THE ART OF QUESTIONING OF SCIENCE TEACHERS IN DEVELOPING THE STUDENTS’ HIGHER ORDER THINKING SKILLS AT NAVAL STATE UNIVERSITY, NAVAL, BILIRAN PHILIPPINES

The study generally aimed to find out the science teachers of Naval State University of the different programs compare in the questions they raised during their discourse when categorized according to thinking process involved, type of answers required and degree of personal exploration or valuing. Documentary analysis research approach was utilized with 12 Science teachers as respondents. It was identified that low-order questions are high than high-order questions in terms of thinking process. On the other hand, for the type of answer required, convergent questions prevailed over the divergent questions and questions answerable by one word or phrase is high as well as questions which require analysis. In terms of the degree of personal exploration or valuing, questions categorized into personal exploration of choosing freely got the highest percentage than asking questions. Furthermore, questions predominantly raised by the Science teachers of the different programs were mostly on knowledge level in Bloom’s taxonomy

Lay Leader Participation in Extension Work in the Philippines.

The need for research on people participation in development, particularly by extension lay leaders, is especially important in the Philippines where, paradoxically manpower in agricultural extension is limited but abundant in the rural areas. This study, therefore, was conducted to analyze empirically the participation of lay leaders (LLs) in the local agricultural extension programs in two Philippine provinces. Basic data were developed by personal interview of 107 LLs and 79 extension agents (EAs) in these provinces. Participation of LLs was primarily in program implementation, quite minimal in planning and evaluation. In implementation, participation by the majority of the LLs was principally in the areas of: technical assistance, attending to project visitors, and communicating notices and directives to other people. Participation in planning was directed toward the identification of barangay needs and problems and the formulation of project objectives. The few who participated in evaluation basically monitored project activities. The LLs were highly favorable to participation especially in planning and implementation. Practically all of them favored participation in identifying barangay needs and problems, in furnishing information about the barangay, calling and presiding over meetings, attending to project visitors, and monitoring of project activities. The EAs perceived higher participation by their LLs whether it was in planning, implementation, or evaluation. However, they were not as enthusiastic as the LLs concerning LL participation in program development activities particularly in evaluation. The two groups of respondents also differed in the activities favored for LL participation. The correlation tests showed highly significant relationships among levels of participation in planning (LOP(,p)), implementation (LOP(,i)), and evaluation (LOP(,e)). Using the multiple regression analysis, the variance in LOP(,p) was best explained by organizational affiliation; that of LOP(,i), by age, organizational affiliation, family responsiveness, and preparation for work, these last two giving negative beta values; variance in LOP(,e) was explained by organizational affiliation; and variance in overall level of participation by organizational affiliation, family responsiveness, and preparation for work, again these last two variables giving negative beta values. It was concluded that lay leader participation in the local extension programs in the two Philippine provinces is apparent only in implementation

Science Teachers’ Instructional Experiences in Learning Flexibility Modality

This study aimed explore the lived experiences of science teachers’ instructions in the learning flexible modality in preparing instructions, teaching, and assessing students' learning in science. A descriptive phenomenological research design was employed with thirteen secondary science teachers who met the inclusion criteria using a purposive sampling technique. Colaizzi’s seven-step method was utilized to extract the codes, categories, and themes from the semi-structured interviews. Findings revealed three major themes: The Enthusiasm for Science Instructions, Teaching with the Spirit of Invictus, and Changeability and Rigorousness of Assessments. Science teachers face challenges in the learning flexible modality; however, their dedication and resourcefulness in teaching are the main reasons for staying on track in education. They have learned to promote inter-collegial intellectual discussions, allowing them to fill in their teaching gaps and seek improvement areas. In this study, science teachers passionately teach to support the needs of the students and cleverly update themselves with their science instructions in the flexible teaching modality. Although science teachers were able to adapt to the present changes, it is highly suggested that an avenue be provided for them to voice their concerns and make them feel that support is there from the educational sector.</p

Evaluation of in vitro digestion methods and starch structure components as determinants for predicting the glycemic index of rice

Mainstreaming the low glycemic index (GI) trait in breeding programs is constrained by low-throughput and high-cost clinical GI phenotyping. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of starch fine structure components and simulated digestion parameters in predicting GI in rice. Amylose (AM1 and AM2; r = −0.94 and r = −0.80, respectively, p < .05) and amylopectin fine structure (MCAP, SCAP, and SCAP1; r = 0.78-0.86, p < .05) measured through size-exclusion chromatography along with resistant starch (r = −0.81, p < .05) in seven (7) rice accessions showed high correlation with in vivo GI. Meanwhile, starch hydrolysis extent (SH) and the corresponding area under the digestion curve (AUC) obtained through in vitro digestion were found to be of higher correlation with GI, even within shorter digestion periods of 5 min or 30 min (r = 0.96, p < .01). These results highlight the potential use of these parameters as predictors of GI, with improved predictive capacity through a multiple regression model. Higher correlations of simulated digestion AUC with GI may be due to its ability to account for the overall food matrix native macro- and micro-structures, gaining an added advantage over SEC method as a predictive tool in studying rice GI variability. Validation in a larger population is an inevitable next step

The Role of Cystinosin in the Intermediary Thiol Metabolism and Redox Homeostasis in Kidney Proximal Tubular Cells

