Combined GS-4774 and Tenofovir Therapy Can Improve HBV-Specific T-Cell Responses in Patients With Chronic Hepatitis

Boni, Carolina,Janssen, Harry L.A.,Rossi, Marzia,Yoon, Seung Kew,Vecchi, Andrea,Barili, Valeria,Yoshida, Eric M.,Trinh, Huy,Rodell, Timothy C.,Laccabue, Diletta,Alfieri, Arianna,Brillo, Federica,Fisic W.B. Saunders Co. 2019 Gastroenterology Vol.157 No.1

<P><B>Background & Aims</B></P> <P>One strategy to treat chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection could be to increase the functions of virus-specific T cells. We performed a multicenter phase 2 study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of GS-4774, a yeast-based therapeutic vaccine engineered to express HBV antigens, given with tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) to untreated patients with chronic HBV infection.</P> <P><B>Methods</B></P> <P>We performed an open-label study at 34 sites in Canada, Italy, New Zealand, Romania, South Korea, and United States from July 2014 to August 2016. Adults who were positive for HB surface antigen (HBsAg) > 6 months and levels of HBV DNA ≥2000 IU/mL who had not received antiviral treatment for HBV within 3 months of screening were randomly assigned (1:2:2:2) to groups given oral TDF 300 mg daily alone (n = 27; controls) or with 2, 10, or 40 yeast units GS-4774 (n = 168), administered subcutaneously every 4 weeks until week 20 for a total of 6 doses. Blood samples were collected and analyzed and patients received regular physical examinations. Efficacy was measured by decrease in HBsAg from baseline to week 24. Specific responses to HBV (production of interferon gamma [IFNG], tumor necrosis factor [TNF], interleukin 2 [IL2], and degranulation) were measured in T cells derived from 12 HBeAg-negative patients with genotype D infections, after overnight or 10 days of stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells with peptides from the entire HBV proteome. T-regulatory cells were analyzed for frequency and phenotype. Data from studies of immune cells were compared with data on reductions in HBsAg, HBV DNA, and alanine aminotransferase in blood samples from patients.</P> <P><B>Results</B></P> <P>GS-4774 was safe and well tolerated but did not produce significant decreases in levels of HBsAg. Production of IFNG, TNF, and IL2 increased significantly at weeks 24 and 48, compared with baseline, in HBV-specific CD8+ T cells from patients given GS-4774 but not from controls. GS-4774 had greater effects on CD8+ than CD4+ T cells, which were not affected at all or very weakly by TDF with or without GS-4774. GS-4774 did not affect responses of T cells to other viruses tested. HBV core peptides induced the greatest production of IFNG by T cells following overnight stimulation, whereas HBV envelope antigens did not induce a response. Following 10 days of stimulation, production of IFNG and TNF increased with time of exposure to GS-4774; the greatest levels of responses were to HBV envelope antigens followed by core and polymerase peptides. We observed a correlation in patients given GS-4774 between increased T-cell functions and reductions in numbers of T-regulatory cells.</P> <P><B>Conclusions</B></P> <P>In a phase 2 study of patients with chronic HBV infection given TDF with or without GS-4774, we found that vaccination can increase production of IFNG, TNF, and IL2 by CD8+ T cells exposed to antigenic peptides, with little effect on CD4+ T cells. Although GS-4774 did not reduce levels of HBsAg in patients, its strong immune stimulatory effect on CD8+ T cells might be used in combination with other antiviral agents to boost the antivirus immune response. Clinicaltrials.gov no: NCT02174276.</P> <P><B>Graphical abstract</B></P> <P>[DISPLAY OMISSION]</P>

A Software Agent for Collecting Real Auction Data from English Online Auctions

Rodel Balingit,Jarrod Trevathan,Yong Jin Lee,Wayne Read 대한전자공학회 2010 ICEIC:International Conference on Electronics, Inf Vol.1 No.1

