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Chronic diseases, which are often referred to as noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), are conditions that worsen over time gradually due to a combination of genetic, physiological, environmental, and behavioral factors. In the Philippine context, noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), which collectively include diabetes, hypertension, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, are accountable for all fatalities of Filipino people. Several articles have stated that 38.6% have been hospitalized with hypertension, 3.9 million cases of diabetes, and 27.7% of Filipinos suffered from Asthma-COPD in the Philippines. However, with these diseases indicated, there are several treatments, prevention strategies, and risk factors that have been developed throughout the years. People of all ages, living in all regions and nations are affected by NCDs. Poor diet, inactivity, exposure to tobacco smoke, problematic alcohol use, environmental factors (including air pollution), and other risk factors for NCDs can affect children, adults, and seniors. Finding and treating these problems is essential for controlling NCDs. The economy of countries, especially those with low and moderate incomes, are significantly impacted by the co-occurrence of health burdens in populations going through transition, particularly in certain socioeconomic and cultural contexts. Methods, programs, and regulatory policies significantly relevant to NCDs in the Philippines are reviewed in the article. The paper also discusses facilitating factors that contribute to the NCDs situation in the country, which may become matters of interest in developing and updating the NCDs management approach of the healthcare system. This review aims to focus on and understand the different treatment, prevention strategies, and risk factors of NCD across the Philippines.

The study investigated the difficulties encountered by Grade 11 teachers in teaching Senior High School General Mathematics, the reasons for the problems, and the strategies employed by teachers in overcoming the challenges with an end view of developing training design. The sequential explanatory mixed methods design was used in the study with the aid of a questionnaire checklist and an interview to validate the answers generated by the questionnaires. The study revealed that the challenges in teaching emerged due to time constraints and mastery issues of contents. Though teachers were pedagogically and technologically equipped to teach the course, however, some have poor time management and link to peers to share the best strategies to cope with the problems. Hence, training, as well as seminars and workshops for the unmastered competencies/contents and the competencies with no strategies applied to deal with the difficulties in teaching, are to be provided to Grade 11 General Mathematics teachers by implementing the training design developed by the researchers. Keywords: Difficulties, reasons, strategies, training design

The entanglement of charge density wave (CDW), superconductivity, and topologically nontrivial electronic structure has recently been discovered in the kagome metal $A$V$_3$Sb$_5$ ($A$ = K, Rb, Cs) family. With high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, we study the electronic properties of CDW and superconductivity in CsV$_3$Sb$_5$. The spectra around $\bar{K}$ is found to exhibit a peak-dip-hump structure associated with two separate branches of dispersion, demonstrating the isotropic CDW gap opening below $E_{\rm F}$. The peak-dip-hump lineshape is contributed by linearly dispersive Dirac bands in the lower branch and a dispersionless flat band close to $E_{\rm F}$ in the upper branch. The electronic instability via Fermi surface nesting could play a role in determining these CDW-related features. The superconducting gap of $\sim$0.4 meV is observed on both the electron band around $\bar{\Gamma}$ and the flat band around $\bar{K}$, implying the multiband superconductivity. The finite density of states (DOS) at $E_{\rm F}$ in the CDW phase are most likely in favor of the emergence of multiband superconductivity, particularly the enhanced DOS associated with the flat band. Our results not only shed light on the controversial origin of the CDW, but also offer insights into the relationship between CDW and superconductivity., Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, PRL in press

Shu-Chen Dong,1,* Huan-Huan Sha,1,* Xiao-Yue Xu,1 Tian-Mu Hu,2 Rui Lou,1 Huizi Li,1 Jian-Zhong Wu,1 Chen Dan,1 Jifeng Feng1 1Jiangsu Cancer Hospital and Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research and Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Nanjing 210009, China; 2Department of Biological Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: Glutathione S-transferase π (GSTπ) is a Phase II metabolic enzyme that is an important facilitator of cellular detoxification. Traditional dogma asserts that GSTπ functions to catalyze glutathione (GSH)-substrate conjunction to preserve the macromolecule upon exposure to oxidative stress, thus defending cells against various toxic compounds. Over the past 20 years, abnormal GSTπ expression has been linked to the occurrence of tumor resistance to chemotherapy drugs, demonstrating that this enzyme possesses functions beyond metabolism. This revelation reveals exciting possibilities in the realm of drug discovery, as GSTπ inhibitors and its prodrugs offer a feasible strategy in designing anticancer drugs with the primary purpose of reversing tumor resistance. In connection with the authors’ current research, we provide a review on the biological function of GSTπ and current developments in GSTπ-targeting drugs, as well as the prospects of future strategies. Keywords: tumor resistance, glutathione S-transferase pi, drug treatment

Cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CP) is one of the most common congenital malformations. Ultrasonographers involved in the routine 20-wk ultrasound screening could encounter these malformations. The face and palate develop in a very characteristic way. For ultrasonographers involved in screening these patients it is crucial to have a thorough understanding of the embryology of the face. This could help them to make a more accurate diagnosis and save time during the ultrasound. Subsequently, the current postnatal classification will be discussed to facilitate the communication with the CP teams.

