The Effects of an Elementary STEM Intervention on Fourth-Grade Outcomes in Language Arts and Math

The purpose of this study was to examine if a relationship existed between two schools with regard to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and the growth scores from the Northwest Evaluation Assessment (NWEA). The research questions that guided this study were: (a) To what extent, if any, will students that have STEM intervention one day per week demonstrate increased NWEA English language scores on state tests? and (b) To what extent, if any, will students that have STEM intervention one day per week demonstrate increased NWEA mathematics scores on state tests? Kinesthetic learning was used to develop an understanding of how students learn in STEM. The sample for the study was randomly selected using 260 fourth-grade students in School A and School B within the William Floyd School District. The assessment used in the study to determine evidence of growth scores was the Northwest Evaluation Assessment (NWEA). The assessment results were compared from September 2016 to June 2017 in both reading and mathematics to determine if there was a relationship between School A and School B based on whether the schools maintained a STEM intervention or not. A t-test was conducted, and the results showed no significance in the scores. These results deliver telling information on whether or not a STEM intervention makes a difference on Grade 4 growth scores on the NWEA

Alien Registration- Stitham, Barbara H. (Mars Hill, Aroostook County)

https://digitalmaine.com/alien_docs/34014/thumbnail.jp

High throughput mutagenesis for identification of residues regulating human prostacyclin (hIP) receptor

The human prostacyclin receptor (hIP receptor) is a seven-transmembrane G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) that plays a critical role in vascular smooth muscle relaxation and platelet aggregation. hIP receptor dysfunction has been implicated in numerous cardiovascular abnormalities, including myocardial infarction, hypertension, thrombosis and atherosclerosis. Genomic sequencing has discovered several genetic variations in the PTGIR gene coding for hIP receptor, however, its structure-function relationship has not been sufficiently explored. Here we set out to investigate the applicability of high throughput random mutagenesis to study the structure-function relationship of hIP receptor. While chemical mutagenesis was not suitable to generate a mutagenesis library with sufficient coverage, our data demonstrate error-prone PCR (epPCR) mediated mutagenesis as a valuable method for the unbiased screening of residues regulating hIP receptor function and expression. Here we describe the generation and functional characterization of an epPCR derived mutagenesis library compromising >4000 mutants of the hIP receptor. We introduce next generation sequencing as a useful tool to validate the quality of mutagenesis libraries by providing information about the coverage, mutation rate and mutational bias. We identified 18 mutants of the hIP receptor that were expressed at the cell surface, but demonstrated impaired receptor function. A total of 38 non-synonymous mutations were identified within the coding region of the hIP receptor, mapping to 36 distinct residues, including several mutations previously reported to affect the signaling of the hIP receptor. Thus, our data demonstrates epPCR mediated random mutagenesis as a valuable and practical method to study the structurefunction relationship of GPCRs. © 2014 Bill et al

Alien Registration- Stitham, Charles A. (Mars Hill, Aroostook County)

https://digitalmaine.com/alien_docs/34015/thumbnail.jp

Alice\u27s Adventures in Oz: Revealing the Man Behind the Curtain

According to the Supreme Court\u27s contrariwise thinking, in the world of Alice Corp. Pty. Ltd. v. CLS Bank Internation, Section 101 can and should be used early in litigation to distinguish a genuine, patentable invention from a sham-that is, to expose to scrutiny the idea behind the curtain

Symposium Panel: Ensuring Access toJustice in Maine’s Rural Communities

The dichotomy between the greater Portland area and Route One corridor, and Maine’s rural inland and Down East communities, is stark in many ways—economic, cultural, political, and spatial. These differences converge when it comes to the availability and accessibility of process and justice, and find particularly vivid expression in Maine’s well documented rural lawyer shortage. How is the rural lawyer shortage affecting Maine’s rural communities, what steps are being taken to address those problems, and what more can be done? In short, what can be done to ensure Maine’s rural communities are not denied an effective justice system

From Lloyd H. Stitham, December 7, 1940.

https://digitalmaine.com/alien_corresp/1000/thumbnail.jp

Prostacyclin: An Inflammatory Paradox

Prostacyclin (PGI2) is a member of the prostaglandin family of bioactive lipids. Its best-characterized role is in the cardiovascular system, where it is released by vascular endothelial cells, serving as a potent vasodilator and inhibitor of platelet aggregation. In recent years, prostacyclin (PGI2) has also been shown to promote differentiation and inhibit proliferation in vascular smooth muscle cells. In addition to these well-described homeostatic roles within the cardiovascular system, prostacyclin (PGI2) also plays an important role as an inflammatory mediator. In this review, we focus on the contribution of prostacyclin (PGI2) as both a pathophysiological mediator and therapeutic agent in three major inflammatory-mediated disease processes, namely rheumatoid arthritis, where it promotes disease progression (“pro-inflammatory”), along with pulmonary vascular disease and atherosclerosis, where it inhibits disease progression (“anti-inflammatory”). The emerging role of prostacyclin (PGI2) in this context provides new opportunities for understanding the complex molecular basis for inflammatory-related diseases, and insights into the development of current and future anti-inflammatory treatments

Reply to letter from Lloyd H. Stitham, December 9, 1940.

https://digitalmaine.com/alien_corresp/1020/thumbnail.jp