In Still Time

In Still Time is an experimental animation that investigates the catastrophic image and spectacle through direct animation of still images onto 16mm film. The film uses still images found on the internet from the current Syrian civil war; these were laser printed directly onto the film, simultaneously abstracting these images and re-animating them. These images are juxtaposed with audio from news sources, interviews and YouTube videos posted by Syrian civilians, activists and journalists on the ground of different events that have taken place during the crisis. Through clues of shape, line, colour, and sound these abstracted images of catastrophe attempt to facilitate questions about the moral imperative to look, our ability or inability to bear witness to unthinkable human suffering and our complicity in the violence documented in the image. What are the limits of the catastrophic image? How can trauma and the unthinkable ever be properly represented? How do we give meaning to an event that stops and disrupts time

Reading the Regions 2: Philippine Folk and Oral Traditions (NCCA 2021)

Book Revie

The Neonatal Fc Receptor (FcRn) Enhances Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV-1) Transcytosis across Epithelial Cells

The mechanisms by which human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) crosses mucosal surfaces to establish infection are unknown. Acidic genital secretions of HIV-1-infected women contain HIV-1 likely coated by antibody. We found that the combination of acidic pH and Env-specific IgG, including that from cervicovaginal and seminal fluids of HIV-1-infected individuals, augmented transcytosis across epithelial cells as much as 20-fold compared with Env-specific IgG at neutral pH or non-specific IgG at either pH. Enhanced transcytosis was observed with clinical HIV-1 isolates, including transmitted/founder strains, and was eliminated in Fc neonatal receptor (FcRn)-knockdown epithelial cells. Non-neutralizing antibodies allowed similar or less transcytosis than neutralizing antibodies. However, the ratio of total:infectious virus was higher for neutralizing antibodies, indicating that they allowed transcytosis while blocking infectivity of transcytosed virus. Immunocytochemistry revealed abundant FcRn expression in columnar epithelia lining the human endocervix and penile urethra. Acidity and Env-specific IgG enhance transcytosis of virus across epithelial cells via FcRn and could facilitate translocation of virus to susceptible target cells following sexual exposure

地熱水環境におけるヒ素の移動性の鉱物学的・地球化学的研究

取得学位：博士(理学)，学位授与番号：博甲第822号，学位授与年月日：平成18年3月22日,学位授与年：200

Outcomes of combined trabecular micro-bypass and phacoemulsification in a predominantly Hispanic patient population

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate intraocular pressure (IOP) and topical ocular hypotensive medication burden at 12 months postoperatively in a predominantly Hispanic patient population with primary open-angle glaucoma each implanted with one trabecular micro-bypass stent during cataract surgery. METHODS: This was a retrospective, consecutive case series. The main objective was to assess reduction of IOP and/or medication burden in all eyes at the 12-month postoperative exam. A secondary objective was to assess outcomes in 3 subgroups, distinguished preoperatively by IOP control and by medication burden (suboptimal or maximum therapy) and with different treatment goals. Group 1 had medication-controlled IOP and goal to reduce medications while maintaining IOP control (n=65); Group 2 had uncontrolled IOP on ≤2 medications and goal to reduce IOP and maintain/reduce medication burden (n=31); and Group 3 had uncontrolled IOP on ≥3 medications and goal to reduce IOP and avoid filtering surgery (n=38). Evaluations included IOP, medication use, cup-to-disc ratio, visual fields, complications, and interventions. One hundred subjects (134 eyes) have been followed for 12 months. RESULTS: Most patients (80%) were Hispanic and had moderate or severe glaucoma (87%). At 12 months, mean IOP reduced to 12.9 mmHg vs 16.5 mmHg preoperatively; 92% had an IOP ≤15 mmHg at 12 months (99% had ≤18 mmHg). Mean medication burden had decreased to 0.9 vs 2.3 preoperatively. At the 12-month time point, 94% of all eyes achieved their predefined treatment goal of reduced IOP and/or medications. Reductions in medication burden for Group 1, and in IOP for Groups 2 and 3, were highly statistically significant (P<0.001). Two eyes in Group 3 had filtering surgery; the remaining 95% avoided such treatment. No other complications were reported. CONCLUSION: This mainly Hispanic population with predominantly moderate or severe glaucoma had substantial reduction of IOP and medication and favorable safety for 12 months following stent implantation during cataract surgery, with treatment success achieved in all 3 subgroups. These data show this stent technology to be effective in Hispanic eyes with more advanced disease

State of Play of Risk Transfer Mechanisms for Small-Scale Farmers and Entrepreneurs

