Graduates’ Assessment on the Services Provided by Polytechnic University of the Philippines-Open University System

This study was made to determine the satisfaction of graduates of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines-Open University System to its services for academic year 2016-2017. Descriptive method was used in the study. The study found out that the PUP Open University graduates A.Y. 2016-2017 are very satisfied on the services offered and provided by PUP Open University System

Graduates’ Assessment on the Services Provided by Polytechnic University of the Philippines-Open University System

This study was made to determine the satisfaction of graduates of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines-Open University System to its services for academic year 2016-2017. Descriptive method was used in the study. The study found out that the PUP Open University graduates A.Y. 2016-2017 are very satisfied on the services offered and provided by PUP Open University System

Reprogramming human T cell function and specificity with non-viral genome targeting.

Decades of work have aimed to genetically reprogram T cells for therapeutic purposes1,2 using recombinant viral vectors, which do not target transgenes to specific genomic sites3,4. The need for viral vectors has slowed down research and clinical use as their manufacturing and testing is lengthy and expensive. Genome editing brought the promise of specific and efficient insertion of large transgenes into target cells using homology-directed repair5,6. Here we developed a CRISPR-Cas9 genome-targeting system that does not require viral vectors, allowing rapid and efficient insertion of large DNA sequences (greater than one kilobase) at specific sites in the genomes of primary human T cells, while preserving cell viability and function. This permits individual or multiplexed modification of endogenous genes. First, we applied this strategy to correct a pathogenic IL2RA mutation in cells from patients with monogenic autoimmune disease, and demonstrate improved signalling function. Second, we replaced the endogenous T cell receptor (TCR) locus with a new TCR that redirected T cells to a cancer antigen. The resulting TCR-engineered T cells specifically recognized tumour antigens and mounted productive anti-tumour cell responses in vitro and in vivo. Together, these studies provide preclinical evidence that non-viral genome targeting can enable rapid and flexible experimental manipulation and therapeutic engineering of primary human immune cells

TRAIL-Expressing Monocyte/Macrophages Are Critical for Reducing Inflammation and Atherosclerosis.

Circulating tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) levels are reduced in patients with cardiovascular disease, and TRAIL gene deletion in mice exacerbates atherosclerosis and inflammation. How TRAIL protects against atherosclerosis and why levels are reduced in disease is unknown. Here, multiple strategies were used to identify the protective source of TRAIL and its mechanism(s) of action. Samples from patients with coronary artery disease and bone-marrow transplantation experiments in mice lacking TRAIL revealed monocytes/macrophages as the main protective source. Accordingly, deletion of TRAIL caused a more inflammatory macrophage with reduced migration, displaying impaired reverse cholesterol efflux and efferocytosis. Furthermore, interleukin (IL)-18, commonly increased in plasma of patients with cardiovascular disease, negatively regulated TRAIL transcription and gene expression, revealing an IL-18-TRAIL axis. These findings demonstrate that TRAIL is protective of atherosclerosis by modulating monocyte/macrophage phenotype and function. Manipulating TRAIL levels in these cells highlights a different therapeutic avenue in the treatment of cardiovascular disease

ガーネット、サマータウン、グローバル・イシューズ案内 : 英語教材のフィクション対ノンフィクション

For the sake of the Japanese learners of English who love reading, this paper introduces three different series of readers: Garnet Oracle Readers, Summertown Readers, and National Geographic's Global Issues. Garnet Oracle and Summertown are both so-called graded readers. The former are for highschool and university students who study English as a foreign or second language while the latter are written for business people who have to learn English as a lingua franca. Both are,however, original fictional stories, some of which are quite enjoyable and really worth reading. Peter Viney, Garnet's main author, can write a variety of genres: for example, Space Romance is a romantic sci-fi story in an impressive setting; A Tidy Ghost is a witty ghost story whose terror dramatically changes into sheer humor at the ending; but,above all,his Underground is highly recommended because of the unforgettable character Tommy, a mute elderly man who lives in the London underground, saving the protagonist in big trouble. Summertown's counterpart must be James Schofield. Although his amateurish suspense stories tend to be rather boring, his humorous stories such as Room Service and Double Trouble are readable with a lot of laughter. National Geographic's Global Issues may seem to be no comparison with these interesting stories since they are serious nonfiction pamphlets edited for American high school students. Despite the foreign language, Japanese students can also appreciate the discussed, grave environmental problems of our planet Earth where the population explosion has been causing disastrous situations. In a sense, fact is truly stranger than fiction. So, which is more interesting, fiction or nonfiction? I hope you read the three series and decide for yourself

