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Undergraduate courses such as biochemistry were prompted to embrace online distance learning triggered by the incursion of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study worked to help solve the issues and concerns related to teaching biochemistry as a foundational course for dental and other health-sciences programs in the status of the educational system. The case study method was deemed a good way to focus on the objectives of this research because the theme was dentistry students' perceptions and experiences dealing with the opportunities and difficulties that the COVID-19 pandemic brought with it in this circumstance. 11 purposively sampled dentistry students served as the participants of the study. Data were gathered through an online platform with open-ended questions which were thematically analyzed afterward. The identified opportunities were lumped into ROTE: Research works, Open and independent learning, Technology for education, and Education for health. Challenges encountered were grouped as DARE: Demand for technology, Acquisition of knowledge, Remote learning, and Environmental condition for studying. It is worth noting that the participants were enlightened on the academic and personal benefits of biochemistry online distance learning. The researchers appeal to future researchers and policymakers to anchor forthcoming steps to further augment the online teaching and learning experiences of teachers and learners.

Naphthol Green B (NGB) is a synthetic azo dye widely used in various industries, including textiles and leathers. NGB poses significant environmental and ecological concerns when released into natural water systems. This paper investigates the decolorization of NGB using UV/sulfite system. The % decolorization of NGB was optimized using 32 Full Factorial Design (FFD), and the ANOVA results show that the model has a good fit for the data (R2 = 99.54 %, R2(adj) = 98.76 %) and the significant factors contributing to the % decolorization are A, B, A2, and B2 where A = mM sulfite and B = pH. The model predicted ≥100 % decolorization with the optimum conditions 12 mM sulfite and pH 10. An actual experiment was conducted to verify the response, resulting in 96.2 % decolorization which is in good agreement with the model.

Background: Notalgia paresthetica (NP) is a form of neuropathic itch characterized by recurrent itch in the mid back. Much about NP remains unclear, especially the patient experience.Objectives: The Neuropathic Itch Patient Survey (NIRVE) was a global, online survey conducted to better characterize the symptom burden of neuropathic itch from the patient perspective.Patients and methods: This report focuses on the symptom burden of the subpopulation of NIRVE participants with a self-reported diagnosis of NP (N = 91). Respondents reported visiting a median of 2 healthcare providers (HCPs) for their symptoms before receiving an accurate diagnosis of NP.Results: The most common cutaneous symptoms ever experienced were itch/pruritus, sensitive skin, painful or raw skin, numbness, and tingling. The symptoms reported by the most respondents as currently being experienced included itch/pruritus, numbness, painful or raw skin, tingling, and burning or hot sensation. Of patients currently experiencing symptoms, numbness and itch/pruritus were ranked as the most intense, followed by tingling, burning or hot sensation, and then painful or raw skin. Most patients consult multiple healthcare providers (HCPs) before receiving a diagnosis for their condition.Conclusion: Itch is overwhelmingly the most prevalent symptom of the condition, although half of patients also report experiencing sensitive skin, painful or raw skin, numbness, or tingling.

Career choice and subject interests coincide as two significant factors for students to become driven in pursuing their academic and professional pathways. Though, literature studies revealed gender disparities in selecting educational tracks among students especially in the field of STEM. Hence, this study intended to analyze the gender differences in STEM interests and future career perspectives (FCP); and the relationships of FCP constructs, and of personal value and enjoyment. The participants were 334 junior high school students in the Philippines with 212 girls and 122 boys using non-random sampling. This study adapted the validated survey instruments from pertinent literatures to examine the variables. Based on the findings, there were no significant differences between and within the students' STEM interests and FCP in terms of gender. Both boys and girls have moderate interests in all STEM subjects except from trigonometry where boys have low interest. Additionally, there were weak positive correlations between and within the three FCP constructs. In contrast, a strong positive correlation was found between personal value and enjoyment. It is recommended that educational programs of schools should stimulate the STEM interests of junior high school students and improve their career guidance curricula.

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic is impacting individuals and society's physical and mental health. Despite the lack of any definite and effective therapeutic regimen, public health measures such as quarantine and isolation have been instituted to contain this pandemic. However, these mitigating measures have also raised issues regarding isolated patients' mental and psychological well-being. Several stakeholders were engaged in this approach, including the university, the local health office, the tertiary hospital, and the local communities. This intervention addresses concerns regarding the health status of isolated individuals due to COVID-19 infection, making the program available to anyone who agrees to participate. This was done through telehealth services delivered via phone calls and SMS. The university provided technical support and telehealth manpower through medical students. The local health unit manages the isolation facilities, while the referral hospital offers specialty care for isolated patients through teleconsultation. Finally, the local community is the one that reintegrates discharged patients into their communities. Three hundred forty-four (344) participants were provided seven sessions on telehealth education and tracking of their COVID-19 prescribed practices and mental health. The mean age of the patients was 37 years; half were females, and 15% had comorbidities. Regarding their mental health status, the level of depression dropped from 6% to 1% (p