Extreme weather and slow onset events have direct and indirect impacts on agriculture, with risks to productivity and well-being of vulnerable agricultural communities. Building the resilience of the agricultural sector through adaptation interventions often face issues of effectivity, coverage, and timely delivery. This paper presents the scoping research for the Synergy Program in the Philippines of the Province of West Flanders, Belgium, composed of higher education institutions, cooperatives, and organizations, to explore the viability of weather index–based insurance (WII) as a way of addressing the sector’s exposure to climate risks. Methods that include interviews, literature review, and a discussion forum provide a multi-perspective overview of WII and other types of agricultural insurance vis-à-vis their relevance and implementation. Overall, there is high agreement on the potential of WII as an effective and inclusive climate change adaptation mechanism, which is science-based and localized. The research’s policy recommendations highlight the need for enabling mechanisms that promote multisectoral partnerships with access to accurate and localized data in identifying weather indices as basis for monitoring and payout schemes, along with mainstreaming insurance information and education among stakeholders to strengthen the market. Additionally, policy reforms to enhance the engagement of nongovernment insurance providers for a leveled playing field, promoting competition, and innovations to lower the premium rates are also recommended. The research also provided a cooperation platform to further discuss the best ways to develop agricultural risk transfer products and services that would allow farmers to develop amidst the challenges brought about by climate change

Dantrolene is neuroprotective in Huntington's disease transgenic mouse model

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Huntington's disease (HD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder caused by a polyglutamine expansion in the Huntingtin protein which results in the selective degeneration of striatal medium spiny neurons (MSNs). Our group has previously demonstrated that calcium (Ca²⁺) signaling is abnormal in MSNs from the yeast artificial chromosome transgenic mouse model of HD (YAC128). Moreover, we demonstrated that deranged intracellular Ca²⁺signaling sensitizes YAC128 MSNs to glutamate-induced excitotoxicity when compared to wild type (WT) MSNs. In previous studies we also observed abnormal neuronal Ca²⁺signaling in neurons from spinocerebellar ataxia 2 (SCA2) and spinocerebellar ataxia 3 (SCA3) mouse models and demonstrated that treatment with dantrolene, a ryanodine receptor antagonist and clinically relevant Ca²⁺signaling stabilizer, was neuroprotective in experiments with these mouse models. The aim of the current study was to evaluate potential beneficial effects of dantrolene in experiments with YAC128 HD mouse model.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The application of caffeine and glutamate resulted in increased Ca²⁺release from intracellular stores in YAC128 MSN cultures when compared to WT MSN cultures. Pre-treatment with dantrolene protected YAC128 MSNs from glutamate excitotoxicty, with an effective concentration of 100 nM and above. Feeding dantrolene (5 mg/kg) twice a week to YAC128 mice between 2 months and 11.5 months of age resulted in significantly improved performance in the beam-walking and gait-walking assays. Neuropathological analysis revealed that long-term dantrolene feeding to YAC128 mice significantly reduced the loss of NeuN-positive striatal neurons and reduced formation of Htt^expnuclear aggregates.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our results support the hypothesis that deranged Ca²⁺signaling plays an important role in HD pathology. Our data also implicate the RyanRs as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of HD and demonstrate that RyanR inhibitors and Ca²⁺signaling stabilizers such as dantrolene should be considered as potential therapeutics for the treatment of HD and other polyQ-expansion disorders.</p

Phytochemical Screening of Wellawel (Chromolaena odorata) leaves, its Antimicrobial and Coagulative Properties

The study was conducted to perform phytochemical screening, antimicrobial assay and determine the coagulating effects of wellawel (Chromolaena odorata) leaves. This study made use of the experimental research design in an actual laboratory set-up.  There were four phases in the experimental study.  Phase 1 included the preparation of the plant sample and extraction using distilled water and ethyl alcohol, Phase 2 is the phytochemical screening to determine he presence of alkaloids, quaternary bases or amine oxides, saponins, free fatty acids, cardiac glycosides, leucoanthocyanins, flavonoids, tannins, fats and oils and anthraquinones in the leaf extract, Phase 3 is the antimicrobial assay to determine the zones of growth inhibition produced by the wellawel leaf extract to test organisms and Phase 4 is the determination of the coagulating effects of the wellawel leaf against Swiss mice. Findings showed that wellawel  (Chromolaena odorata) leaf  extract contains alkaloids, cardiac glycosides, luecoanthocyanins, flavonoids and tannins. Wellawel leaf extract has weak antimicrobial activity against Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli and no anti-fungal activity on Candida albicans. The crude and aqueous extracts have the ability to shorten the coagulation time of blood on wounds inflicted on Swiss mice. Based on the findings, the following recommendations were drawn: a follow up study should be conducted to quantify, isolate and identify the type of alkaloids, cardiac glycosides, leucoanthocyanins, flavonoids and tannins present in the leaves of wellawel and other pharmacologic testing should be done using the wellawel leaves like tests for its analgesic  property, antispasmodic, antihypertensive and antihelminthic properties

The Antihelminthic Activities of Dita (Altonia scholaris) Bark and Tamarind (Tamarindus indicus) Seeds: A Comparative Study

The study was done to compare the antihelminthic activities of dita (Alsonia scholaris) bark and tamarind (Tamarindus indicus) seeds using adult earthworms, Pheretima posthuma. It was found out that the dita bark extract showed more potent antihelminthic activity as compared to the tamarind seeds. Further, the antihelminthic activity of the two plant extracts were also compared to the antihelminthic activity of a known standard drug, mebendazole Results showed that the dita bark extract has stronger antihelminthic action against the worm than mebendazole