We analyze the inverse problem to reconstruct the shape of a three dimensional homogeneous dielectric obstacle from the knowledge of noisy far field data. The forward problem is solved by a system of second kind boundary integral equations. For the numerical solution of these coupled integral equations we propose a fast spectral algorithm by transporting these equations onto the unit sphere. We review the differentiability properties of the boundary to far field operator and give a characterization of the adjoint operator of the first Fr��chet derivative. Using these results we discuss the implementation of the iteratively regularized Gauss-Newton method for the numerical solution of the inverse problem and give numerical results for star-shaped obstacles., 22 pages

Presentation of poster 569B at TAGC 2020 Online. Files include a PDF of the poster (lou_tagc_poster.pdf), a 10-minute video walkthrough of the poster material (lou_tagc_video.mp4), and an audio-only version of the walkthrough (lou_tagc_audio.m4a).

Evolve and resequence (E&R) experiments, in which artificial selection is imposed on organisms in a controlled environment, are becoming an increasingly accessible tool for studying the genetic basis of adaptation. Previous work has assessed how different experimental design parameters affect the power to detect the quantitative trait loci (QTLs) that underlie adaptive responses in such experiments, but so far there has been little exploration of how this power varies with the genetic architecture of the evolving traits. In this study, we use forward simulation to build a realistic model of an E&R experiment in which a quantitative polygenic trait experiences a short, but strong, episode of truncation selection. We study the expected power for QTL detection in such an experiment and how this power is influenced by different aspects of trait architecture, including the number of QTLs affecting the trait, their starting frequencies, effect sizes, clustering along a chromosome, dominance, and epistasis patterns. We show that all of the above parameters can affect allele frequency dynamics at the QTLs and linked loci in complex and often unintuitive ways, and thus influence our power to detect them. One consequence of this is that existing detection methods based on models of independent selective sweeps at individual QTLs often have lower detection power than a simple measurement of allele frequency differences before and after selection. Our findings highlight the importance of taking trait architecture into account in designing studies of molecular adaptation with temporal data. We provide a customizable modeling framework that will enable researchers to easily simulate E&R experiments with different trait architectures and parameters tuned to their specific study system, allowing for assessment of expected detection power and optimization of experimental design.

Since the promulgation of the Philippine Halal Export and Promotion Act in 2016, there has been no formal research conducted to assess its impact on the industry’s development. This study aimed to assess the status of the Philippine Halal Industry, identify opportunities and challenges, and formulate recommendations to further enhance and sustain growth of the Philippine Halal Industry instrumental to the creation of a national development plan. Following a qualitative research design, thematic, pattern and content analyses were applied. Findings from virtual focus group discussions with Halal exporters highlighted the current emerging state of the Halal Industry in the Philippines in terms of industry structure, changes in the nature of innovation and determinants of survival. The global demand for Halal products continued to prove promising even if confronted by significant challenges in terms of certification, quality assurance and inability to synchronize with the prevailing international standards. Government support infrastructure is necessary to sustain the industry’s development. Technological research and development with respect to quality assurance and traceability are necessary for the Philippine Food Halal Industry to prosper both in the domestic and export market.

This study aimed to identify the determinants of survival strategies of non-working individualas well as the development of a framework utilizing an Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) technique. The study was conducted in Davao Region with 110non-working individuals from different areas in the region as sample respondents. A questionnaire was the research instrument in the gathering of data and was presented to an examiner for content validity.Rotated component matrix discarded 17 items out of 30 and categorized the 13 remaining items into five dimensions. The determinants of survival strategies of non-working individuals revealed fivedifferent factors which include strengthen interpersonal attachment, availment of outreach programs, involvement on community celebration, supplication from public and adaptive to harsh or unpleasant environment.A framework of survival strategy was developed

