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Tree species diversity and stand structure investigations were conducted in the forest patches of Barangay Baganihan (site 1) and Mt. Malambo in Barangay Datu Salumay (site 2), Marilog District, Southern Philippines. Thirty-three 20 × 20 m plots were established at 1,197-1,345 masl in the sites. A total of 900 individuals belonging to 33 families, 43 genera, and 65 species of trees were recorded. Analyses of data revealed that the two sites could be categorised as montane forests based on the forest structure and species composition. Palaquium philippense (Perr.) C.B. Rob., Syzygium tula (Merr.) Merr., and Astrocalyx calycina (S.Vidal) Merr. obtained the highest species importance value index in site 1, while Palaquium sp., P. philippense, and Lithocarpus caudatifolius (Merr.) Rehder in site 2. Shannon-Weiner indices (H’) in sites 1 and 2 are relatively low with H’ = 1.22 and H’ = 1.38, respectively. A total of eight threatened species were recorded, viz., A. calycina as endangered; Agathis philippinensis Warb., Becarianthus pulcherrimus (Merr.) Maxw., Camellia lanceolata (Blume) Seem., Dillenia megalantha Merr., P. philippense and Shorea contorta S.Vidal as vulnerable; and Cinnamomum mercadoi S.Vidal as other threatened species. A total of 14 endemic species of trees were also recorded in the study sites. The biodiversity in the two sites is under severe threat due to the different anthropogenic disturbances. A new population of A. calycina, a monotypic genus in the Philippines, was collected and the flowers were documented for the first time after a century. The present study is significant since it would help elucidate the patterns of tree species composition and diversity in the forest patches of Barangay Baganihan and Mt. Malambo in Barangay Datu Salumay. Further, this paper adds to the rich biological diversity in Mt. Malambo by supporting its great potential as an ecotourism site.

Academic performance is an essential component of the constellation of factors that determine student success. It also plays a vital role in education, primarily as a concrete tool for evaluating the learning process of a student. Psychologists and researchers have utilized a variety of personality, attitude, cognitive style, and ability assessments to determine how students differ in processing, retaining, and retrieving learning information. Academic success is dependent on a positive learning experience. To achieve their learning goals, students regularly engage in activities such as reading, taking notes, and leading study groups. It can be categorized as either effective or ineffective based on the extent to which it assists the students. Thus, study habits provide dedicated and uninterrupted time for the pursuit of knowledge [1]. This determines the academic success of a student. Among the most important criteria for evaluating academic performance are study habits and attitudes. Good study habits are important in the lives of students [2]. They concluded that each student's success or failure is contingent on their study habits. Additionally, their success is contingent upon their skill, intelligence, and effort. There is a significant positive correlation between the students' good study habits, including homework completion, class participation, time management, concentration, and effort, and their academic performance [3]. Online instruction, correspondence courses, television, and the multimedia package format are all viable methods of education. Frequently, students enrolled in distance education programs face unforeseen increases in responsibilities and physiological, emotional, psychological, and social concerns. Because they lack the support of an immediate peer group, an instructor, or experience with the technology used to supply distance learning materials, online learning students, particularly novices, may find it difficult to comprehend the requirements of university study. According to surveys, individuals who are doubtful of their learning capacity choose to memorize information to finish projects and pass tests now that distant learning and remote teaching have become the standard. Students often have poor academic achievement due to their inability to comprehend the topic. Additionally, study habits add to the efficacy of this distant learning. To design a learning policy, the researchers propose determining the study habits of student nurses to reflect the lived experiences of PHINMA University of Pangasinan Nursing students in distant learning under the new norm. By doing so, we may develop a more effective plan, identify the students' study habits that influence their academic performance, and design activities that assist them to become more academically prepared. Key words: Distance Learning, Covid-19, Learning Policy, Challenges, Grieving

Background This trial investigated the hypothesis that the treatment with trabectedin/PLD (TP) to extend the platinum-free interval (TFIp) can improve overall survival (OS) in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer (OC). Methods Patients with OC (up to two previous platinum-based lines), with a TFIp of 6–12 months, were randomised to receive carboplatin/PLD (CP) or TP followed by platinum therapy at relapse. The primary endpoint was OS (HR: 0.75). Results The study enrolled 617 patients. The median TFIp was 8.3 months and 30.3% of patients had received two previous platinum lines. 74% and 73.9% of patients, respectively, received a subsequent therapy (ST) in the CP and TP arm; in the latter TP arm 87.2% of ST was platinum-based, as per protocol. The median OS was 21.4 for CP and 21.9 months for TP (HR 1.13; 95% CI: 0.94–1.35; p = 0.197). Grade 3–5 adverse reactions occurred in 37.1% of patients in the CP arm and 69.7% of patients in the TP arm, and the most frequent were neutropenia (22.8% CP, 39.5% TP), gastrointestinal (7.1% CP, 17.4% TP), hepatic (0.7% CP, 19.1% TP). Conclusions This study did not meet the primary endpoint. CP combination remains the standard for patients with recurrent OC and a 6–12 months TFIp; TP is an effective treatment in patients suffering from persistent platinum toxicities. Clinical trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01379989.

Amyema are epiphytic hemiparasitic plants on different types of woody host plants and are abundant in temperate, subtropical, and tropical regions. In Marilog Forest Reserve, Southern Philippines, two Philippine endemic species of Amyema were recorded, viz., Amyema curranii (Merr.) Danser and A. seriata (Merr.) Barlow. In this study, these two species were compared and examined for their morphology and anatomy. Data revealed that the two Amyema species are morphologically distinct, with A. curranii having lanceolate leaves, pink flowers and red fruits, whereas A. seriata has obovate leaves, red flowers, and red fruits. For the morpho-anatomy, A. curranii has a single-layered epidermis, paracytic stomata, collateral open vascular bundles, the Eustele type of stele with pith at the centre, and the inferior free central type with a hairy ovary wall. Meanwhile, A. seriata has a pinkish, single-layered epidermis, paracytic stomata, collateral open vascular bundles, a eustele type of stele with the presence of pith at the centre, and an inferior free central ovary type. As a result, employing these species’ gross morphology and anatomy could scrutinise future evaluations and taxonomic placements.

