• Title/Summary/Keyword: STEM discipline

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Bioactivity of two medicinal plant Xylocarpus granatum Koen. (Meliaceae) and Sarcolobus globosus Wall. (Asclepiadaceae) of Sundarbans mangrove forest

  • Alamgir, M;Rob, Ma;Kundu, DC;Joy, JHK;Sarder, MM
    • Advances in Traditional Medicine
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    • v.7 no.4
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    • pp.379-384
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    • 2007
  • Two medicinal plant of Sundarbans mangrove forest has been tested for the evaluation of growth inhibitory and antibacterial activity. The methanol extract of Xylocarpus granatum stem bark showed potent wheat rootlet ($IC_{50}=0.01{\mu}g/ml$) and shoot ($IC_{50}=0.23{\mu}g/ml$) growth inhibitory activity in a concentration related manner. The growth inhibitory activity was markedly decreased in residual methanol extract. The methanol extract showed antibacterial activity (MIC > 3 mg/ml) against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureous and Proteus vulgaris. The residual methanol extract did not show any antibacterial activity. The results suggest the bioactive principle(s) of Xylocarpus granatum may be relatively non polar compound(s). The methanol extract and residual methanol extract of Sarcolobus globosus stem showed poor wheat rootlet and shoot growth inhibitory activity and no antibacterial activity.

SEM-CT: Comparison of Problem Solving Processes in Science(S), Engineering(E), Mathematic(M), and Computational Thinking(CT) (SEM-CT: 과학(S), 공학(E), 수학(M)적 문제해결과정과 컴퓨팅 사고(CT))

  • Nam, Younkyeong;Yoon, JinA;Han, KeumJoo;Jeong, JuHun
    • The Journal of Korean Association of Computer Education
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    • v.22 no.3
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    • pp.37-54
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    • 2019
  • The main purpose of STEM education is to understand methods of inquiry in each discipline to develop convergent problem solving skills. To do this, we must first understand the problem-solving process that is regarded as an essential component of each discipline. The purposes of this study is to understand the relationship between the problem solving in science (S), engineering (E), mathematics (M), and computational thinking (CT) based on the comparative analysis of problem solving processes in each SEM discipline. To do so, first, the problem solving process of each SEM and CT discipline is compared and analyzed, and their commonalities and differences are described. Next, we divided the CT into the instrumental and thinking skill aspects and describe how CT's problem solving process differs from SEM's. Finally we suggest a model to explain the relationship between SEM and CT problem solving process. This study shows how SEM and CT can be converged as a problem solving process.

Garcinexanthone G, a Selective Butyrylcholinesterase Inhibitor from the Stem Bark of Garcinia atroviridis

  • Khaw, Kooi-Yeong;Murugaiyah, Vikneswaran;Khairuddean, Melati;Tan, Wen-Nee
    • Natural Product Sciences
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    • v.24 no.2
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    • pp.88-92
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    • 2018
  • The present study was undertaken to investigate the isolated compounds from the stem bark of Garcinia atroviridis as potential cholinesterase inhibitors and the ligand-enzyme interactions of selected bioactive compounds in silico. The in vitro cholinesterase results showed that quercetin (3) was the most active AChE inhibitor ($12.65{\pm}1.57{\mu}g/ml$) while garcinexanthone G (6) was the most active BChE inhibitor ($18.86{\pm}2.41{\mu}g/ml$). It is noteworthy to note that compound 6 was a selective inhibitor with the selectivity index of 11.82. Molecular insight from docking interaction further substantiate that orientation of compound 6 in the catalytic site which enhanced its binding affinity as compared to other xanthones. The nature of protein-ligand interactions of compound 6 is mainly hydrogen bonding, and the hydroxyl group of compound 6 at C-10 is vital in BChE inhibition activity. Therefore, compound 6 is a notable lead for further drug design and development of BChE selective inhibitor.