Online auctions are a rapidly growing platform to exchange items of just about anything, from common to collectors’ items in different region around the world. Researchers continue their efforts to understand further the real behaviour and bidding patterns of buyers and sellers, the fraudulent traits and even devise countermeasures to prevent auction fraud. Most often, the researchers’ noble work ends with frustration due to unavailability of real auction data. Online auction sources are unwilling to provide the real auction data and often cite “commercial, security and privacy” as reasons. This paper presents a software agent that collects real auction data from an ongoing auction for a given criteria, and automatically returns later to collect the data from a recently completed auction. From the knowledge of the authors, the work presented here is the first serious attempt to create an openly available software tool that will be free for use by other researchers.

Priestly Formation in the Asian Contexts

Rodel E. Aligan(로델 E. 앨리건) 신학과사상학회 2015 가톨릭 신학과 사상 Vol.- No.75

God and the Concept of Death and Suffering in the Philippine Context

Rodel E. Aligan(로델 E. 앨리건) 신학과사상학회 2016 가톨릭 신학과 사상 Vol.- No.77

NIPM-Based Optimal Power Flow Including Discrete Control Variables

로델 도사노(Rodel D. Dosano),송화창(Hwachang Song),김태균(Tae-Kyun Kim) 대한전기학회 2007 대한전기학회 학술대회 논문집 Vol.2007 No.11

This paper proposes Nonlinear Interior Point Method (NIPM) including discrete control variables optimal power flow formulations. The algorithm utilizes the robustness in terms of starting point and fast convergence for large scale power system of NIPM and an introduction of rounding penalty function which is augmented in the Lagrangian function to handle discrete control variables. The derived formulation shows a simplified approach to deal with discrete control problems which is implementable in real large scale systems.

Sensitivity Analysis for Determination of Series FACTS Location

호세로델도사노(Jose Rodel Dosano),송화창(Hwachang Song),장병훈(Byunghoon Chang),이병준(Byongjun Lee) 대한전기학회 2006 대한전기학회 학술대회 논문집 Vol.2006 No.7

This paper discusses sensitivity analysis for determining adequate locations of series-type FACTS devices. The main objective of FACTS reinforcement is to alleviate line over-loadings against violation of thermal limits after disturbances. This paper, to obtain the information concerning series-type FACTS locations, proposes a formulation for the sensitivity of the PI (Performance Index) with respect to the variation of the branch parameters, and applies to 5-bus test system to show the effectiveness of the sensitivity.

A Measure of Electric Network Centrality Due to Multiple Contingencies

로델 도사노(Rodel D. Dosano),송화창(Hwachang Song),이병준(Byongjun Lee) 대한전기학회 2008 대한전기학회 학술대회 논문집 Vol.2008 No.7(초록집)

Power System Voltage Stability Classification Using Interior Point Method Based Support Vector Machine(IPMSVM)

Hwachang Song,Rodel D. Dosano,Byongjun Lee 한국지능시스템학회 2009 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL of FUZZY LOGIC and INTELLIGE Vol.9 No.3

This paper presents a methodology for the classification of power system voltage stability, the trajectory of which to instability is monotonic, using an interior point method based support vector machine (IPMSVM). The SVM based voltage stability classifier can provide real-time stability identification only using the local measurement data, without the topological information conventionally used.

Support Vector Machine (SVM) based Voltage Stability Classifier

로델 도사노(Rodel D. Dosano),송화창(Hwachang Song),이병준(Byongjun Lee) 대한전기학회 2006 대한전기학회 학술대회 논문집 Vol.2006 No.11

This paper proposes a support vector machine (SVM) based power system voltage stability classifier using local measurement data. The excellent performance of the SVM in the classification related to time-series prediction matches the real-time data of PMU for monitoring power system dynamics. The methodology for fast monitoring of the system is initiated locally which aims to leave sufficient time to perform immediate corrective actions to stop system degradation by the effect of major disturbances. This paper briefly describes the mathematical background of SVM, and explains the procedure for fast classification of voltage stability using the SVM algorithm. To illustrate the effectiveness of the classifier, this paper includes numerical examples with a 11-bus test system.