Repertoire of microRNAs in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer as Determined by Next Generation Sequencing of Small RNA cDNA Libraries

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small regulatory RNAs that are implicated in cancer pathogenesis and have recently shown promise as blood-based biomarkers for cancer detection. Epithelial ovarian cancer is a deadly disease for which improved outcomes could be achieved by successful early detection and enhanced understanding of molecular pathogenesis that leads to improved therapies. A critical step toward these goals is to establish a comprehensive view of miRNAs expressed in epithelial ovarian cancer tissues as well as in normal ovarian surface epithelial cells.We used massively parallel pyrosequencing (i.e., "454 sequencing") to discover and characterize novel and known miRNAs expressed in primary cultures of normal human ovarian surface epithelium (HOSE) and in tissue from three of the most common histotypes of ovarian cancer. Deep sequencing of small RNA cDNA libraries derived from normal HOSE and ovarian cancer samples yielded a total of 738,710 high-quality sequence reads, generating comprehensive digital profiles of miRNA expression. Expression profiles for 498 previously annotated miRNAs were delineated and we discovered six novel miRNAs and 39 candidate miRNAs. A set of 124 miRNAs was differentially expressed in normal versus cancer samples and 38 miRNAs were differentially expressed across histologic subtypes of ovarian cancer. Taqman qRT-PCR performed on a subset of miRNAs confirmed results of the sequencing-based study.This report expands the body of miRNAs known to be expressed in epithelial ovarian cancer and provides a useful resource for future studies of the role of miRNAs in the pathogenesis and early detection of ovarian cancer

The Community Land Model version 5 : description of new features, benchmarking, and impact of forcing uncertainty

The Community Land Model (CLM) is the land component of the Community Earth System Model (CESM) and is used in several global and regional modeling systems. In this paper, we introduce model developments included in CLM version 5 (CLM5), which is the default land component for CESM2. We assess an ensemble of simulations, including prescribed and prognostic vegetation state, multiple forcing data sets, and CLM4, CLM4.5, and CLM5, against a range of metrics including from the International Land Model Benchmarking (ILAMBv2) package. CLM5 includes new and updated processes and parameterizations: (1) dynamic land units, (2) updated parameterizations and structure for hydrology and snow (spatially explicit soil depth, dry surface layer, revised groundwater scheme, revised canopy interception and canopy snow processes, updated fresh snow density, simple firn model, and Model for Scale Adaptive River Transport), (3) plant hydraulics and hydraulic redistribution, (4) revised nitrogen cycling (flexible leaf stoichiometry, leaf N optimization for photosynthesis, and carbon costs for plant nitrogen uptake), (5) global crop model with six crop types and time‐evolving irrigated areas and fertilization rates, (6) updated urban building energy, (7) carbon isotopes, and (8) updated stomatal physiology. New optional features include demographically structured dynamic vegetation model (Functionally Assembled Terrestrial Ecosystem Simulator), ozone damage to plants, and fire trace gas emissions coupling to the atmosphere. Conclusive establishment of improvement or degradation of individual variables or metrics is challenged by forcing uncertainty, parametric uncertainty, and model structural complexity, but the multivariate metrics presented here suggest a general broad improvement from CLM4 to CLM5

Empathy Manipulation Impacts Music-Induced Emotions: A Psychophysiological Study on Opera

This study investigated the effects of voluntarily empathizing with a musical performer (i.e., cognitive empathy) on music-induced emotions and their underlying physiological activity. N = 56 participants watched video-clips of two operatic compositions performed in concerts, with low or high empathy instructions. Heart rate and heart rate variability, skin conductance level (SCL), and respiration rate (RR) were measured during music listening, and music-induced emotions were quantified using the Geneva Emotional Music Scale immediately after music listening. Listening to the aria with sad content in a high empathy condition facilitated the emotion of nostalgia and decreased SCL, in comparison to the low empathy condition. Listening to the song with happy content in a high empathy condition also facilitated the emotion of power and increased RR, in comparison to the low empathy condition. To our knowledge, this study offers the first experimental evidence that cognitive empathy influences emotion psychophysiology during music listening