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of liver cancer worldwide. Previously, we reported that cadherin-17 (CDH17) and its related CDH17/-catenin axis may be responsible for inducing HCC in a subset of patients exhibiting CDH17 over-expression. Here we aimed at obtaining a better understanding of the CDH17-related HCC biology and to obtain further indications for the design of targeted therapies in CDH17 over-expressing HCC patients. Results: We found that SPINK1 acts as a downstream effector of the CDH17/-catenin axis in HCC. In addition, we found that SPINK1 expression exhibited a positive correlation with CDH17 expression in human HCCs and was over-expressed in up to 70% of the tumors. We identified SPINK1 as a downstream effector of the CDH17/-catenin axis using a spectrum of in vitro assays, including gene expression modulation and inhibitor assays, bioinformatics analyses and luciferase reporter assays. These in vitro results were validated in primary human HCCs, including the observation that alteration in -catenin expression (a core component of the CDH17/-catenin axis) in tumors affects SPINK1 serum levels in HCC patients. Similar to CDH17, SPINK1 expression in HCC cells was found to be associated with specific tumor-related properties via activating the c-Raf/MEK/ERK pathway. Conclusions: Our current data substantiate our knowledge on the role of CDH17 in the biology of HCC and suggest that components of the CDH17/-catenin axis may serve as therapeutic targets in CDH17 over-expressing HCC patients.

Elevated blood pressure is a common, heritable cause of cardiovascular disease worldwide. To date, identification of common genetic variants influencing blood pressure has proven challenging. We tested 2.5 million genotyped and imputed SNPs for association with systolic and diastolic blood pressure in 34,433 subjects of European ancestry from the Global BPgen consortium and followed up findings with direct genotyping (N ≤ 71,225 European ancestry, N ≤ 12,889 Indian Asian ancestry) and in silico comparison (CHARGE consortium, N = 29,136). We identified association between systolic or diastolic blood pressure and common variants in eight regions near the CYP17A1 (P = 7 × 10(-24)), CYP1A2 (P = 1 × 10(-23)), FGF5 (P = 1 × 10(-21)), SH2B3 (P = 3 × 10(-18)), MTHFR (P = 2 × 10(-13)), c10orf107 (P = 1 × 10(-9)), ZNF652 (P = 5 × 10(-9)) and PLCD3 (P = 1 × 10(-8)) genes. All variants associated with continuous blood pressure were associated with dichotomous hypertension. These associations between common variants and blood pressure and hypertension offer mechanistic insights into the regulation of blood pressure and may point to novel targets for interventions to prevent cardiovascular disease.

To compare group counselling to individual counselling with respect to the second trimester ultrasound.A prospective cohort study at two hospitals.At one hospital, 100 pregnant women were counselled on the risks and benefits of the second trimester ultrasound in groups of up to 15 patients. Shortly before the ultrasound they were asked to fill out a questionnaire. Results were compared to 100 women who were counselled individually at another hospital. The primary outcome was the level of informed choice whether or not to undergo the ultrasound, defined as sufficient knowledge and a value-consistent decision. The secondary outcome measures were level of understanding of the second trimester ultrasound and the degree of satisfaction with the counselling.The resulting level of informed choice was 87.0% after group counselling compared to 79.4% after individual counselling (p = 0.47). The mean knowledge score was 8.8 for the women who attended group counselling; women who were individually counselled had a mean score of 7.4 (p0.001). Satisfaction with counselling was 7.0 for group counselling and 6.2 for individual counselling (p0.001).Although there was no statistically significant difference in the level of informed choice, group counselling was associated with higher post-counselling knowledge and satisfaction scores. Group counselling should therefore be considered as an alternative counselling method.

To test the fetal profile (FP) line, defined as the line that passes through the anterior border of the mandible and the nasion, as a reference line for forehead and mandible anomalies.Volumes of 248 normal and 24 pathological fetuses (16-36 and 19-37 weeks' gestation, respectively) were analysed retrospectively. When the FP line passes anteriorly, across or posteriorly to the frontal bone, this was defined as 'negative', 'zero' or 'positive', respectively. When the FP line was positive the distance (F distance) between the FP line and the frontal bone was measured.No cases with a negative FP line were found in the normal fetuses. Before 27 weeks' gestation the FP line was always 'zero' except in one case. After 27 weeks' gestation the FP line was 'positive' in up to 25% (F distance (mean, range): 2.8, 2.1-3.6 mm). The FP line correctly identified 13 cases with retrognathia, 5 cases with frontal bossing and 3 cases with a sloping forehead.Although large prospective studies are needed, the FP line may be a useful tool to detect second trimester profile anomalies such as retrognathia, sloping forehead and frontal bossing with the possibility of quantifying the latter.