A new species of weevil under the genus Eupyrgops (Berg, 1898) of the family Curculionidae is discovered on the Salacafe Trail going to Lake Holon, Mt. Melibengoy, T’boli, South Cotabato, Philippines. The genus Eupyrgops is poorly known in the Philippines. There are only 11 species recorded. However, these species were only recorded on Luzon Island. Thus, making this new species a new and lone record in Mindanao, would update the list to 12 species. The new species was collected in an opportunistic manner last May 16-18, 2022. The new species Eupyrgops almae sp. nov. has a resemblance with Eupyrgops mitorajii (Alessandro Bramanti, Andrea Bramanti and Rukmane Barbale, 2020) from Luzon. This single (female holotype) specimen was deposited at the zoology section of the CMU – University Museum as a repository of the vertebrate and invertebrate fauna of Mindanao.

Clothing damage analysis is an important tool for forensic investigations and, even it is a niche field, it is gaining interest. Moreover, the attention is shifting from evaluating just the “biological” traces found on the clothes to the modifications that clothes themselves undergo in the context of a specific traumatic dynamic. The Authors analyze a case of the investigation on a hole in the jacket worn by the victim when he was attacked, performed through optical microscope and morphological and elemental SEM/EDX analysis, to determine the origin of this texture damage to verify a witness story.

This integrative literature review was conducted to assess the compliance to community infection control standards during the Covid-19 pandemic. As countries struggle to contain Covid-19 and its effects on social and economic aspects of life, non-pharmacologic interventions are seen as a viable option to mitigate the pandemic. This review aims to explore the level and extent to which the community perform health practices as well as the factors that affect compliance to these preventive measures. A systematic search of literatures that was published during 2020 and 2021 that addressed the health practice towards mitigating this pandemic as well as their compliance was included in this literature review. Whittemore and Knafl’s procedure in conducting integrative literature review was utilized. After critical appraisal of these literatures using the Quality Assessment Tool for Qualitative Studies, 4 studies were then included. Overall, studies reveal that health practices to mitigate Covid-19 are highly practiced. This finding is relation to the adequate knowledge of the community towards these preventive measures. However, despite having enough knowledge and awareness on the various information regarding the existence of the Coronavirus disease, the people in the community still need to enhance their knowledge along COVID 19 issues to minimize the risk of having the virus. Key words: Compliance, Community, Infection Control Standards, Covid-19.

Nurses may be regarded as modern-day superheroes, but realistically, they are humans too. They experience joy, gratitude, fear, and anxiety just like normal human beings. With this pandemic, nurses are exposed to psychological stress. Healthcare staff, specifically nurses, experience a plethora of psychological distress during the care of COVID-19 patients. Identifying factors that affect nurses' mental health during the care of these patients can be an advantage in mitigating the psychological burden that they are experiencing. [1] This study described the ER nurses' lived experiences about being in the frontline despite their comorbidities. The study applied a qualitative method using Husserlian phenomenology. The researchers adopted the purposive sampling approach in selecting the ten participants to achieved data saturation. The process involved in the collection of data was through individual interviews. The criteria of the selection of participants are: must be registered nurse, a nurse working at the emergency room of the four hospitals in Candon City, Ilocos Sur; with a minimum work experience of 6 months in the facility; between ages 40 to 60 years of age; regular employee; and with comorbidity. Key words: lived-experiences, emergency room nurses, comorbidity, amid pandemic.

The brooding reef-building octocoral Heliopora is widespread on Indo-West Pacific reefs and appears to be relatively resistant to thermal stress, which may enable it to persist locally while scleractinians diminish under Anthropocene conditions. However, basic physiological measurements of “blue corals” are lacking and prevent their inclusion in trait-based studies. We address this by quantifying rates (mean ± SE) of linear extension (0.86 ± 0.05 cm yr−1) and skeletal density (2.01 ± 0.06 g cm−3) to estimate calcification rates (0.87 ± 0.08 g cm−2 yr−1) for the small branching/columnar morphology of Heliopora coerulea. We postulate that H. coerulea may become an increasingly important reef-builder under ocean warming due to its relative resistance to thermal stress and high skeletal density that make colonies less vulnerable to storm damage under ocean acidification. Moreover, Heliopora corals are likely dispersal limited suggesting they may be an underappreciated genus for restoration of stress-tolerant reef-building capacity on degraded reefs.

Patients with COVID-19 may experience multiple conditions (e.g., fever, hyperventilation, anorexia, gastroenteritis, acid-base disorder) that may cause electrolyte imbalances. Hypokalemia is a concerning electrolyte disorder that may increase the susceptibility to various kinds of arrhythmia. This study aimed to estimate prevalence, risk factors and outcome of hypokalemia in a cohort of non-critically ill patients. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 290 hospitalized patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection at the tertiary teaching hospital of Modena, Italy.Hypokalemia (Hypokalemia is a frequent disorder in COVID-19 patients and urinary potassium loss may be the main cause of hypokalemia. The disorder was mild in the majority of the patients and was unrelated to poor outcomes. Nevertheless, hypokalemic patients required potassium supplements to dampen the risk of arrhythmias.