Pharmacological profiles of Holarhena antidysenterica (L.) Wall bark

  • Rahman, Shafiur;Ali, Eunus;Haque, Rubyat
    • Advances in Traditional Medicine
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    • v.7 no.2
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    • pp.157-161
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    • 2007
  • We undertook the present study to evaluate different pharmacological as antioxidant, antibacterial and cytotoxic activities of the crude ethanolic extract of the stem bark of Holarhena antidysenterica (Family: Apocynaceae). The antioxidant property of the extract was assessed by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl free radical scavenging assay. The extract showed antioxidant activity ($IC_{50}$ about ${\sim}08$ ${\mu}g/ml$), which was comparable to standard drug ascorbic acid ($IC_{50}$ about ${\sim}10$ ${\mu}g/ml$). The extract showed a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity against all tested gram positive and gram negative bacteria most prominent against Enterococci, Staphylococcus pyogenase and Shigella sonnie. And the zones of inhibitions were ranging from 10 - 21 mm for all the tested bacteria. Its cytotoxic property was evaluated by brine shrimp lethality bioassay. The extract showed significant lethality and the $LC_{50}$, $LC_{90}$ values were 80 ${\mu}g/ml$, 320 ${\mu}g/ml$ respectively. The results tend to suggest that the extract might possess chemical constituent(s) that are responsible for antioxidant, antibacterial and cytotoxic activities.

Liposome-Mediated Cancer Gene Therapy: Clinical Trials and their Lessons to Stem Cell Therapy

  • Lee, Jung-Hoon;Lee, Min-Jae
    • Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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    • v.33 no.2
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    • pp.433-442
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    • 2012
  • The promise of stem cell therapy for various clinical applications seems getting realistic. An increasing number of researchers, from virtually every discipline of natural sciences, are flocking into this new world. Only ten years ago, gene therapy was the medicine for the 21st century. The possibility was endless. Although the science itself underlying gene therapy was very young, the field was exploding under the optimism that this new medicine would revolutionize both the basic and clinical sciences. For many reasons, the initial target was cancer. Here, we will focus on the results of cancer gene therapy clinical trials using liposome or nonviral gene carrier, hoping that the lesson from here will be a guideline for the new generation of cell-based therapies.

Exploring the Impact of a STEM Integration Teacher Professional Development Program on Secondary Science and Mathematics Teachers' Perceptions of Engineering and Their Attitude toward Engineering Integrated Teaching

  • Wang, Hui-Hui;Nam, Younkyeong
    • Journal of the Korean earth science society
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    • v.36 no.5
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    • pp.484-499
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    • 2015
  • This study explores the impact of a STEM integration teacher professional development program focusing on teachers' perception of engineering and their attitudes toward integrating engineering into teaching. A total of sixty-eight teachers from ten schools participated in the program for five days. Data are collected from three main sources including (1) pre and post concept maps probing teachers' perceptions about the engineering discipline, (2) a pre and post survey measuring teachers' self-efficacy of teaching science/mathematics within the engineering context, and (3) engineering integrated science and (or) mathematics lesson plans and teaching reflections. This study utilizes both qualitative and quantitative research methods depending on the data we have collected. The results show that both science and math teachers thought that integrating engineering into teaching provided valuable outcomes, i.e., promoting students' learning about engineering and improving their interest in science or math through real-world problem solving exercises. Participants also felt more comfortable about integrating engineering in their teaching after the program. The results also imply that the teachers' understandings of engineering become more concrete after the program. This study also provides an overview of the challenges and advantages of teaching engineering in K-12 science and mathematics classrooms.

Analgesic, cytotoxic and antioxidant activities of Trewia polycarpa bark

  • Rahman, Md Shafiur;Sadhu, Shamir Kumar;Hasan, Choudhury Mahmud
    • Advances in Traditional Medicine
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    • v.6 no.2
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    • pp.121-125
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    • 2006
  • The crude ethanol extract of the stem bark of Trewia polycarpa (Family: Euphorbiaceae) was subjected to acetic acid induced writhing inhibition, Brine Shrimp lethality bioassay and 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl free radical scavenging assay for screening of analgesic, cytotoxic and antioxidant activity respectively. The extract produced significant (P < 0.001) writhing inhibition in acetic acid induced writhing in mice at the dose of 125, 250 and 500 mg/kg body weight respectively, which were comparable to the standard drug diclofenac sodium. The extract showed significant lethality to Brine Shrimp and the $LC_{50}$ value was $8\;{\mu}g/ml$. The extract showed prominent free radical scavenging activity ($IC_{50}$ about ${\sim}10\;{\mu}g/ml$) compare to standard drug ascorbic acid ($IC_{50}about\;{\sim}15\;{\mu}g/ml$). The results tend to suggest that the crude ethanol extract of the bark might possess analgesic, cytotoxic and antioxidant activities or active constituent(s) responsible for the activities.

