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Background: Garlic belongs to the largest monocot genus, Allium, comprising different species known for their use as spices and medicinal plants. It ranks second in volume and area of production among the Allium species, next to onoin. The Philippines is renowned for garlic varieties with a strong and pungent odour observed in the seven accessions registered at the National Seed Industry Council (NSIC), Department of Agriculture, Philippines. Morphological, phytochemical and molecular characterization of the different garlic varieties would provide baseline information important to the identification of the registered varieties, their conservation and improvement. Methods: Physiologically mature and disease-free NSIC-registered garlic accessions were characterized and evaluated at the Institute of Crop Science, University of the Philippines Los Baños. The bulbs were separated from each other and planted in a homogenous field. Morphological characterization was done from the vegetative stage until bulb harvesting using an Allium spp. descriptor list. The mature bulbs of each accession were screened for phytochemicals and alliin content. SSR markers were used to fingerprint the eight garlic accessions. Result: Qualitative characters showed low diversity (H’ = 0.22), while quantitative characters had intermediate diversity (H’= 0.51). Identical phytochemicals, flavonoids and phenols, were detected across all the garlic accessions. Despite this, alliin content varied considerably with Bang-ar and Mindoro having the highest (37.70±0.70 mg/g) and lowest (17.22±0.68 mg/g) alliin contents, respectively. Only one SSR primer, ASA-24, showed polymorphic bands that can discriminate Batanes White and MMSU Gem from the other NSIC-registered garlic varieties.

An objective method to establish apex and base type descriptor states is proposed using elliptic Fourier descriptors derived from appropriately segmented images. Using pili (Canarium ovatum Engl.) kernel-in-shell apex as a model, 51 pili accessions represented by 10 kernel-in-shell images per accession were acquired using a calibrated VideometerLab3 setup. An appropriate segmentation scheme was applied by developing an algorithm that would segment blobs that cover only the apical region (upper 25%) of the closed contours using OpenCV implemented in Python 3.7. From the segmented blobs, elliptic Fourier descriptors (EFDs) were derived. Subsequently, the EFDs were analyzed using principal component analysis and cluster analysis. Two effective principal components were able to explain 94.18% of the variation which were visualized to show differences involving length to width ratio, apex angle and left-to-right leaning orientation of the segmented images. Although a single apex shape was observed, mean EFDs of three clusters were able to represent three apex type descriptor states-narrowly acute, acute and widely acute. This indicated that elliptic Fourier analysis can characterize variations in the apical regions, particularly apex shape and angle, given the proper segmentation protocol.

Background: Seed characteristics of Tabernaemontana pandacaqui Lam., an indigenous medicinal plant species from the Philippines, were investigated to help identify appropriate conservation strategies. Methods: Mature seeds were tested for viability at different dormancy-breaking treatments and storage conditions. Seeds were also characterized morphologically and the seedling developmental pattern was established using the Biologische Bundesanstalt, Bundessortenamt and CHemische Industrie (BBCH) scale. We also determined the preliminary chemical composition through qualitative phytochemical screening and proximate analysis. Result: Seeds of T. pandacaqui are obovate in shape with a 1000-seed weight of 20.99±0.62 g at 4.7% moisture content. Removal of the aril from the fresh seeds improved germination from 30%±0.98 to 84%±0.71 and shortened the time to seedling emergence from 45 days to 4 days after sowing. The seeds can tolerate drying to 4.7% moisture content and storage at -10°C for 3 months; thus, they have orthodox storage behavior. The germination pattern is epigeal phanerocotylar type, wherein the foliaceous cotyledons are raised (BBCH 09) and unfolded above the soil surface (BBCH 10). The seedling then develops an ovate to elliptic-shaped first true pair of leaves (BBCH 12) completing the germination process. The pre-dried seeds also have a high oil content of 28.7407±0.09316% with a strong presence of alkaloids and saponins. This indicates that the seed is amenable to ex-situ conservation through seedbanking, but its viability must be monitored in shorter intervals due to its high oil content.

Osteoarthritis prevalence is expected to increase markedly in the Asia-Pacific region due to rapid population aging. Identifying effective and safe therapeutic options to manage osteoarthritic pain is viewed as a priority. The Asia-Pacific Experts on Topical Analgesics Advisory Board developed consensus statements for use of topical NSAIDs in musculoskeletal pain. Evidence supporting these statements in osteoarthritic pain was reviewed. Best available evidence indicates that topical NSAIDs have a moderate effect on relief of osteoarthritic pain, comparable to that of oral NSAIDs but with a better risk-to-benefit ratio. International clinical practice guidelines recommend topical NSAIDs on par with or ahead of oral NSAIDs for pain management in patients with knee and hand osteoarthritis, and as the first-line choice in persons aged ≥75 years.

