DLSU-D Green Innovations on Waste Management: Adoption of Greener Lifestyles in New Normal

De La Salle University-Dasmariῆas (DLSU-D) is one with the call to collective action in responding to global ecological crisis as it adapts to the new normal of creating a safe, sustainable, and healthy university where the experience of God is lived and shared. As the world is currently battling new challenges affecting the environment in the face of COVID-19 crisis, DLSU-D reiterates its stand to lead in sustainable practices that foster caring for our common environmental home. Under the Black Out! Green In! flagship program, which is the University’s green response to combat climate change, its Ecological Solid Waste Management Program (ESWMP) ventures into simple, low-cost, and low technology initiatives. Internal collaboration among faculty, students, and service providers as well as external partnerships with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and local government units (LGUs) having similar environmental advocacies and lifestyle changing significantly contribute to the innovations and sustainability of the campus waste management progra

Sex-partitioning of the <i>Plasmodium falciparum</i> stage V gametocyte proteome provides insight into <i>falciparum</i>-specific cell biology

One of the critical gaps in malaria transmission biology and surveillance is our lack of knowledge about Plasmodium falciparum gametocyte biology, especially sexual dimorphic development and how sex ratios that may influence transmission from the human to the mosquito. Dissecting this process has been hampered by the lack of sex-specific protein markers for the circulating, mature stage V gametocytes. The current evidence suggests a high degree of conservation in gametocyte gene complement across Plasmodium, and therefore presumably for sex-specific genes as well. To better our understanding of gametocyte development and subsequent infectiousness to mosquitoes, we undertook a Systematic Subtractive Bioinformatic analysis (filtering) approach to identify sex-specific P. falciparum NF54 protein markers based on a comparison with the Dd2 strain, which is defective in producing males, and with syntenic male and female proteins from the reanalyzed and updated P. berghei (related rodent malaria parasite) gametocyte proteomes. This produced a short list of 174 male- and 258 female-enriched P. falciparum stage V proteins, some of which appear to be under strong diversifying selection, suggesting ongoing adaptation to mosquito vector species. We generated antibodies against three putative female-specific gametocyte stage V proteins in P. falciparum and confirmed either conserved sex-specificity or the lack of cross-species sex-partitioning. Finally, our study provides not only an additional resource for mass spectrometry-derived evidence for gametocyte proteins but also lays down the foundation for rational screening and development of novel sex-partitioned protein biomarkers and transmission-blocking vaccine candidates

Difference on the Level of Customer Satisfaction Among Private Senior High School Students in CALABARZON Before and After Putting a Price Discount Label on Binahiga’s Packaging

In this research study, implementation of price discount labels as a marketing strategy was assessed to identify the difference it makes to the level of customer satisfaction on the product Binahiga. The study aimed to address the identified research problem about the starting profitability of SEAty Co. An embedded design, covering a pre-test, an intervention, and a post-test, was conducted on a population of senior high school students. The respondents of the study were chosen through random sampling from a population. In the data analysis, quantitative data were analyzed through both descriptive and inferential analysis; mean and paired t-tests were used, respectively. On the other hand, qualitative data were analyzed through the Glaserian coding process. Through these methods, the null hypothesis was rejected as the findings reveal a significant difference between the level of customer satisfaction on Binahiga before and after implementing the price discount label. However, the mean difference (0.006) suggests that customers are almost equally satisfied with Binahiga as a meal snack on the pre-test and the post-test

NPC1161B, an 8-aminoquinoline analog, is metabolized in the mosquito and inhibits Plasmodium falciparum oocyst maturation

© 2019 by the authors. The goal of this study was to investigate the potential for a cannabidiol-rich cannabis extract (CRCE) to interact with the most common over-the-counter drug and the major known cause of drug-induced liver injury–acetaminophen (APAP)–in aged female CD-1 mice. Gavaging mice with 116 mg/kg of cannabidiol (CBD) [mouse equivalent dose (MED) of 10 mg/kg of CBD] in CRCE delivered with sesame oil for three consecutive days followed by intraperitoneally (i.p.) acetaminophen (APAP) administration (400 mg/kg) on day 4 resulted in overt toxicity with 37.5% mortality. No mortality was observed in mice treated with 290 mg/kg of CBD+APAP (MED of 25 mg/kg of CBD) or APAP alone. Following CRCE/APAP co-administration, microscopic examination revealed a sinusoidal obstruction syndrome-like liver injury–the severity of which correlated with the degree of alterations in physiological and clinical biochemistry end points. Mechanistically, glutathione depletion and oxidative stress were observed between the APAP-only and co-administration groups, but co-administration resulted in much greater activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). Strikingly, these effects were not observed in mice gavaged with 290 mg/kg CBD in CRCE followed by APAP administration. These findings highlight the potential for CBD/drug interactions, and reveal an interesting paradoxical effect of CBD/APAP-induced hepatotoxicity

Viral vectored transmission blocking vaccines against Plasmodium falciparum

Background: Transmission blocking vaccines (TBVs) target sexual develop¬ment of the parasite within the mosquito and aim to prevent transmission of malaria from one individual to another. Antibodies raised against Pfs48/45, Pfs230 Region C, PfHAP2, and Anopheles gambiae Alanyl Aminopeptidase N1 (AgAPN1) proteins reduce transmission i.e. have transmission blocking activity [1–5]. Recombinant simian Adenovirus (AdC63 serotype) and Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA) viral vectors have been shown to induce high antibody titres to asexual parasite antigens in animal studies [6]. Materials and methods: Protein sequences for each of the antigens were codon optimised for expression in humans and cloned into shuttle vectors, which were then recombined with the parental virus and purified to obtain virus expressing the antigen of interest. Mice were vaccinated with AdC63 (i.m.), sera was taken after 2 weeks, and will be followed by an MVA boost (i.d.) eight weeks after the prime. Antibodies were assayed by a standardised ELISA, and transmission blocking activity assessed using a standardised membrane feeding assay (SMFA). Conclusion: Induction of high antibody tires using this vaccine platform could be used together with other control measures to achieve elimination and/or eradication of the disease at a local or national level

The glutathione biosynthetic pathway of Plasmodium is essential for mosquito transmission

1Infection of red blood cells (RBC) subjects the malaria parasite to oxidative stress. Therefore, efficient antioxidant and redox systems are required to prevent damage by reactive oxygen species. Plasmodium spp. have thioredoxin and glutathione (GSH) systems that are thought to play a major role as antioxidants during blood stage infection. In this report, we analyzed a critical component of the GSH biosynthesis pathway using reverse genetics. Plasmodium berghei parasites lacking expression of gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase (γ-GCS), the rate limiting enzyme in de novo synthesis of GSH, were generated through targeted gene disruption thus demonstrating, quite unexpectedly, that γ-GCS is not essential for blood stage development. Despite a significant reduction in GSH levels, blood stage forms of pbggcs− parasites showed only a defect in growth as compared to wild type. In contrast, a dramatic effect on development of the parasites in the mosquito was observed. Infection of mosquitoes with pbggcs− parasites resulted in reduced numbers of stunted oocysts that did not produce sporozoites. These results have important implications for the design of drugs aiming at interfering with the GSH redox-system in blood stages and demonstrate that de novo synthesis of GSH is pivotal for development of Plasmodium in the mosquito

Adaptive traits to improve durum wheat yield in drought and crown rot environments

Durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. ssp. durum) production can experience significant yield losses due to crown rot (CR) disease. Losses are usually exacerbated when disease infection coincides with terminal drought. Durum wheat is very susceptible to CR, and resistant germplasm is not currently available in elite breeding pools. We hypothesize that deploying physiological traits for drought adaptation, such as optimal root system architecture to reduce water stress, might minimize losses due to CR infection. This study evaluated a subset of lines from a nested association mapping population for stay-green traits, CR incidence and yield in field experiments as well as root traits under controlled conditions. Weekly measurements of normalized difference vegetative index (NDVI) in the field were used to model canopy senescence and to determine stay-green traits for each genotype. Genome-wide association studies using DArTseq molecular markers identified quantitative trait loci (QTLs) on chromosome 6B (qCR-6B) associated with CR tolerance and stay-green. We explored the value of qCR-6B and a major QTL for root angle QTL qSRA-6A using yield datasets from six rainfed environments, including two environments with high CR disease pressure. In the absence of CR, the favorable allele for qSRA-6A provided an average yield advantage of 0.57 t·ha−1, whereas in the presence of CR, the combination of favorable alleles for both qSRA-6A and qCR-6B resulted in a yield advantage of 0.90 t·ha−1. Results of this study highlight the value of combining above- and belowground physiological traits to enhance yield potential. We anticipate that these insights will assist breeders to design improved durum varieties that mitigate production losses due to water deficit and CR.Samir Alahmad, Yichen Kang, Eric Dinglasan, Elisabetta Mazzucotelli, Kai P. Voss-Fels, Jason A. Able, Jack Christopher, Filippo M. Bassi and Lee T. Hicke