The uptake of the current concept of chronic kidney disease (CKD) by the public, physicians and health authorities is low. Physicians still mix up CKD with chronic kidney insufficiency or failure. In a recent manuscript, only 23% of participants in a cohort of persons with CKD had been diagnosed by their physicians as having CKD while 29% has a diagnosis of cancer and 82% had a diagnosis of hypertension. For the wider public and health authorities, CKD evokes kidney replacement therapy (KRT). In Spain, the prevalence of KRT is 0.13%. A prevalent view is that for those in whom kidneys fail, the problem is ``solved'' by dialysis or kidney transplantation. However, the main burden of CKD is accelerated aging and all-cause and cardiovascular premature death. CKD is the most prevalent risk factor for lethal COVID-19 and the factor that most increases the risk of death in COVID-19, after old age. Moreover, men and women undergoing KRT still have an annual mortality which is 10-100-fold higher than similar age peers, and life expectancy is shortened by around 40 years for young persons on dialysis and by 15 years for young persons with a functioning kidney graft. CKD is expected to become the fifth global cause of death by 2040 and the second cause of death in Spain before the end of the century, a time when 1 in 4 Spaniards will have CKD. However, by 2022, CKD will become the only top-15 global predicted cause of death that is not supported by a dedicated well-funded CIBER network research structure in Spain. Leading Spanish kidney researchers grouped in the kidney collaborative research network REDINREN have now applied for the RICORS call of collaborative research in Spain with the support of the Spanish Society of Nephrology, ALCER and ONT: RICORS2040 aims to prevent the dire predictions for the global 2040 burden of CKD from becoming true. However, only the highest level of research funding through the CIBER will allow to adequately address the issue before it is too late. (C) 2021 Sociedad Espanola de Nefrologia. Published by Elsevier Espana, S.L.U.

Dapar MLG, Lagumbay AJD, Parcon J, Tubongbanua Jr. RM, Amoroso VB. 2021. Assessment of fish species richness and physicochemical parameters of Mt. Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary river systems in Mindanao, Philippines. Intl J Bonorowo Wetlands 11: 58-68. Being a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Mt. Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary (MHRWS) is an exceptional area of diverse flora and fauna with conservation concerns. MHRWS river systems provide significant spawning and nursery grounds for freshwater fishes. However, anthropogenic activities may result in the degradation of fish habitats which calls for conservation. This study provides an updated assessment of the fish diversity of selected MHRWS river systems and recommends policies for the proper management of the rivers and riparian ecosystems. An inventory of fish species and an assessment of the physicochemical parameters were conducted in the three river systems of Mt. Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary. A series of line transect of 100 m were established along the banks of the three rivers in three sampling stations (upstream, midstream, and downstream). Results showed that Dumagooc River has the highest number of fish species compared to Maug and Banahaw River. Generally, the species richness increased from upstream to downstream. The high species richness observed upstream and midstream is due to the presence of an intact forest with areas far from human disturbances. A total of 31 species in 11 families comprising 121 individuals were collected and identified. Of these, one endemic species, 29 native species and two introduced species were identified, representing 4.16% of 48 species recorded in the country. As to the physicochemical characteristics of the three river systems, the results showed that the temperature, pH, NTU and DO values of the sampling sites are within the minimum acceptable limit to be considered as within the standards for class AA, A, and B rivers.

This study focused on identifying the level of disaster preparedness of elementary schools in Coastal District of the Division of Batangas City. The variables considered were the of the conduct of activities on disaster preparedness in terms of earthquake, fire, landslide and typhoon. The study also identified the assessment of the respondents’ involvement in the conduct of activities on disaster preparedness in relation to earthquake, fire, landslide and typhoon. This study also identified the constraints encountered in the conduct of activities for disaster preparedness. At the end of the study, an action plan was then formulated. The descriptive method of research was adopted with the aid of a researcher-made questionnaire as the primary tool in gathering data. Seventy- seven teachers served as the respondents of the study. Based from the findings of the study, most of the teacher-respondents conduct activities to a very great extent in terms of disaster preparedness. The teachers were greatly involved in the preparation and crafting of an effective contingency plan. Majority of the teacher respondents slightly disagree on the presented constraints in the preparation and execution of the activities for disaster preparedness. The output of the study was a proposed action plan that could help the school and the community especially the pupils and the teachers by providing them a variety of activities, projects and information about the proper responses, preparation and mitigation in terms of disaster.

This study aimed to promote volunteerism among educational stakeholders to support public secondary school programs in the Division of Batangas City. It determined the projects, activities and programs (PAP’s) undertaken by the public schools that need the assistance of the stakeholders, and the extent of the stakeholders’ support along school affairs- its organizational set and policies, projects and activities, student services and facilities. It also delved about the problems met by the public schools in promoting volunteerism among their stakeholders. The study made use of descriptive method with the survey questionnaire, interview and documentary analysis as data gathering instruments. The respondents were 18 school heads, 258 teachers and 74 parents of the 18 public secondary schools. The study revealed that the respondents often supported school projects, activities and programs undertaken by the school. Extra-curricular activities for music and arts were seldom supported. Educational stakeholders also supported school organization set up, policies, school projects, student services and school facilities to a great extent. The main problem encountered in the promotion of volunteerism among stakeholders was that many of the community people come from low-income families thus they hardly provide financial assistance to school which was rated moderately serious.