Cystinosin is a lysosomal transmembrane protein which facilitates transport of the disulphide amino acid cystine (CySS) from the lysosomes of the cell. This protein is encoded by the CTNS gene which is defective in the lysosomal storage disorder, cystinosis. Because of the apparent involvement of cystinosin in the intermediary thiol metabolism, its discovery has fuelled investigations into its role in modulating cellular redox homeostasis. The kidney proximal tubular cells (PTCs) have become the focus of various studies on cystinosin since the protein is highly expressed in these cells and kidney proximal tubular transport dysfunction is the foremost clinical manifestation of cystinosis. The lysosomal CySS pool is a major source of cytosolic cysteine (Cys), the limiting amino acid for the synthesis of an important antioxidant glutathione (GSH) via the &#947;-glutamyl cycle. Therefore, loss of cystinosin function is presumed to lead to cytosolic deficit of Cys which may impair GSH synthesis. However, studies using in vitro models lacking cystinosin yielded inconsistent results and failed to establish the mechanistic role of cystinosin in modulating GSH synthesis and redox homeostasis. Because of the complexity of the metabolic micro- and macro-environment in vivo, using in vitro models alone may not be able to capture the complete sequence of biochemical and physiological events that occur as a consequence of loss of cystinosin function. The coexistence of pathways for the overall handling and disposition of GSH, the modulation of CTNS gene by intracellular redox status and the existence of a non-canonical isoform of cystinosin may constitute possible rescue mechanisms in vivo to remediate redox perturbations in renal PTCs. Importantly, the mitochondria seem to play a critical role in orchestrating redox imbalances initiated by cystinosin dysfunction. Non-invasive techniques such as in vivo magnetic resonance imaging with the aid of systems biology approaches may provide invaluable mechanistic insights into the role of cystinosin in the essential intermediary thiol metabolism and in the overall regulation cellular redox homeostasis

The role of cystinosin in the intermediary thiol metabolism and redox homeostasis in kidney proximal tubular cells

© 2018 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Cystinosin is a lysosomal transmembrane protein which facilitates transport of the disulphide amino acid cystine (CySS) from the lysosomes of the cell. This protein is encoded by the CTNS gene which is defective in the lysosomal storage disorder, cystinosis. Because of the apparent involvement of cystinosin in the intermediary thiol metabolism, its discovery has fuelled investigations into its role in modulating cellular redox homeostasis. The kidney proximal tubular cells (PTCs) have become the focus of various studies on cystinosin since the protein is highly expressed in these cells and kidney proximal tubular transport dysfunction is the foremost clinical manifestation of cystinosis. The lysosomal CySS pool is a major source of cytosolic cysteine (Cys), the limiting amino acid for the synthesis of an important antioxidant glutathione (GSH) via the γ-glutamyl cycle. Therefore, loss of cystinosin function is presumed to lead to cytosolic deficit of Cys which may impair GSH synthesis. However, studies using in vitro models lacking cystinosin yielded inconsistent results and failed to establish the mechanistic role of cystinosin in modulating GSH synthesis and redox homeostasis. Because of the complexity of the metabolic micro-and macro-environment in vivo, using in vitro models alone may not be able to capture the complete sequence of biochemical and physiological events that occur as a consequence of loss of cystinosin function. The coexistence of pathways for the overall handling and disposition of GSH, the modulation of CTNS gene by intracellular redox status and the existence of a non-canonical isoform of cystinosin may constitute possible rescue mechanisms in vivo to remediate redox perturbations in renal PTCs. Importantly, the mitochondria seem to play a critical role in orchestrating redox imbalances initiated by cystinosin dysfunction. Non-invasive techniques such as in vivo magnetic resonance imaging with the aid of systems biology approaches may provide invaluable mechanistic insights into the role of cystinosin in the essential intermediary thiol metabolism and in the overall regulation cellular redox homeostasis

The role of cystinosin in the intermediary thjiol metabolism and redox homeostasis in kidney proximal tubular cells

Cystinosin is a lysosomal transmembrane protein which facilitates transport of the disulphide amino acid cystine (CySS) from the lysosomes of the cell. This protein is encoded by the CTNS gene which is defective in the lysosomal storage disorder, cystinosis. Because of the apparent involvement of cystinosin in the intermediary thiol metabolism, its discovery has fuelled investigations into its role in modulating cellular redox homeostasis. The kidney proximal tubular cells (PTCs) have become the focus of various studies on cystinosin since the protein is highly expressed in these cells and kidney proximal tubular transport dysfunction is the foremost clinical manifestation of cystinosis. The lysosomal CySS pool is a major source of cytosolic cysteine (Cys), the limiting amino acid for the synthesis of an important antioxidant glutathione (GSH) via the γ-glutamyl cycle. Therefore, loss of cystinosin function is presumed to lead to cytosolic deficit of Cys which may impair GSH synthesis. However, studies using in vitro models lacking cystinosin yielded inconsistent results and failed to establish the mechanistic role of cystinosin in modulating GSH synthesis and redox homeostasis. Because of the complexity of the metabolic micro- and macro-environment in vivo, using in vitro models alone may not be able to capture the complete sequence of biochemical and physiological events that occur as a consequence of loss of cystinosin function. The coexistence of pathways for the overall handling and disposition of GSH, the modulation of CTNS gene by intracellular redox status and the existence of a non-canonical isoform of cystinosin may constitute possible rescue mechanisms in vivo to remediate redox perturbations in renal PTCs. Importantly, the mitochondria seem to play a critical role in orchestrating redox imbalances initiated by cystinosin dysfunction. Non-invasive techniques such as in vivo magnetic resonance imaging with the aid of systems biology approaches may provide invaluable mechanistic insights into the role of cystinosin in the essential intermediary thiol metabolism and in the overall regulation cellular redox homeostasis