Teaching Speaking Experience Perceived By Sea Teacher Students Project of 11th Grade Students At Pangasinan State University (PSU) Integrated School-High School, Philippines: A Phenomenological Study

This research aims to investigate and describe the perceptions and problems faced by the student teachers who teach public speaking in grade 11, Pangasinan State University Integrated School-High School (PSU IS-HS), Philippines through SEA Teacher (Southeast Asean Teacher) program handled by Southeast Asean Minister of Education Organization (SEAMEO). The researcher employs descriptive qualitative method by using phenomenological approach. The technique of collecting data in this research uses semi-structured interview technique. The subjects of this research are four student teachers who teach public speaking in grade 11 of PSU IS-HS, Philippines. The objects of this research are the perceptions and challenges faced by the student teachers based on their experience while teaching in PSU IS-HS. The technique of analysis the data used in this research is hermeneutic phenomenology. The result of this research suggests that: 1) The student teachers’ perceptionin teaching through SEA Teacher project; 2) The student teachers’ challenges which had a limited time and minimum support of IT media in SEA Teacher program in PSU. Keywords: Teaching speaking, experience, student teacher’s perception, SEA Teache

Age-associated B cells predict impaired humoral immunity after COVID-19 vaccination in patients receiving immune checkpoint blockade

Age-associated B cells (ABC) accumulate with age and in individuals with different immunological disorders, including cancer patients treated with immune checkpoint blockade and those with inborn errors of immunity. Here, we investigate whether ABCs from different conditions are similar and how they impact the longitudinal level of the COVID-19 vaccine response. Single-cell RNA sequencing indicates that ABCs with distinct aetiologies have common transcriptional profiles and can be categorised according to their expression of immune genes, such as the autoimmune regulator (AIRE). Furthermore, higher baseline ABC frequency correlates with decreased levels of antigen-specific memory B cells and reduced neutralising capacity against SARS-CoV-2. ABCs express high levels of the inhibitory FcγRIIB receptor and are distinctive in their ability to bind immune complexes, which could contribute to diminish vaccine responses either directly, or indirectly via enhanced clearance of immune complexed-antigen. Expansion of ABCs may, therefore, serve as a biomarker identifying individuals at risk of suboptimal responses to vaccination

Stability of gut microbiome after COVID-19 vaccination in healthy and immuno-compromised individuals.

Bidirectional interactions between the immune system and the gut microbiota are key contributors to various physiological functions. Immune-associated diseases such as cancer and autoimmunity, and efficacy of immunomodulatory therapies, have been linked to microbiome variation. Although COVID-19 infection has been shown to cause microbial dysbiosis, it remains understudied whether the inflammatory response associated with vaccination also impacts the microbiota. Here, we investigate the temporal impact of COVID-19 vaccination on the gut microbiome in healthy and immuno-compromised individuals; the latter included patients with primary immunodeficiency and cancer patients on immunomodulating therapies. We find that the gut microbiome remained remarkably stable post-vaccination irrespective of diverse immune status, vaccine response, and microbial composition spanned by the cohort. The stability is evident at all evaluated levels including diversity, phylum, species, and functional capacity. Our results indicate the resilience of the gut microbiome to host immune changes triggered by COVID-19 vaccination and suggest minimal, if any, impact on microbiome-mediated processes. These findings encourage vaccine acceptance, particularly when contrasted with the significant microbiome shifts observed during COVID-19 infection

The major genetic determinants of HIV-1 control affect HLA class I peptide presentation.

Infectious and inflammatory diseases have repeatedly shown strong genetic associations within the major histocompatibility complex (MHC); however, the basis for these associations remains elusive. To define host genetic effects on the outcome of a chronic viral infection, we performed genome-wide association analysis in a multiethnic cohort of HIV-1 controllers and progressors, and we analyzed the effects of individual amino acids within the classical human leukocyte antigen (HLA) proteins. We identified >300 genome-wide significant single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the MHC and none elsewhere. Specific amino acids in the HLA-B peptide binding groove, as well as an independent HLA-C effect, explain the SNP associations and reconcile both protective and risk HLA alleles. These results implicate the nature of the HLA-viral peptide interaction as the major factor modulating durable control of HIV infection

Age-associated B cells predict impaired humoral immunity after COVID-19 vaccination in patients receiving immune checkpoint blockade.

Age-associated B cells (ABC) accumulate with age and in individuals with different immunological disorders, including cancer patients treated with immune checkpoint blockade and those with inborn errors of immunity. Here, we investigate whether ABCs from different conditions are similar and how they impact the longitudinal level of the COVID-19 vaccine response. Single-cell RNA sequencing indicates that ABCs with distinct aetiologies have common transcriptional profiles and can be categorised according to their expression of immune genes, such as the autoimmune regulator (AIRE). Furthermore, higher baseline ABC frequency correlates with decreased levels of antigen-specific memory B cells and reduced neutralising capacity against SARS-CoV-2. ABCs express high levels of the inhibitory FcγRIIB receptor and are distinctive in their ability to bind immune complexes, which could contribute to diminish vaccine responses either directly, or indirectly via enhanced clearance of immune complexed-antigen. Expansion of ABCs may, therefore, serve as a biomarker identifying individuals at risk of suboptimal responses to vaccination.This work was funded by the UK Medical Research Council (project number MC_UU_00025/12), the Medical Research Foundation (MRF-057-0002-RG-THAV-C0798) and The Evelyn Trust (grant number 20/40) to JEDT. NJM was supported by the MRC (TSF ref. MR/T032413/1), NHSBT (grant ref. WPA15-02) and Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (grant ref. 900239). MAC was supported by the Medical Research Council (project number MC_UU_00025/10). KRP was supported by the Medical Research Council (project number MC_UU_00025/11). KF held an MRC studentship with support from the Cambridge European Trust and St. John’s College. KW has received funding by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (WA 1597/6-1 and WA 1597/7-1). KW and BK received support by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) through a grant to the German genetic multi-organ Auto-Immunity Network (GAIN), grant code 01GM2206A. FH is an ERC Advanced Investigator (695669). We thank Carola G. Vinuesa for helpful discussion. The authors also thank the Flow Cytometry Facilities at the MRC-Toxicology Unit, University of Cambridge; Katarzyna Kania from CRUK-CI-Genomics, Cambridge UK for advice on single cell RNA sequencing experiments; and Rosalind Kieran from the Department of Oncology, Cambridge University NHS Hospitals Foundation Trust, Cambridge UK, for contributions for patient recruitment and data collection

A facile co-precipitation synthesis of heterostructured ZrO2|ZnO nanoparticles as efficient photocatalysts for wastewater treatment

Gnm3Altres ajuts: Basque Government ELKARTEK, FN KK-2015/0010ZrO₂-decorated ZnO (ZrO₂/ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) have been synthesized by a facile co-precipitation method in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) surfactant. The ZrO₂ amount in the NPs has been varied from 1.0, 2.0, 4.9, to 9.3% by weight. The resulting NPs are heterostructured and consist of a crystalline ZnO core (wurtzite phase) surrounded by an amorphous ZrO₂ layer. X-ray diffraction analyses support this observation. The NPs show a narrow size distribution and are slightly elongated. Compared to pure ZnO NPs, the hybrid ZrO₂/ZnO ones show enhanced photocatalytic activity toward the degradation of Rhodamine B under UV-Vis light. Such enhancement has been partly attributed to the increased amount of oxygen vacancies when ZrO₂ is incorporated into the NPs, as shown by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses