Dialect Perception and Language Development in Pasil

The Kalinga province in the Cordillera Region of the Philippines is known for its high ethnolinguistic diversity. These ethnoliguistic groups are very cohesive and have very strong sense of identity. With language development happening in different parts of the province, there was a need to revisit one of its municipalities, Pasil, to find out its language development need. In 2010 and in 2014, a sociolinguistic survey was conducted in Pasil to determine the (1) language vitality of Pinasil* , (2) extensibility of materials from Kalinga Lubuagan [knb], a related variety (Gieser and Busenitz 1974; Lewis, Simons, and Fennig 2016), and (3) possibility of language development in Pasil, if Kalinga Lubuagan materials are not acceptable. This paper presents the results of the dialect perception study aspect of the language survey conducted in 8 Pasil villages, representing its seven sub-tribes. In addition, data gathered from the village of Balbalasang** in Balbalan municipality was also included in the analysis. There were several instruments used in this research but this paper will focus on the data gathered using a participatory tool called Dialect Mapping (Hasselbring 2008). This tool was used to elicit the speakers’ perception of linguistic similarity, language use, level of understanding and comprehension of the different varieties spoken in their community, and materials extensibility. The study found that the use of written Kalinga Lubuagan materials could not be extended to Pasil. Though there may be high intelligibility between the two, Lubuagan is perceived to be different so it has very low acceptability. On the question of which Pinasil variety should be used as written standard, all villages made their spoken variety as their first choice, of course. However, six out of eight villages made the Guinaang variety as one of their top choices. Further, this study affirms that the issue of identity is not only more significant in the speakers’ acceptance of materials than intelligibility, but also in the sustainability of language development efforts in general. References: Busenitz, Robert, Richard Gieser, and Dave Ohlson. 1974. “Kalinga Survey Report”. Manila, Philippines. Hasselbring, Sue. 2008. Steps for Nine Participatory Tools for Language Programs. SIL International. Lewis, M. Paul, Gary F. Simons, and Charles D. Fennig, ed. 2016. Ethnologue:Languages of the World. 19th ed. Dallas, Texas: SIL International. http://www.ethnologue.com. * Pinasil is a toponym for the language spoken in Pasil Municipality. ** Also listed as a dialect of Kalinga Lubuagan [knb] like the varieties spoken in Pasil

Reproductive Biology of Common Small Pelagic Fishes in Manila Bay, Philippines

Reproductive biology of the three dominant species (Sardinella gibbosa, Sardinella fimbriata, and Rastrelliger kanagurta) were studied in Manila Bay from January 2014 to December 2015. The data were collected from landed catch (coming from gillnet, lift net, purse seine, ringnet, and trawl) and during the actual trawl fishing survey. A total of 2,383 Sardinella gibbosa, 2,334 Sardinella fimbriata, and 549 Rastrelliger kanagurta were analyzed by pooling the two years data. The overall female to male ratio conformed to the expected 1:1 sex ratio. These species spawn throughout the year with major peak in March and April and minor peak in October to December for Sardinella gibbosa; with major peak in February to May and minor peak in October to December for Sardinella fimbriata; and for Rastrelliger kanagurta, with major peak in October to December and minor peak in May and June. The GSI values correlate with the maturation of the gonads of these species. The length at maturity (Lm50) was calculated at 12.75 cm in males and 13.25 cm in females for S. gibbosa; 12.25 cm in males and 12.75 cm in females for S. fimbriata; and 25.5 cm in males and 24.5 cm in females for R. kanagurta

Assessment of the Tayabas Bay Fisheries

This technical paper discusses the results of the 10-year assessment (January 2004 to December 2013) of the fisheries of Tayabas Bay to determine the current status and level of exploitation and measure the effects of interventions introduced and implemented in the Bay and adjacent waters of Quezon and Batangas provinces. The trend of catch, effort and catch per unit effort from 2004 to 2013 showed an increase in catch attained by increasing effort, with fluctuating CPUE. The highest catch (24,622.9 MT) was attained in 2012. In 2013 the total production was 22,595.8 MT, an increase of 6.9% from the 2004 production. The fisherman’s density of 20/km for Tayabas Bay is low compared to other major fishing grounds like Lingayen Gulf, Guimaras Strait, and Manila Bay, but slightly higher than the estimates for Honda Bay and Ormoc Bay. The number of observed boat landings of all gears ranged from 13,746 MT in 2013 to 33,842 MT in 2005. The standardized annual estimated effort of the bottom set gillnet ranged from 2,199,589 MT to 7,194,394 MT. Most of the artisanal or municipal gears such as multiple hook and line (7 kg to 6 kg), drift gillnet (53 kg to 7 kg), and hook and line (9 kg to 5 kg) showed declining catch rates (CPUE). The bottom set gillnet, spear gun and surface gillnet, however, showed an increasing trend. Out of 16 species of fish analyzed, Cypselurus naresii, Rastrelliger faughni, Rastrelliger kanagurta, Decapterus tabl, Siganus canaliculatus and Upeneus sulphureus exhibited an E-value exceeding 0.5, which indicates overexploitation. As to the recruitment, nine species showed bimodal recruitment while seven species showed unimodal recruitment. There are seven species that have a mean length greater than their length at first maturity, which indicates that they have contributed to the recruitment process of their stocks before they are caught

Study on the short-term effects of increased alcohol and cigarette consumption in healthy young men's seminal quality

Many studies have reported a negative impact of lifestyle factors on testicular function, spermatozoa parameters and pituitary-gonadal axis. However, conclusions are difficult to draw, since studies in the general population are rare. In this study we intended to address the early and late short-term impact of acute lifestyle alterations on young men's reproductive function. Thirty-six healthy male students, who attended the Portuguese academic festivities, provided semen samples and answered questionnaires at three time-points. The consumption of alcohol and cigarette increased more than 8 and 2 times, respectively, during the academic festivities and resulted in deleterious effects on semen quality: one week after the festivities, a decrease on semen volume, spermatozoa motility and normal morphology was observed, in parallel with an increase on immotile spermatozoa, head and midpiece defects and spermatozoa oxidative stress. Additionally, three months after the academic festivities, besides the detrimental effect on volume, motility and morphology, a negative impact on spermatozoa concentration was observed, along with a decrease on epididymal, seminal vesicles and prostate function. This study contributed to understanding the pathophysiology underlying semen quality degradation induced by acute lifestyle alterations, suggesting that high alcohol and cigarette consumption are associated with decreased semen quality in healthy young men.publishe

Role of 4-1BB Receptor in the Control Played by CD8+ T Cells on IFN-γ Production by Mycobacterium tuberculosis Antigen-Specific CD4+ T Cells

BACKGROUND: Antigen-specific IFN-gamma producing CD4(+) T cells are the main mediators of protection against Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection both under natural conditions and following vaccination. However these cells are responsible for lung damage and poor vaccine efficacy when not tightly controlled. Discovering new tools to control nonprotective antigen-specific IFN-gamma production without affecting protective IFN-gamma is a challenge in tuberculosis research. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Immunization with DNA encoding Ag85B, a candidate vaccine antigen of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, elicited in mice a low but protective CD4(+) T cell-mediated IFN-gamma response, while in mice primed with DNA and boosted with Ag85B protein a massive increase in IFN-gamma response was associated with loss of protection. Both protective and non-protective Ag85B-immunization generated antigen-specific CD8(+) T cells which suppressed IFN-gamma-secreting CD4(+) T cells. However, ex vivo ligation of 4-1BB, a member of TNF-receptor super-family, reduced the massive, non-protective IFN-gamma responses by CD4(+) T cells in protein-boosted mice without affecting the low protective IFN-gamma-secretion in mice immunized with DNA. This selective inhibition was due to the induction of 4-1BB exclusively on CD8(+) T cells of DNA-primed and protein-boosted mice following Ag85B protein stimulation. The 4-1BB-mediated IFN-gamma inhibition did not require soluble IL-10, TGF-beta, XCL-1 and MIP-1beta. In vivo Ag85B stimulation induced 4-1BB expression on CD8(+) T cells and in vivo 4-1BB ligation reduced the activation, IFN-gamma production and expansion of Ag85B-specific CD4(+) T cells of DNA-primed and protein-boosted mice. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Antigen-specific suppressor CD8(+) T cells are elicited through immunization with the mycobacterial antigen Ag85B. Ligation of 4-1BB receptor further enhanced their suppressive activity on IFN-gamma-secreting CD4(+) T cells. The selective expression of 4-1BB only on CD8(+) T cells in mice developing a massive, non-protective IFN-gamma response opens novel strategies for intervention in tuberculosis pathology and vaccination through T-cell co-stimulatory-based molecular targeting

Long-Range Enhancer Associated with Chromatin Looping Allows AP-1 Regulation of the Peptidylarginine Deiminase 3 Gene in Differentiated Keratinocyte

Transcription control at a distance is a critical mechanism, particularly for contiguous genes. The peptidylarginine deiminases (PADs) catalyse the conversion of protein-bound arginine into citrulline (deimination), a critical reaction in the pathophysiology of multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease and rheumatoid arthritis, and in the metabolism of the major epidermal barrier protein filaggrin, a strong predisposing factor for atopic dermatitis. PADs are encoded by 5 clustered PADI genes (1p35-6). Unclear are the mechanisms controlling the expression of the gene PADI3 encoding the PAD3 isoform, a strong candidate for the deimination of filaggrin in the terminally differentiating epidermal keratinocyte. We describe the first PAD Intergenic Enhancer (PIE), an evolutionary conserved non coding segment located 86-kb from the PADI3 promoter. PIE is a strong enhancer of the PADI3 promoter in Ca2+-differentiated epidermal keratinocytes, and requires bound AP-1 factors, namely c-Jun and c-Fos. As compared to proliferative keratinocytes, calcium stimulation specifically associates with increased local DNase I hypersensitivity around PIE, and increased physical proximity of PIE and PADI3 as assessed by Chromosome Conformation Capture. The specific AP-1 inhibitor nordihydroguaiaretic acid suppresses the calcium-induced increase of PADI3 mRNA levels in keratinocytes. Our findings pave the way to the exploration of deimination control during tumorigenesis and wound healing, two conditions for which AP-1 factors are critical, and disclose that long-range transcription control has a role in the regulation of the gene PADI3. Since invalidation of distant regulators causes a variety of human diseases, PIE results to be a plausible candidate in association studies on deimination-related disorders or atopic disease

A Genetically Hard-Wired Metabolic Transcriptome in Plasmodium falciparum Fails to Mount Protective Responses to Lethal Antifolates

Genome sequences of Plasmodium falciparum allow for global analysis of drug responses to antimalarial agents. It was of interest to learn how DNA microarrays may be used to study drug action in malaria parasites. In one large, tightly controlled study involving 123 microarray hybridizations between cDNA from isogenic drug-sensitive and drug-resistant parasites, a lethal antifolate (WR99210) failed to over-produce RNA for the genetically proven principal target, dihydrofolate reductase-thymidylate synthase (DHFR-TS). This transcriptional rigidity carried over to metabolically related RNA encoding folate and pyrimidine biosynthesis, as well as to the rest of the parasite genome. No genes were reproducibly up-regulated by more than 2-fold until 24 h after initial drug exposure, even though clonal viability decreased by 50% within 6 h. We predicted and showed that while the parasites do not mount protective transcriptional responses to antifolates in real time, P. falciparum cells transfected with human DHFR gene, and adapted to long-term WR99210 exposure, adjusted the hard-wired transcriptome itself to thrive in the presence of the drug. A system-wide incapacity for changing RNA levels in response to specific metabolic perturbations may contribute to selective vulnerabilities of Plasmodium falciparum to lethal antimetabolites. In addition, such regulation affects how DNA microarrays are used to understand the mode of action of antimetabolites

Nicotinic Receptors Underlying Nicotine Dependence: Evidence from Transgenic Mouse Models.

Nicotine underlies the reinforcing properties of tobacco cigarettes and e-cigarettes. After inhalation and absorption, nicotine binds to various nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subtypes localized on the pre- and postsynaptic membranes of cells, which subsequently leads to the modulation of cellular function and neurotransmitter signaling. In this chapter, we begin by briefly reviewing the current understanding of nicotine's actions on nAChRs and highlight considerations regarding nAChR subtype localization and pharmacodynamics. Thereafter, we discuss the seminal discoveries derived from genetically modified mouse models, which have greatly contributed to our understanding of nicotine's effects on the reward-related mesolimbic pathway and the aversion-related habenulo-interpeduncular pathway. Thereafter, emerging areas of research focusing on modulation of nAChR expression and/or function are considered. Taken together, these discoveries have provided a foundational understanding of various genetic, neurobiological, and behavioral factors underlying the motivation to use nicotine and related dependence processes, which are thereby advancing drug discovery efforts to promote long-term abstinence