Objectives To test the fetal profile (FP) line, defined as the line that passes through the anterior border of the mandible and the nasion, as a reference line for forehead and mandible anomalies. Methods Volumes of 248 normal and 24 pathological fetuses (1636 and 1937?weeks gestation, respectively) were analysed retrospectively. When the FP line passes anteriorly, across or posteriorly to the frontal bone, this was defined as negative, zero or positive, respectively. When the FP line was positive the distance (F distance) between the FP line and the frontal bone was measured. Results No cases with a negative FP line were found in the normal fetuses. Before 27?weeks gestation the FP line was always zero except in one case. After 27?weeks gestation the FP line was positive in up to 25% (F distance (mean, range): 2.8, 2.13.6?mm). The FP line correctly identified 13 cases with retrognathia, 5 cases with frontal bossing and 3 cases with a sloping forehead. Conclusion Although large prospective studies are needed, the FP line may be a useful tool to detect second trimester profile anomalies such as retrognathia, sloping forehead and frontal bossing with the possibility of quantifying the latter. (c) 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

In this paper, we investigate the existence and characterizations of the Fr��chet derivatives of the solution to time-harmonic elastic scattering problems with respect to the boundary of the obstacle. Our analysis is based on a technique - the factorization of the difference of the far-field pattern for two different scatterers - introduced by Kress and Pa��varinta to establish Fr��chet differentiability in acoustic scattering. For the Dirichlet boundary condition an alternative proof of a differentiability result due to Charalambopoulos is provided and new results are proven for the Neumann and impedance exterior boundary value problems.

In this paper we study the shape differentiability properties of a class of boundary integral operators and of potentials with weakly singular pseudo-homogeneous kernels acting between classical Sobolev spaces, with respect to smooth deformations of the boundary. We prove that the boundary integral operators are infinitely differentiable without loss of regularity. The potential operators are infinitely shape differentiable away from the boundary, whereas their derivatives lose regularity near the boundary. We study the shape differentiability of surface differential operators. The shape differentiability properties of the usual strongly singular or hypersingular boundary integral operators of interest in acoustic, elastodynamic or electromagnetic potential theory can then be established by expressing them in terms of integral operators with weakly singular kernels and of surface differential operators.

We develop the shape derivative analysis of solutions to the problem of scattering of time-harmonic electromagnetic waves by a bounded penetrable obstacle. Since boundary integral equations are a classical tool to solve electromagnetic scattering problems, we study the shape differentiability properties of the standard electromagnetic boundary integral operators. The latter are typically bounded on the space of tangential vector fields of mixed regularity $TH\sp{-1/2}(\Div_��,��)$. Using Helmholtz decomposition, we can base their analysis on the study of pseudo-differential integral operators in standard Sobolev spaces, but we then have to study the G��teaux differentiability of surface differential operators. We prove that the electromagnetic boundary integral operators are infinitely differentiable without loss of regularity. We also give a characterization of the first shape derivative of the solution of the dielectric scattering problem as a solution of a new electromagnetic scattering problem., arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1002.1541

Although psychosocial concerns of patients with sickle cell disease have been described, these descriptions are based primarily on experience with adolescents and children. In addition, there is an absence of reports on sickle cell groups specifically designed for adult patients. This article reports on the development of an adult sickle cell support group and provides a description of the psychosocial factors most prevalent in patients' lives. Major adjustment difficulties for group members included increasing anxiety about death, the disruption of their social support network, disability, dependence on pain medication, and conflicts with health care providers. This community-based support group enhanced participants' knowledge about sickle cell disease, improved the physician-patient relationship, and helped resolve psychosocial adjustment problems.

We develop the shape derivative analysis of solutions to the problem of scattering of time-harmonic electromagnetic waves by a bounded penetrable obstacle. Since boundary integral equations are a classical tool to solve electromagnetic scattering problems, we study the shape differentiability properties of the standard electromagnetic boundary integral operators. Using Helmholtz decomposition, we can base their analysis on the study of scalar integral operators in standard Sobolev spaces, but we then have to study the G��teaux differentiability of surface differential operators. We prove that the electromagnetic boundary integral operators are infinitely differentiable without loss of regularity and that the solutions of the scattering problem are infinitely shape differentiable away from the boundary of the obstacle, whereas their derivatives lose regularity on the boundary. We also give a characterization of the first shape derivative as a solution of a new electromagnetic scattering problem.