Endogenous inhibitors of angiogenesis, such as thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1), are promising sources of therapeutic agents to treat angiogenesis-driven diseases, including cancer. TSP-1 regulates angiogenesis through different mechanisms, including binding and sequestration of the angiogenic factor fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2), through a site located in the calcium binding type III repeats. We hypothesized that the FGF-2 binding sequence of TSP-1 might serve as a template for the development of inhibitors of angiogenesis. Using a peptide array approach followed by binding assays with synthetic peptides and recombinant proteins, we identified a FGF-2 binding sequence of TSP-1 in the 15-mer sequence DDDDDNDKIPD-DRDN. Molecular dynamics simulations, taking the full flexibility of the ligand and receptor into account, and nuclear magnetic resonance identified the relevant residues and conformational determinants for the peptide-FGF interaction. This information was translated into a pharmacophore model used to screen the NCI2003 small molecule databases, leading to the identification of three small molecules that bound FGF-2 with affinity in the submicromolar range. The lead compounds inhibited FGF-2-induced endothelial cell proliferation in vitro and affected angiogenesis induced by FGF-2 in the chicken chorioallantoic membrane assay. These small molecules, therefore, represent promising leads for the development of antiangiogenic agents. Altogether, this study demonstrates that new biological insights obtained by integrated multidisciplinary approaches can be used to develop small molecule mimics of endogenous proteins as therapeutic agents.

To analyze the relationship between pain and presence, site, and type of adhesions in women with endometriosis.This was a multicenter, observational cross-sectional study. Eligible for the study were women with endometriosis and pelvic pain, consecutively observed during the study period at the collaborating centers. A total of 574 women entered the study.Adhesions were observed in 81.9% of cases (470 women). The frequency was lower in women with endometriosis at stage I-II (65%) and higher in women with stage III-IV (88%); this difference was statistically significant (p.01). The frequency of adhesions was lower in women with ovarian endometriosis (74%) and higher in those with ovarian and peritoneal endometriosis (87%) or other sites (96%) (p.01). The presence of adhesions was associated with higher mean visual analog scale (VAS) scores and median multidimensional scale ratings in women with ovarian disease and with stage I-II disease. Women with ovarian adhesions reported higher VAS and multidimensional scale scores (p.05) than women with peritoneal adhesions or adhesions in other sites.The results of this study suggest that there is no overall association between the presence of adhesions and the degree of pain in women with endometriosis. The data suggests that there may be an association between adhesions and pain in women with ovarian and Type I-II endometriosis. However, these associations were no longer significant after correction for multiple comparisons. Further research is indicated to test these associations.

Il modello d’intervento INTERACT è un programma di prevenzione e intervento clinico studiato in maniera specifica per bambini tra i 24 e i 30 mesi di età che presentano un mancato sviluppo del linguaggio, oppure uno sviluppo lento non associato ad altri disturbi. Esso si attua all’interno della coppia genitore-bambino parlatore tardivo proponendo situazioni dinamiche che sollecitano la comunicazione attiva, e intende sostenere lo sviluppo comunicativo e linguistico del bambino nel suo percorso naturale. Il modello, unico in Italia, si avvale di un sistema dinamico di valutazione della coppia e di modalità operative pratiche quali le schede per genitori, che descrivono come praticare a casa quanto viene proposto o applicato nella seduta clinica. Il volume, rivolto in particolare logopedisti, ma anche a neuropsichiatri, neurologi, pediatri e psicologi che operano in ambito clinico nella prevenzione del disturbo di linguaggio, comprende una parte teorica e di metodologia dell’intervento e una parte operativa scaricabile dal sito www.francoangeli.it.

Lo studio descrive il modello di valutazione dinamica interattiva del programma INTERACT (Bonifacio e Hvastja Stefani, 2004) progettato per bambini parlatori tardivi (PT) definiti in base a criteri clinici e linguistici di età compresa tra 24 e 30 mesi. Il confronto del profilo comunicativo e linguistico del bambino e del genitore permette una personalizzazione dell’intervento in base alle caratteristiche della diade. Il programma INTERACT prevede 24 strategie che vengono insegnate ai genitori durante la pratica clinica con l’obiettivo di promuovere modificazioni nello stile comunicativo del genitore e progressi nello sviluppo del vocabolario espressivo e nella combinazione di parole del bambino. Lo studio analizza lo stile comunicativo di due coppie di madri – figli PT prima e dopo l’intervento INTERACT e descrivere le modalità con cui l’intervento è stato applicato e personalizzato.