Constructing Convergence Knowledge on Velocity with Family Resemblance Approach (가족 유사성 접근법을 적용한 물체의 빠르기 주제의 융합지식 구성 연구)

  • Lee, Sooah;Jhun, Youngseok
    • Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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    • v.37 no.2
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    • pp.188-205
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    • 2018
  • For STEM education science teachers usually choose topics which are related to both science and other disciplinary contents. Nevertheless it is not clear for the teachers to adopt what kind of criteria for their choices. Interdisciplinary teaching is not a mixture of science content with another one from different disciplines as resources for the content teaching. Instead the criteria and perspectives for the integration need to be clearly defined. In this study we investigated how to integrate science and other disciplines in terms of interdisciplinary teaching. Family resemblance approach by Wittgenstein, recently revised by Erduran and Dagher, was applied to comparative analysis of science, math, and physical education curriculum documents in Korea. Aim and value, methodological rules and methods, knowledge, and activities in each discipline were compared and analyzed with the view of FRA. Results of the study described alternative criteria of how to find appropriate topics for interdisciplinary teaching.

Blended IT/STEM Education for Students in Developing Countries: Experiences in Tanzania (개발도상국 학생들을 위한 블랜디드 IT/STEM교육: 탄자니아에서의 경험 및 시사점)

  • Yoon Rhee, Ji-Young;Ayo, Heriel;Rhee, Herb S.
    • Journal of Appropriate Technology
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    • v.6 no.2
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    • pp.151-162
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    • 2020
  • Education is one of the priority sectors specified in Tanzania, and it has committed to provide 11 years of compulsory free basic education for all from pre-primary to lower secondary level. Despite the Government's efforts to provide free basic education to all children, there are 2.0 million (23.2 per cent) out of 8.5 million children at the primary school age of 7-13, who are out of school in Tanzania. The ICT class should be offered as a regular class in all secondary schools in Tanzania, recommended by the ministry of education. However, many schools are struggling to implement this mandate. Most of schools offer the ICT class with theory without any real hardware. Some schools were given with computers but they were not maintained for operation. There is a huge task to make ICT education universal. Main issues include: remoteness (off-grid area), lack of ICT teachers, lack of resources such as hardware, infrastructure, and lack of practical lessons or projects to be used at schools. An innovative blended ICT/STEM education program is being conducted not only for Tanzanian public and private/international schools, but also for out-of-school adolescents through institutions, NGO centers, home visits and at the E3 Empower academy center. For effective STEM education to take place and remain sustainable, more practical curriculum, and close-up teacher support need to be accompanied concurrently. Practical, project-based simple coding lessons have been developed and employed that students experience true learning. The effectiveness of the curriculum has been demonstrated in various project centers, and it showed that students are showing new interests in exploring new discovery, even though this was a totally new area for them. It has been designed for an easy replication, thus students who learned can repeat the lessons themselves to other students. The ultimate purpose of this project is to have IT education offered as universally as possible throughout the whole Tanzania. Quality education for all children is a key for better future for all. Previously it was hoped that education with discipline will improve the active learning. But now more than ever, we believe that children have the ability to learn on their own with given proper STEM education tools, guidelines and environment. This gives promising hope to all of us, including those in the developing countries.

Bioactivity of the methanol extract of Excoecaria agallocha Linn.(Euphorbiaceae)

  • Rajia, S.;Alamgir, M.;Shahriar, M.;Choudhuri, M.S.K.
    • Advances in Traditional Medicine
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    • v.6 no.2
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    • pp.102-107
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    • 2006
  • The methanol extract and residual methanol fraction of Excoecaria agallocha L. (Euphorbiaceae) stem bark was investigated in this study by wheat rootlet and shoot growth inhibition, and antimicrobial bioassay. The methanol extract and residual methanol fraction showed high inhibitory effect on both the wheat rootlet (82-89%) and shoot growth (85-90%) compared to control. The methanol extract showed a better and dose related inhibition on both the rootlet and shoot growth compared to residual methanol fraction. The $IC_{50}$ value of methanol extract for rootlet and shoot were $2.88\;{\mu}g/ml$ and $2.32\;{\mu}g/ml$, and of residual methanol fraction for rootlet and shoot were $7.91\;{\mu}g/ml$ and $4.45\;{\mu}g/ml$. The methanol extract and residual methanol fraction did not show any antibacterial activity against the tested microorganisms of clinical isolates Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureous, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus vulgaris and Bacillus subtilis. The plant has the potential to be a source of novel cytotoxic compound(s).