The interface problem describing the scattering of time-harmonic electromagnetic waves by a dielectric body is often formulated as a pair of coupled boundary integral equations for the electric and magnetic current densities on the interface $��$. In this paper, following an idea developed by Kleinman and Martin \cite{KlMa} for acoustic scattering problems, we consider methods for solving the dielectric scattering problem using a single integral equation over $��$ for a single unknown density. One knows that such boundary integral formulations of the Maxwell equations are not uniquely solvable when the exterior wave number is an eigenvalue of an associated interior Maxwell boundary value problem. We obtain four different families of integral equations for which we can show that by choosing some parameters in an appropriate way, they become uniquely solvable for all real frequencies. We analyze the well-posedness of the integral equations in the space of finite energy on smooth and non-smooth boundaries.

A computer-based Empirically Validated Task Analysis (EVTA) of Canadian Forces light observation helicopter operations was conducted from video records of cockpit activity gathered during flight. The task analysis was performed in order to provide data for function analysis and workload prediction studies in support of the Canadian Forces Light Helicopter replacement project. Observable behaviors were categorized according to the type of activity involved and communications were analysed for content, agencies involved, and relevance to the crew's task. The results of this study indicate that data gathered from a controlled test environment can differ considerably from those obtained in operational settings and that miniature video cameras can be useful in obtaining information from environments which hitherto may have been inaccessible to all but operational personnel.

0 rthodontists have always been aware of the need for root control when a tooth is being moved through bone. I-3 However, of the early men, Case seemed to understand best the mechanics of root control, and he devised sophisticated appliances that attempted to shift coronally applied forces apically. He also denounced the many orthodontists who held the belief that a mysterious “developing force” rather than adequate mechanics would move the tooth roots into proper alignment with their crowns.” Physiologic implications of improper root control were drawn by Reitan” to increased root resorption and by Cianelly and Goldman6 to diminished vascular supply to the alveolar crest area. Sleichte? also linked tipping mechanics to increased hyalinization of the periodontal membrane, while Hixon and associates8 believed it to lead to possible blunting of the alveolar crest. In an effort to learn more concerning root control and force-distribution levels in the periodontal membrane during orthodontic force application, much research has been done with tooth-alveolar bone simulations or tooth models. Early investigators considered the tooth in its alveolus as a stick in wet plaster and attempted to draw meaningful conclusions pertaining to the human alveolus.g Later Schwartz,1o followed by Synge,ll set up mathematical models to determine a tooth’s axis of rotation. A mathematical model was also used by Burstone12 in an attempt to determine the center of resistance of a single-rooted tooth with a parabolic shape. This was followed by Jarabak and FizzelW mathematical explanations of tooth movement, about which they stated : “The ability to describe the mechanism of translation mathematically does not guarantee its feasibility.” Physical tooth models became more sophisticated, as seen by Zak’s14 tooth model utilizing photoelasticity for the first time in orthodontic research. Models of many other types were constructed and studied, but they all provided a very poor simulation of an actual human tooth in its alveolus with actual orthodontic appliances acting on it. IB-lR More recently, Davidian,lg with a computer model, found the theoretical center of rotation of a, maxillary central incisor to be be

We have devised a transit dose technique for fast neutron therapy treatment planning based on the 16O(n, p)16N reaction in recirculating water, and have determined the effect of simulated bone and lung inhomogeneities in phantom. An effective threshold of 10.2 MeV in the 16O(n, p) reaction is exploited to detect transmitted neutrons without the need detector collimation. This system has been demonstrated with 14 MeV (d, T) neutrons and with cyclotron produced p(42) + Be neutrons. 16N decays to the 6.13 MeV excited states of 16O in 7.14 s, allowing for easy identification by NaI(T1) and for rapid recirculation. The transmission of fast neutrons can thus be related to an effective thickness of soft tissue, providing a rapid and direct measure of the effects of inhomogeneities under actual treatment conditions, with the 10 MeV threshold providing a useful degree of insensitivity to multiply scattered neutrons. Equivalent thickness of compact bone and lung relative to water were found to be 1.4 and 0.34 respectively, closely resembling the effective thicknesses for Cobalt-60 gamma rays.

Sida; Transmissió; Atenció social AIDS; Transmission; Social care Sida; Transmisión; Atención social Aquesta nova Guia sobre la infecció pel VIH i la sida a l’atenció primària vol ser una eina útil i facilitadora per als professionals del primer nivell assistencial a l’hora d’establir estratègies preventives i actuacions clíniques relacionades amb la infecció pel VIH amb la finalitat de contribuir a la millora de l’atenció a les persones afectades.