The Duanshi coal mine is a private, small-size producer and one of >1000 Chinese underground coal mines that pre-drain CMM prior to mining to prevent explosions, capture, and utilize fugitive gas. The coal mine opened in 2008 and employed in-seam auger-drilled boreholes to capture CMM and use as required by the China Emission Standard to curb CH4 emission, which is one of the most potent GHG. As drilling technology advanced, the coal mine used in-seam horizontal directional drilling in 2017 to boost capture of higher quality CMM for utilization but was hampered by technical and geological challenges. Deformation of Pennsylvanian–Permian coal-bearing rocks in the southern Qinshui Basin restricted horizontal directional drilling in the coal mine. The target No. 3 coal seam of the Permian Shanxi Formation is tightly folded into an asymmetrical, northward plunging syncline in the mine area, which requires designing innovative strategies for implementing drilling. Also, the “tight reservoir” (impermeable) property of the No. 3 coal makes recovery of high-volume and -quality CMM difficult. These technical and geological conditions were revealed as causes of the increasing trend in China's total CH4 emission, which is 1.1 ± 0.4 Tg CH4/yr from 2010 to 2015, specifically attributed to underground coal mining (Miller et al., 2019). The increase indicates that CMM drainage and utilization regulations have not curbed growing CH4 emission from underground coal mines. We conclude that our study of advancing CMM drainage technology and use in the Duanshi coal mine could serve as an example for China's small and medium mine operators of underground coal mines that suffer similar technical and geological challenges.

PURPOSE Operable triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) have a higher risk of relapse than non-TNBCs with standard therapy. The GEICAM/2003-11_CIBOMA/2004-01 trial explored extended adjuvant capecitabine after completion of standard chemotherapy in patients with early TNBC. PATIENTS AND METHODS Eligible patients were those with operable, node-positive-or node negative with tumor 1 cm or greater-TNBC, with prior anthracycline- and/or taxane-containing chemotherapy. After central confirmation of TNBC status by immunohistochemistry, patients were randomly assigned to either capecitabine or observation. Stratification factors included institution, prior taxane-based therapy, involved axillary lymph nodes, and centrally determined phenotype (basal v nonbasal, according to cytokeratins 5/6 and/or epidermal growth factor receptor positivity by immunohistochemistry). The primary objective was to compare disease-free survival (DFS) between both arms. RESULTS Eight hundred seventy-six patients were randomly assigned to capecitabine (n = 448) or observation (n = 428). Median age was 49 years, 55.9% were lymph node negative, 73.9% had a basal phenotype, and 67.5% received previous anthracyclines plus taxanes. Median length of follow-up was 7.3 years. DFS was not significantly prolonged with capecitabine versus observation [hazard ratio (HR), 0.82; 95% CI, 0.63 to 1.06; P = .136]. In a preplanned subgroup analysis, nonbasal patients seemed to derive benefit from the addition of capecitabine with a DFS HR of 0.53 versus 0.94 in those with basal phenotype (interaction test P = .0694) and an HR for overall survival of 0.42 versus 1.23 in basal phenotype (interaction test P = .0052). Tolerance of capecitabine was as expected, with 75.2% of patients completing the planned 8 cycles. CONCLUSION This study failed to show a statistically significant increase in DFS by adding extended capecitabine to standard chemotherapy in patients with early TNBC. In a preplanned subset analysis, patients with nonbasal phenotype seemed to obtain benefit with capecitabine, although this will require additional validation. (C) 2019 by American Society of Clinical Oncology

PURPOSE Operable triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) have a higher risk of relapse than non-TNBCs with standard therapy. The GEICAM/2003-11_CIBOMA/2004-01 trial explored extended adjuvant capecitabine after completion of standard chemotherapy in patients with early TNBC. PATIENTS AND METHODS Eligible patients were those with operable, node-positive-or node negative with tumor 1 cm or greater-TNBC, with prior anthracycline- and/or taxane-containing chemotherapy. After central confirmation of TNBC status by immunohistochemistry, patients were randomly assigned to either capecitabine or observation. Stratification factors included institution, prior taxane-based therapy, involved axillary lymph nodes, and centrally determined phenotype (basal v nonbasal, according to cytokeratins 5/6 and/or epidermal growth factor receptor positivity by immunohistochemistry). The primary objective was to compare disease-free survival (DFS) between both arms. RESULTS Eight hundred seventy-six patients were randomly assigned to capecitabine (n = 448) or observation (n = 428). Median age was 49 years, 55.9% were lymph node negative, 73.9% had a basal phenotype, and 67.5% received previous anthracyclines plus taxanes. Median length of follow-up was 7.3 years. DFS was not significantly prolonged with capecitabine versus observation [hazard ratio (HR), 0.82; 95% CI, 0.63 to 1.06; P = .136]. In a preplanned subgroup analysis, nonbasal patients seemed to derive benefit from the addition of capecitabine with a DFS HR of 0.53 versus 0.94 in those with basal phenotype (interaction test P = .0694) and an HR for overall survival of 0.42 versus 1.23 in basal phenotype (interaction test P = .0052). Tolerance of capecitabine was as expected, with 75.2% of patients completing the planned 8 cycles. CONCLUSION This study failed to show a statistically significant increase in DFS by adding extended capecitabine to standard chemotherapy in patients with early TNBC. In a preplanned subset analysis, patients with nonbasal phenotype seemed to obtain benefit with capecitabine, although this will require additional validation. (C) 2019 by American Society of Clinical Oncology

freshwater fish, introduced, native, turbidity, water quality

The study aimed to propose a comprehensive management plan for the Alternative Learning System (ALS) program in the Division of Batangas City. The study used descriptive method of research using a researcher-constructed questionnaire, interview, and Focus Group Discussion (FGD). It involved 30 ALS implementers and 350 ALS graduates from CY 2009 to CY 2013 selected through stratified random sampling. Results showed that among the ALS program offerings, Literacy Volunteer Program and Balik-Paaralan Para sa Out-of-School Adults (BPOSA) were extremely evident. Lecture-demonstration as a teaching strategy was most often utilized by the ALS implementers. The classrooms for ALS instruction and the learning modules were very much adequate for ALS instruction. The paper and pencil test was very much applicable to the type of ALS learners. The data revealed that 221 of the 350 respondents were studying in the different colleges and universities and in TESDA while 129 ALS graduates were already working in the different firms or industries. From the results, the researcher based the output of the study which is a proposed comprehensive management plan that may help strengthen the ALS program in the division and benefit stakeholders such as ALS implementers, Local Government Units, DepEd/school officials, and ALS learners.

The study aims to find a formula in solving for the higher-order derivative of the trigonometric function f(x) = sin bx, where b ≠ 0, that is, where . The formulas derived are and , where , for odd and even – order derivatives, respectively. Formulas were derived with the use of geometric sequence and verified through the Principle of Mathematical Induction (PMI). Special properties of high-order derivatives of the said function were determined which lead to generate some corollaries and verified by direct proof. These corollaries help us to understand the behavior of the said trigonometric function once differentiated. There are researches in Physics studying and examining the concept of trampolines and theme park roller coasters with the help high-order derivatives. They are using the term acceleration, jerk, snap or jounce, crackle and pop for 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th derivatives, correspondingly. Thus, the findings of this study could be of help in further studies in physics, chemistry, electronics, engineering, finance and economics, and other fields.

This study aimed to promote volunteerism among educational stakeholders to support public secondary school programs in the Division of Batangas City. It determined the projects, activities and programs (PAP’s) undertaken by the public schools that need the assistance of the stakeholders, and the extent of the stakeholders’ support along school affairs- its organizational set and policies, projects and activities, student services and facilities. It also delved about the problems met by the public schools in promoting volunteerism among their stakeholders. The study made use of descriptive method with the survey questionnaire, interview and documentary analysis as data gathering instruments. The respondents were 18 school heads, 258 teachers and 74 parents of the 18 public secondary schools. The study revealed that the respondents often supported school projects, activities and programs undertaken by the school. Extra-curricular activities for music and arts were seldom supported. Educational stakeholders also supported school organization set up, policies, school projects, student services and school facilities to a great extent. The main problem encountered in the promotion of volunteerism among stakeholders was that many of the community people come from low-income families thus they hardly provide financial assistance to school which was rated moderately serious.

Coral beaching due to increasing sea surface temperature causes a decline of global reef ecosystems. Turbidity and sedimentation are localized threats that may contribute to and exacerbate the impacts of coral bleaching. Some reports show coral communities thriving in turbid conditions are resilient to bleaching-related mortality events. In the Philippines, information on the effects of turbidity and elevated levels of light attenuation on bleaching in coral assemblages is generally lacking. This study describes the response to coral bleaching of a turbid reef in Buluan Island Marine Sanctuary (BIMS), southern Philippines. Coral cover and diversity showed no changes after the bleaching event. Coral community composition and abundance in some genera were affected but the majority showed either no significant change or recovery to pre-bleaching state even with high bleaching index values. The dominance and presence of bleaching-susceptible genera even after the 2016 global bleaching event suggest that turbidity experienced in BIMS might have reduced the impact of intense irradiance on the reef. Findings from this study indicate the potential existence of turbid resilient reefs across the Philippines and recommend that they be immediately identified and protected.

Southeast Asia is replete with Cenozoic sedimentary coal-bearing basins. These basins can be grouped into five regions: northern Sundaland, southern Sundaland, the Philippine archipelago, western Myanmar and eastern Indonesia. Only the first three are discussed in this paper. Each of the three areas has unique coal basin properties as a result of differing tectonic, palaeogeographic, palaeoclimatic and depositional histories. The most significant coal deposits of SE Asia formed in large sedimentary basins within the Neogene in southern Sundaland (the islands of Borneo and Sumatra) over extensive coastal plains, in a regressive setting, and multiple seams of > 5 m thickness are widespread. Locally much thicker seams have developed. Typically, the coal deposits have low ash yield and sulphur contents. In contrast the interior coal deposits of northern Sundaland formed within small disconnected grabens and half grabens, with continental fill, and were not influenced by marine base level changes. The coal deposits are areally restricted. Coal thickness is variable, with one or two main seams, up to 6 to 20 m when well developed, but there are locally much thicker coal-dominated stratigraphic intervals. The ash yields are usually moderate to high and sulphur contents are variable, often high. Coal within the basins of the Philippine archipelago typically has similar coal quality to the coal deposits of southern Sundaland with variable coal rank but the deposits are not extensive, being limited by basin size and structural complexity. Southern Sundaland has had the least change palaeogeographically, residing mainly within ± 10° of the equator. Its palaeoclimate has remained conducive to ever-wet conditions, the climate most favourable for peat formation, throughout the Cenozoic. Northern Sundaland (i.e. SE Asian continental) has consistently resided > 10° north of the equator throughout all of the Cenozoic. The palaeoclimate was therefore tropical but probably monsoonal with significant annual dry periods. These conditions are not the most conducive to peat formation. In contrast to the Sundaland basins, the Philippine archipelago had less tectonic stability and has a complex palaeogeographic history with some regions passing through equatorial areas (and climates) while others were always north of the equator. The tectonic and depositional histories of the three regions are unique and contributed to the character of the resultant coal. Basins in northern Sundaland were most affected by the collision of India with the Asian continent during the Palaeogene. Syn -rift basins formed within continental crust resulting in small, mainly disconnected basins which were filled with coarse but generally fining up sequences containing coal seams and sediments of freshwater lacustrine and fluvial origin. The basins did not develop beyond the syn -rift phase, being constrained by the intra-continental setting and probably the stresses from the India-Eurasia collision. The southern margin of Sundaland also was affected by Palaeogene extension resulting in the development of small syn -rift basins containing a similar initial sequence to northern Sundaland. However, after the initial rifting much larger wider basins formed. This probably reflects major differences in the fundamental crustal architecture and lithosphere between northern and southern Sundaland. The initial syn -rift (and early post-rift) rock units were eventually transgressed by marine sediments. Later basin inversion and mountain uplift in the hinterland provided a sediment source for the deposition of widespread fluvial-deltaic and coastal plain sediments. Areally extensive peat mires then formed, within a regressive sedimentary sequence. The tectonic development of the Philippine archipelago is extremely complex. The archipelago is composed of modern and ancient island arcs and merged continental fragments. Various rifting and amalgamation of micro continental fragments had resulted in a plethora of small coal-bearing basins most of which are dissected and structurally disturbed. Southern Sundaland (i.e. the islands of Sumatra and Borneo) has the most extensive coal deposits in SE Asia. During the Cenozoic the region had the right sequence of tectonic events, palaeogeography, and palaeoclimate. Laterally extensive coal seams developed during the Eocene in southeast and central Kalimantan (Borneo) in an early post-rift setting under conditions of relative marine transgression. By the Middle Miocene the basins of southern Sundaland were experiencing a depositional setting with palaeogeographic and palaeoclimatic conditions that were conducive for the development of widespread and thick ombrogenous peat mires, which resulted in the formation of vitrinite-rich coals with low ash yields and low sulphur contents. The combination of large basins that quickly infilled to base level, an ever-wet climate, and a depositional setting where peat mires could form and be preserved resulted in the formation of areally extensive and thick coal deposits from the Middle Miocene through to the Pliocene. Although there are locally significant coal deposits in northern Sundaland, the depositional setting was within small continental-fill syn -rift grabens, many with a lacustrine environment, in a seasonally drier palaeoclimate than southern Sundaland. Development of peat mires was not areally extensive, and the coal seams have higher ash yields and sulphur contents, and a locally higher content of liptinite macerals. Coal deposits in the Philippine archipelago developed under broadly similar palaeoclimates to southern Sundaland, with a similar range of coal qualities. However, the structural complexity and limited areal extent of many of the coal deposits reflects the tectonic complexity during and after the period of coal formation.