아시아 상황에서의 사제 양성: 필리핀 교회와 사회에 대한 교회 가르침의 적용

로델 E. 앨리건 신부(Rodel E. Aligan) 신학과 사상학회 2015 가톨릭 신학과 사상 Vol.- No.75

필리핀 상황에서의 사제 양성을 더 잘 이해하려면 이를 제2차 바티칸 공의회의 쇄신 요구에 따른 교회와 사회에 대한 전망의 배경과 대조해 보아야 한다. 1991년 제2차 필리핀 전국 공의회(PCP II)가 다루었던 일반적인 질문은 이것이었다. 필리핀의 현재 사목 상황에서 어떻게 해야 교회가 더욱 효과적이면서도 신뢰할 만한 복음화 일꾼이 될 수 있을 것인가? 일반적인 답변은 이것이었다. 쇄신된 교회가됨으로써 그리고 통합적 복음화라는 사명에 충실함으로써 가능하다. “통합적 복음화”란 예수 그리스도의 복음이 영원성의 측면과 한시성의 측면을 모두 가지고 있음을 의미한다. 국가 상황을 진단하면서, PCP II는 경제·정치적 불균형을 이야기했고, 이 불균형이 우리가 누리는 문화생활의 부정적 요소 때문에 강화되고 있음을 목격했다. 이러한 상황으로부터 PCP II는 교회가 사회 변혁이라는 자기 사명을 수행할 장소인 사회에 대한 전망을 제시하였다. 필리핀 사회에 대한 이 전망은 하느님 나라에 뒤따르는 가치들을 드러내고 있다. 즉, 자유와 자주, 인간 존엄성과 연대, 사회 질서에 있어 윤리의 으뜸성, 발전 동력으로서의 정의와 사랑, 문화적 가치와 전통에 대한 존중, 목표로서의 공동선, 책임으로서의 참여와 봉사, 일치와 다양성, 창조와의 조화와 하느님과의 조화 등이 그것이다. 이 전망에 대한 교회의 일반적 응답은 전망 그 자체와 그 기초 요소들이다. 즉, 참제자들의 교회, 친교의 교회, 참여하는 교회, 통합적 복음화에 뛰어든 교회, 토착화된 교회, 가난한 이들의 교회 등이 그것이다. PCP II 10년 후인 2001년, 전국교회쇄신사목자문회의(NPCCR)는 PCP II의 이해가 여전히 유효하며 불균형도 전체적으로 똑같이 남아있다고 밝혔다. 경제·정치·문화·종교적 문제들도 마찬가지였다. 그러나 기초교회공동체(BEC)처럼 의미 있는 진전도 많이 있었다. 쇄신의 목표들을 좀 더 단순화하자는 PCP II의 정신에 입각하여 NPCCR은 필리핀 교회의 9가지 우선순위를 선정하였다. 즉, 통합적 신앙 양성, 사회 변혁을 향한 평신도에로의 권한 부여, 가난한 이들의 적극적 현존과 참여, 복음화의 중심점으로서의 가정, 본당을 공동체 중의 공동체로 만들기 위한 참여하는 공동체 건설 및 강화, 성직자와 수도 자의 통합적 쇄신, 젊은이들에 대한 동반, 교회 일치와 종교 간 대화, 민족들을 향한 선교(Missio ad gentes)의 시행 및 교육 등이다. 2012년, 필리핀천주교주교회의의 사목 서한 “그리스도를 삽시다, 그리스도를 나눕시다”(Live Christ, Share Christ)는 필리핀 그리스도교 전래 500주년(2021년 3월 16일)을 의미 있게 기념할 수 있도록 필리핀 교회와 사회로 하여금 “새 복음화”의 빛 안에서 복음을 살아가는데 쇄신된 헌신을 하도록 촉구하였다. 2021년 희년에서 그 정점을 맞이할 새 복음화를 향한 9년간의 여정은 다음의 과정을 거칠 것이다. 통합적 신앙 양성의 해(2013), 평신도의 해(2014), 가난한 이들의 해 (2015), 성체와 가정의 해(2016), 공동체 중의 공동체인 본당의 해(2017), 성직자와 수도자의 해(2018), 젊은이의 해(2019), 교회 일치와 종교 간 대화의 해(2020), 민족들을 향한 선교의 해(2021). 이 우선순위들에 필리핀과 아시아 사제 양성의 도전 과제들이 자리하고 있다. 즉, 참제자 양성, 공동체로의 양성, 참여하는 리더십에 로의 양성, 섬기는 리더십에로의 양성, 복음적 청빈으로의 양성, 선교로의 양성, 대화자로서의 양성, 통합적 영성으로의 양성 등이 그러한 과제라고 할 수 있겠다. 또한 사제 양성 토착화의 도전 과제도 남아 있다. To better understand priestly formation in the Philippine context is to set it against the background of the vision of the Church and society as inspired by the Second Vatican Council’s call for renewal. The general question that the Second Plenary Council grappled with in 1991 was: How can the Church be a more effective and credible evangelizer given the present pastoral situation of the Philippines? The general answer was: by being a renewed Church and by being faithful to its mission of integral evangelization. “Integral evangelization” means that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has both eternal and temporal dimensions. Surveying the national situation, PCP II described the imbalances of the economic and political situation and saw these imbalances as reinforced by the negative features of our cultural life. From such situation PCP II proceeded to describe a vision of a society toward