her and we’re really proud of it, but it’s also great recognition for our hard-working science department. It’s going to set the bar really high for students to come.”

The experts on the selection panel were impressed with the scale of the research and its potential applications for management of land use .

Sunny plans to use the prize to finance her university education, but with a broad interest in the world of science, she’s still deciding what she plans to specialise in.

For more details of the award go to www.pmscienceprizes.org.nz .

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