The study aimed to propose a comprehensive management plan for the Alternative Learning System (ALS) program in the Division of Batangas City. The study used descriptive method of research using a researcher-constructed questionnaire, interview, and Focus Group Discussion (FGD). It involved 30 ALS implementers and 350 ALS graduates from CY 2009 to CY 2013 selected through stratified random sampling. Results showed that among the ALS program offerings, Literacy Volunteer Program and Balik-Paaralan Para sa Out-of-School Adults (BPOSA) were extremely evident. Lecture-demonstration as a teaching strategy was most often utilized by the ALS implementers. The classrooms for ALS instruction and the learning modules were very much adequate for ALS instruction. The paper and pencil test was very much applicable to the type of ALS learners. The data revealed that 221 of the 350 respondents were studying in the different colleges and universities and in TESDA while 129 ALS graduates were already working in the different firms or industries. From the results, the researcher based the output of the study which is a proposed comprehensive management plan that may help strengthen the ALS program in the division and benefit stakeholders such as ALS implementers, Local Government Units, DepEd/school officials, and ALS learners.

Homologous recombination (HR) is a DNA repair pathway that is deficient in 50% of high-grade serous ovarian carcinomas (HGSOC). Deficient HR (DHR) constitutes a therapeutic opportunity for these patients, thanks to poly (ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARP) inhibitors (PARPi; olaparib, niraparib, and rucaparib are already commercialized). Although initially, PARPi were developed for patients with BRCA1/2 mutations, robust clinical data have shown their benefit in a broader population without DHR. This breakthrough in daily practice has raised several questions that necessitate further research: How can populations that will most benefit from PARPi be selected? At which stage of ovarian cancer should PARPi be used? Which strategies are reasonable to overcome PARPi resistance? In this paper, we present a summary of the literature and discuss the present clinical research involving PARPi (after reviewing ClinicalTrials.gov) from a translational perspective. Research into the functional biomarkers of DHR and clinical trials testing PARPi benefits as first-line setting or rechallenge are currently ongoing. Additionally, in the clinical setting, only secondary restoring mutations of BRCA1/2 have been identified as events inducing resistance to PARPi. The clinical frequency of this and other mechanisms that have been described in preclinics is unknown. It is of great importance to study mechanisms of resistance to PARPi to guide the clinical development of drug combinations.

There are ten known species of Amorphophallus in the Philippines, and an eleventh is herein described and named as Amorphophallus adamsensis. It resembles A. dactylifer and A. rostratus. Diagnostic characters of this new species are provided.

In spite of its large endowment of coal resources, recent studies have indicated that United States coal production is destined to reach a maximum and begin an irreversible decline sometime during the middle of the current century. However, studies and assessments illustrating coal reserve data essential for making accurate forecasts of United States coal production have not been compiled on a national basis. As a result, there is a great deal of uncertainty in the accuracy of the production forecasts. A very large percentage of the coal mined in the United States comes from a few large-scale mines (mega-mines) in the Powder River Basin of Wyoming and Montana. Reported reserves at these mines do not account for future potential reserves or for future development of technology that may make coal classified currently as resources into reserves in the future. In order to maintain United States coal production at or near current levels for an extended period of time, existing mines will eventually have to increase their recoverable reserves and/or new large-scale mines will have to be opened elsewhere. Accordingly, in order to facilitate energy planning for the United States, this paper suggests that probabilistic assessments of the remaining coal reserves in the country would improve long range forecasts of coal production. As it is in United States coal assessment projects currently being conducted, a major priority of probabilistic assessments would be to identify the numbers and sizes of remaining large blocks of coal capable of supporting large-scale mining operations for extended periods of time and to conduct economic evaluations of those resources.

