Conservation

Poetry by Laurie D. Graha

Conservation

Poetry by Laurie D. Graha

Home Learning Activities: A Feasible Practice for Increasing Parental Involvement

Research has substantiated the importance of increased parental involvement in schools for improving student academic outcomes. Parental involvement in education has been found to be positively associated with child academic success across multiple populations and age groups (Gutman & McLoyd, 2000; Lareau, 2000; López, Scribner & Mahitivanichcha, 2001; Steinburg, Lamborn, Dornbusch, & Darling, 1992). Results suggest that when parents are actively involved in their child’s education, long lasting academic, social, and emotional benefits occur (Chavkin, 2006). For example, Hill and Craft (2003) found that increased parental involvement leads to early social competence, which predicts academic success. Similarly, parental involvement in school also increases opportunities for families to access additional support and resources that may be necessary to achieve school success for some students (Hill & Taylor, 2004; Lee & Bowen, 2006). Furthermore, increased parental involvement has been identified as an effective strategy for reducing the achievement gap (Zellman & Waterman, 1998). Chavkin (2006) sums up these findings well when she states, “When parents are involved in their children’s learning, children do better in school and in life” (p. 629)

Smelt Was the Likely Beneficiary of an Antifreeze Gene Laterally Transferred Between Fishes

Background Type II antifreeze protein (AFP) from the rainbow smelt, Osmerus mordax, is a calcium-dependent C-type lectin homolog, similar to the AFPs from herring and sea raven. While C-type lectins are ubiquitous, type II AFPs are only found in a few species in three widely separated branches of teleost fishes. Furthermore, several other non-homologous AFPs are found in intervening species. We have previously postulated that this sporadic distribution has resulted from lateral gene transfer. The alternative hypothesis, that the AFP evolved from a lectin present in a shared ancestor and that this gene was lost in most species, is not favored because both the exon and intron sequences are highly conserved. Results Here we have sequenced and annotated a 160 kb smelt BAC clone containing a centrally-located AFP gene along with 14 other genes. Quantitative PCR indicates that there is but a single copy of this gene within the smelt genome, which is atypical for fish AFP genes. The corresponding syntenic region has been identified and searched in a number of other species and found to be devoid of lectin or AFP sequences. Unlike the introns of the AFP gene, the intronic sequences of the flanking genes are not conserved between species. As well, the rate and pattern of mutation in the AFP gene are radically different from those seen in other smelt and herring genes. Conclusions These results provide stand-alone support for an example of lateral gene transfer between vertebrate species. They should further inform the debate about genetically modified organisms by showing that gene transfer between ‘higher’ eukaryotes can occur naturally. Analysis of the syntenic regions from several fishes strongly suggests that the smelt acquired the AFP gene from the herring

Interpretation of Spirometry in Saskatchewan First Nations Adults

Originally Published in: Mark E. Fenton, Brian L. Graham, Sanja Stanojevic, Lorna Whitford, and Laurie Ironstand. Interpretation of Spirometry in Saskatchewan First Nations Adults. Annals of the American Thoracic Society 2018;Vol. 15:1237-1239. DOI: 10.1513/AnnalsATS.201711-909RL Copyright © 2018 the American Thoracic Society The final publication is available at https://doi.org/10.1513/AnnalsATS.201711-909RL.Saskatchewan Health Research FoundationPeer ReviewedThe Canadian First Nations and Inuit communities bear a large burden of respiratory disease, with increased rates of smoking, respiratory infections, asthma, chronic obstructive lung disease, and hospitalizations (1). Identification of respiratory disease and classification has relied on spirometric reference values from white individuals, or in the case of the Global Lung Initiative (GLI) dataset, “other” (2), because there are no published reference values for Canadian First Nations individuals. Several studies have suggested that spirometric values for Canadian Inuit populations may be different from those for white populations (3–7), but these observations are not consistent (7–10). This study investigated whether lung function measured in Plains Cree adults differed from that expected in white adults. Part of the data reported in this letter was presented at the 2014 American Thoracic Society International Conference in abstract form (11)

How We Met Our Data Librarian: Designing, Recruiting, and Implementing a New Position

Strategic support for a range of data management needs has emerged as a campus-level priority at UVM, as at many other colleges and universities. In Spring 2017, the UVM Libraries reconfigured the vacant position of “Science Librarian” as “Science and Data Librarian” with new responsibilities for supporting data management. This presentation will describe a case study of how the UVM Libraries aligned these responsibilities with campus needs and initiatives; what we learned about data librarianship from the recruitment process; and the opportunities for an incoming librarian shaping the course of new library services

Exploring Health-Promoting Attributes of Plant Proteins as a Functional Ingredient for the Food Sector : A Systematic Review of Human Interventional Studies

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