which the Church would carry out its task of social transformation. Such vision of Philippine society expresses the following values of the kingdom of God: freedom and sovereignty, human dignity and solidarity, primacy of morality in the social order, justice and love as driving force of development, respect for cultural values and traditions, common good as the goal, participation and service as responsibility, unity and diversity, harmony with creation and with God. The general response of the Church to this vision is the vision itself and its fundamental components namely: church of authentic disciples, church of communion, a participatory church, church engaged in integral evangelization, an inculturated church and church of the poor. In 2001, ten years after PCP II, the National Pastoral Consultation on Church Renewal (NPCCR) stated that the reading of PCP II is still valid and that the imbalances remained generally the same. The economic, political and cultural and religious problems remained the same. Nonetheless there were many significant advances like that of the BEC. In the spirit of PCP II to make the goals of renewal more simple the NPCCR drew up nine pastoral priorities for the Church in the Philippines namely: integral faith formation, empowerment of the laity toward social transformation, active presence and participation of the poor, the family as the focal point of evangelization, building and strengthening of participatory communities that make up the parish as a community of communities, integral renewal of the clergy and religious, journeying with the youth, ecumenism and religious dialogue and animation and formation for Missio ad gentes. In 2012, the CBCP Pastoral Letter “Live Christ, Share Christ” challenged the Philippine Church and society for a renewed commitment in living out the Gospel in the light of the “New Evangelization” towards a meaningful celebration of the 5th centenary of Christianity in the Philippines (March 16, 2021). A nine-year journey for the new evangelization has been charted climaxing with the jubilee year 2021 as follows: integral faith formation (2013), the laity (2014), the poor (2015), the Eucharist and the family (2016), the parish as communion of communities (2017), the clergy and religious (2018), the youth (2019), ecumenism and interreligious dialogue (2020), and Missio ad gentes (2021). From all these priorities comes the challenge to priestly formation in the Philippines and in the context of Asia namely: formation of authentic disciples, formation to community, formation toward participatory leadership, formation to servant leadership, formation to evangelical poverty, formation to mission, formation as a person of dialogue, formation to integral spirituality. There also lies the challenge of inculturation on priestly formation.