The composition, distribution and diversity of fish species in Dumagooc and Maug Rivers of Mt. Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary (HRWS) were examined in the months of February, May and October, 2015. Backpack electrofishing was used to collect samples from four study stations along the river courses. A total of 33 fish species from 15 families with 991 individuals was recorded. It supports one endemic species, 28 native species and four introduced species. The Eleotridae family was dominant in Dumagooc and Maug Rivers. However in Dumagooc River, the sleeping cod, Oxyelotris lineonata was the leading species. Thus, mottled eel (A. marmorata) was distributed along all the stations while blue neon goby (Stiphonodon atropurpureus) was confined in the upper stream. On the other hand the leading species in Maug River was mottled eel, (Anguilla marmorata.) . Furthermore, the common barb (Puntius bantolanensis) was found in the upper middle stream and downstream while Leopard pleco (Pterygoplicthys pardalisi) was noted only in the upper middle stream of Maug River. High species value of H’= 1.199 was found in Dumagooc River. These information would serve as basis for the formulation of protection and conservation policies for the fish species and its habitats before it becomes extinct.  Keywords: Endemic species; River; Fish species; Composition; Distribution

We studied the spin-flip excitations of a double-decker nickelocene molecule (Nc) adsorbed on Cu(100) by means of inelastic tunneling spectroscopy (IETS), X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) and density functional theory calculations (DFT). The results show that the molecule preserves its magnetic moment and magnetic anisotropy not only on Cu(100), but also in different metallic environments including the tip apex. Taking advantage of the efficient spin-flip excitation of this molecule, we show how such a molecular functionalized tip boosts the inelastic signal of a surface supported Nc by almost one order of magnitude thanks to a double spin-excitation process.

During 2006, we conducted riparian surveys to detect river otter Lontra canadensis latrines at 15 bridge-suites along riverine habitats in southwestern Pennsylvania and western Maryland, USA. We defined a bridge-suite as consisting of survey locations at the bridge, a random site and a site chosen by application of a Pattern Recognition Model developed for predicting the location of latrines, with each survey location consisting of both shorelines along a 200-m section of the river. We used occupancy modeling to assess the influence of the continuous covariate SiteScore (a probability derived from Pattern Recognition modeling, with higher scores predicting habitat conditions where river otters are most likely to establish latrines). We also included two categorical covariates with the modeling, each with three factor levels: SiteType (consisting of the three survey locations within a bridge-suite: Bridge, Random and Select, chosen based on having the highest SiteScore among non-Bridge sites within a bridg...

The scleractinian coral Montipora digitata (Acroporidae) is a common reef flat species that thrives under high levels of light and water turbulence, and propagates successfully by natural fragmentation. It was used for transplantation experiments in an attempt to restore a degraded lagoon environment in the northwestern Philippines. Branches about 5 cm high from a natural population in the lagoon were transplanted to dead coral outcrops or knolls in two locations (Binlab and Malilnep-Ac) with different environmental characteristics. Growth and survival were significantly better at Malilnep Ac, which resembled the natural habitat of the species more closely. Environmental conditions at this site also favored the establishment of a greater diversity of species around the coral transplants. There was no difference in performance between transplants on vertical and horizontal surfaces, and the transplants showed limited differences due to density within the experimental range. Significant survival of detached...

The prevailing environmental conditions when reproductive products are released in the water column can have a profound influence on the biology and ecology of marine organisms. In reef-building corals, brooding species that release azooxanthellate larvae are expected to release their larvae before sunrise, similar to species releasing zooxanthellate larvae as established in previous studies. This study investigated the diel timing of release of asymbiotic larvae by Isopora cuneata in northwestern Philippines during 2 years through ex situ observations on gravid colonies collected from the reef. Planulation mainly occurred after sunset until midnight, with grand mean hour of release at 19:35 h (95% confidence limit: 18:44–21:02 h) in April 2010 and 19:41 h (18:10–20:59 h) in March 2011. This pattern of release timing is distinct from what has been previously reported for brooding scleractinian coral species with zooxanthellate larvae (i.e., release close to sunrise). The release coincides with the low tidal stand, which may provide opportunity for the prompt settlement of newly released, buoyant larvae to shallow reef areas where adult colonies are generally distributed. The larvae were able to settle with 20 ± 25% success within a day of release, though a distinct settlement peak at 3 days post-release (70 ± 25%). This study provides new information on the early life strategies of the reef-building coral Isopora cuneata. The unique pattern of larval release time and the settlement behavior may influence the population dynamics and success of the species through space and time.

Recent studies have documented adverse affects of urea on the establishment and growth of aerobic rice when applied at seeding. The following experiments were conducted to examine the relative importance of ammonia and nitrite (NO) toxicities as mechanisms contributing to poor germination and early growth of aerobic rice. Soil was collected from an experiment in the Philippines where aerobic rice was grown continuously for 7 years. Subsamples of the soil were: (1) pretreated with sulfuric acid (0.5 M H2SO4 added at 75 mL kg–1), (2) oven-heated at 120°C for 12 h, or (3) left untreated. In a greenhouse study N was applied to the untreated, acidified, and oven-heated soils as either urea or ammonium sulfate (0.0 or 0.3 g N kg–1). Plant height, root length, total biomass, and number of seminal roots were evaluated after 10 d. Microdiffusion incubations were used to assess the effects of soil pretreatment, N source, and N rate (0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 g N kg–1) on ammonia (NH3) volatilization and germination. Nitrite incubations were conducted to establish a critical level for NO toxicity and measure the extractable NO and germination trends as affected by soil pretreatment, N source, and N rate. On untreated soil, urea reduced early growth and germination while ammonium sulfate caused no adverse effects. Progressively higher rates of urea increased NH3 volatilization and inhibited germination, while oven-heating and acidification minimized the adverse effects. All treatment combinations (soil pretreatment, N source, N rate) had extractable NO levels below the critical level of 0.2 g N kg–1, suggesting that ammonia and not NO toxicity was the principal cause of inhibition. Since the risk of NH3 toxicity is highest just following urea hydrolysis, strategies to optimize the timing and placement of urea should be considered.