Optimizing the colour and fabric of targets for the control of the tsetse fly Glossina fuscipes fuscipes

Background: Most cases of human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) start with a bite from one of the subspecies of Glossina fuscipes. Tsetse use a range of olfactory and visual stimuli to locate their hosts and this response can be exploited to lure tsetse to insecticide-treated targets thereby reducing transmission. To provide a rational basis for cost-effective designs of target, we undertook studies to identify the optimal target colour. Methodology/Principal Findings: On the Chamaunga islands of Lake Victoria , Kenya, studies were made of the numbers of G. fuscipes fuscipes attracted to targets consisting of a panel (25 cm square) of various coloured fabrics flanked by a panel (also 25 cm square) of fine black netting. Both panels were covered with an electrocuting grid to catch tsetse as they contacted the target. The reflectances of the 37 different-coloured cloth panels utilised in the study were measured spectrophotometrically. Catch was positively correlated with percentage reflectance at the blue (460 nm) wavelength and negatively correlated with reflectance at UV (360 nm) and green (520 nm) wavelengths. The best target was subjectively blue, with percentage reflectances of 3%, 29%, and 20% at 360 nm, 460 nm and 520 nm respectively. The worst target was also, subjectively, blue, but with high reflectances at UV (35% reflectance at 360 nm) wavelengths as well as blue (36% reflectance at 460 nm); the best low UV-reflecting blue caught 3× more tsetse than the high UV-reflecting blue. Conclusions/Significance: Insecticide-treated targets to control G. f. fuscipes should be blue with low reflectance in both the UV and green bands of the spectrum. Targets that are subjectively blue will perform poorly if they also reflect UV strongly. The selection of fabrics for targets should be guided by spectral analysis of the cloth across both the spectrum visible to humans and the UV region

Speed breeding for multiple quantitative traits in durum wheat

Plant breeding requires numerous generations to be cycled and evaluated before an improved cultivar is released. This lengthy process is required to introduce and test multiple traits of interest. However, a technology for rapid generation advance named 'speed breeding' was successfully deployed in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) to achieve six generations per year while imposing phenotypic selection for foliar disease resistance and grain dormancy. Here, for the first time the deployment of this methodology is presented in durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) by integrating selection for key traits, including above and below ground traits on the same set of plants. This involved phenotyping for seminal root angle (RA), seminal root number (RN), tolerance to crown rot (CR), resistance to leaf rust (LR) and plant height (PH). In durum wheat, these traits are desirable in environments where yield is limited by in-season rainfall with the occurrence of CR and epidemics of LR. To evaluate this multi-trait screening approach, we applied selection to a large segregating F2 population (n = 1000) derived from a bi-parental cross (Outrob4/Caparoi). A weighted selection index (SI) was developed and applied. The gain for each trait was determined by evaluating F3 progeny derived from 100 'selected' and 100 'unselected' F2 individuals.Transgressive segregation was observed for all assayed traits in the Outrob4/Caparoi F2 population. Application of the SI successfully shifted the population mean for four traits, as determined by a significant mean difference between 'selected' and 'unselected' F3 families for CR tolerance, LR resistance, RA and RN. No significant shift for PH was observed.The novel multi-trait phenotyping method presents a useful tool for rapid selection of early filial generations or for the characterization of fixed lines out-of-season. Further, it offers efficient use of resources by assaying multiple traits on the same set of plants. Results suggest that when performed in parallel with speed breeding in early generations, selection will enrich recombinant inbred lines with desirable alleles and will reduce the length and number of years required to combine these traits in elite breeding populations and therefore cultivars.Samir Alahmad, Eric Dinglasan, Kung Ming Leung, Adnan Riaz, Nora Derbal, Kai P. Voss-Fels, Jason A. Able, Filippo M. Bassi, Jack Christopher and Lee T. Hicke