The green revolution was initiated by introduction of modern high yielding rice and wheat varieties in the 1960s. In recent years, however, there are signs of stagnating yields in major rice producing areas of Asia, which suggests a lack of genetic gain in yield potential in rice improvement program. We examined the grain yield of IR8, which was the first modern rice variety of the green revolution, and found that it has decreased by 15% compared to levels it achieved in the 1960s. To determine if this yield difference was due to genetic changes in IR8 seed through repeated cycles of planting, or to the lack of adaptation to changing environmental conditions, we compared IR8 stored in a gene bank for 30 years with continuously grown IR8 in both field and pot experiments. In the field experiments, IR8 was also compared with recently developed varieties in yield performance. Plants from both seed sources had identical agronomic and morpho-physiological characteristics. Yield of IR8 from both seed sources were 15% less than the yields of recently developed varieties. These findings suggest that the low yield of IR8 was resulted from the lack of adaptation to changed environmental conditions, and maintenance breeding plays a critical role in improving adaptation of newly developed varieties to environmental changes that have a negative impact on older varieties. Our study provides strong justification for continuous maintenance breeding efforts to preserve rice yield potential through improved resistance to rapidly evolving biotic and abiotic stresses.

Tillering ability is one of the most important traits of the rice plant because it plays a major role in determining grain yield. However, it is not clear whether rice yield potential could be further increased if unproductive tillers were reduced or eliminated. Two field experiments were conducted to determine the effects of tiller reduction on plant growth and grain yield in two varieties with different tillering ability. Two methods were used to reduce tillers: the first was the removal of tillers manually at different crop growth stages and the second was to grow rice plants through holes in styrofoam slats, which provided a physical restriction on tiller emergence. Tiller number declined by 12-57% with the first method and by 18-47% with the second method compared with the control. Despite the significant reduction in tiller number and unproductive tiller percentage, none of the treatments with manual tiller removal and physical restriction of tillering resulted in a significant increase in grain yield compared with the control. Decreases in leaf area and biomass at heading and panicle number at maturity were observed when tiller number declined significantly, but grain yield was not necessarily reduced because it was compensated for by more biomass production after heading and increased spikelet number per panicle. The two varieties with different tillering ability had similar responses to tiller reduction. Based on the two methods of tiller reduction used in this study, we conclude that a further increase in rice yield potential may not be possible by reducing or eliminating unproductive tillers.

A yield decline and increase in soil pH under continuous cropping of aerobic rice have been reported in previous studies. However, the underlying mechanisms governing the poor growth and low yield of aerobic rice following an increase in soil pH are unknown. The objective of the present study was to determine the effect of soil acidification on the soil nutrient availability, plant nutrition and growth of aerobic rice grown in continuously cropped aerobic soil. Two pot experiments were conducted using soil from a field where aerobic rice had been grown for 13 consecutive seasons. Soil was acidified by adding 50–300 mL of 0.05 mol L–1 sulfuric acid to 3.0 kg of air-dried soil to achieve a range of soil pH levels. Rice was grown aerobically with N rates of 0–1.2 g per pot using urea or ammonium sulfate. Soil chemical properties were measured as were leaf nutrient concentrations, plant growth parameters, and the above-ground N uptake. A 5.5-fold and 1.5-fold increase in soil ammonium and nitrate wer...

Yield decline resulting from continuous cropping of aerobic rice is a constraint to the widespread adoption of aerobic rice technology. Shifts in water management from flooded to aerobic conditions are known to influence the availability and form of N present in the soil and might require a different approach to N management in aerobic rice. The present study was conducted to determine the effects of different N sources on the plant growth and grain yield of aerobic rice. Four pot experiments were conducted in which rice was aerobically grown in soil that was taken from fields where aerobic rice has been cultivated for 11 consecutive seasons and an adjacent field where flooded rice has been grown continuously. Nitrogen was applied as ammonium sulfate, urea, ammonium chloride, ammonium nitrate and potassium nitrate at four N rates of 0.3, 0.6, 0.9 and 1.2 g N pot−1. Two unfertilized controls consisting of soil that was either untreated or oven heated at 120°C for 12 h were also included. Plants we...

1. Nubbins from 12 coral species were transplanted onto dead giant clam shells at three sites in a lagoon near Bolinao, north-western Philippines. Transplants were attached using three types of adhesives: cyanoacrylate glue (SG), epoxy putty (EP) and marine epoxy (ME) and were monitored over five months for detachment, in situ mortality and natural self-attachment by tissue growth. 2. Corals attached with SG showed a significantly higher rate of detachment (logrank test) than those attached with either EP or ME (P0.05) and survival analysis (logrank=2.85, P>0.05) showed no among-adhesives differences in in situ mortality. Among the species used, Porites cylindrica, Pavona frondifera, Heliopora coerulea and Porites rus had the highest survivorship with 82%, 80%, 76% and 73%, respectively, of nubbins alive at the end of the experiment and also displayed the highest cumulative rates of self-attachment. Species with the lowest survival rates included Acropora muricata and four pocilloporids. 4. Although there was no significant difference in the number of self-attaching transplants among the adhesives, corals transplanted using ME and EP self-attached earlier than those transplanted using SG (logrank=11.19, P