This study offers insightful information about academic support programs for student-athletes, highlighting the necessity of all-encompassing assistance and utilizing technology to cater to their requirements. Aspects of academic support included in the evaluation include study halls, writing centers, technology, job transition, counseling, and bridging programs. It emphasizes how crucial customized solutions and a positive team atmosphere are. The necessity of a more comprehensive strategy to affect student-athletes’ conduct, the significance of specialized library education, and the requirement to ease their transition into the workforce are among the study gaps that have been found. To better meet the special needs of student-athletes and pinpoint best practices for various contexts, the abstract suggests that more research be done on the long-term effects of academic support programs, the efficacy of technology-based interventions, and cross-cultural analysis of academic support programs. In addition to offering suggestions for future research to improve academic assistance programs for student-athletes, the abstract contains insightful information about the difficulties and experiences faced by student-athletes.

Notalgia paresthetica (NP) is a sensory neuropathy characterized by chronic pruritus, skin pain, and other pathologic sensations affecting the mid-to-upper back. NP may be under-recognized and under-diagnosed, with limited data available on its symptom presentation and treatment patterns. NP-DERM was an internet-based survey of dermatologists (n = 650) from 8 different countries on their perspectives on NP symptoms and current treatment practices. Dermatologists typically treated a median of 12 patients with NP per month. Dermatologists reported that itch (pruritus) was the most common symptom for their patients with NP, followed by hyperpigmentation and sensitive skin. The most burdensome NP symptom was pruritus, followed by burning or hot sensation, and painful or raw skin. The most prescribed treatments included non-medicated skin care, topical corticosteroids, oral antihistamines, medicated topicals, and gabapentin or pregabalin. Physicians reported low satisfaction with available treatments. The most common reason for physicians to discontinue patients’ therapy was lack of response.

What are the critical characteristics that we can use to assess Indigenous digital projects? We have examined the literature, developed an assessment framework, and used the framework to analyze twenty-one online platforms in order to answer this question. Our framework identifies five characteristics of Indigenous digital projects with accompanying evaluative questions: (1) traditional knowledge protection, (2) design and interaction, (3) description and classification, (4) community relationships, and (5) sustainability. Our analysis shows the range of work being done in this complex area of digital practice. Our goal is to offer a set of questions that encourage critical reflection, not a one-size-fitsall requirement checklist for those working on digital projects in cultural heritage institutions. KEYWORDS: Indigenous digital projects, Indigenous collections, evaluation, DIGITAL PROJECTS THAT AIM TO SERVE AND ENGAGE Indigenous communities have grown in the past twenty years. Through digitization, scholars, librarians, archivists, museum professionals, and Indigenous communities have facilitated greater [...]

Clinical outcomes after lung transplantation, a life-saving therapy for patients with end-stage lung diseases, are limited by primary graft dysfunction (PGD). PGD is an early form of acute lung injury with no specific pharmacologic therapies. Here, we present a large multicenter study of plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) samples collected on the first posttransplant day, a critical time for investigations of immune pathways related to PGD. We demonstrated that ligands for NKG2D receptors were increased in the BAL from participants who developed severe PGD and were associated with increased time to extubation, prolonged intensive care unit length of stay, and poor peak lung function. Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) were increased in PGD and correlated with BAL TNF-α and IFN-γ cytokines. Mechanistically, we found that airway epithelial cell NKG2D ligands were increased following hypoxic challenge. NK cell killing of hypoxic airway epithelial cells was abrogated with NKG2D receptor blockade, and TNF-α and IFN-γ provoked neutrophils to release NETs in culture. These data support an aberrant NK cell/neutrophil axis in human PGD pathogenesis. Early measurement of stress ligands and blockade of the NKG2D receptor hold promise for risk stratification and management of PGD.

Real-world knowledge via exposure activities could be positively enriched with the aid of situated learning. In a way to practice this theory and to revolutionize the educational system, this phenomenological-qualitative research was conducted to analyze how natural history museum supports the interest of STEM students towards the environmental issues. Specifically, this study ought to answer the research questions: how did natural history museum improve the interest of STEM students towards environmental issues?, what are the changes in students' conceptions of learning environmental issues after the museum exposure?, how museums could make environmental issues seem more 'real' and urgent?, what opportunities the students received in meeting museum staff?, and how do students compare what they learn and how they learn environmental issues in formal and informal science settings? Data triangulation technique including observation, semi-structured questionnaire and focus group discussion was administered to 20 STEM students enrolled in a private educational institution in the Philippines through purposive-sampling during the year 2019. The results of the study showed patterns according to the students' individual sensory experiences from the museum visit. The reports of the students were analyzed and emerged in four themes: solving environmental problems by means of education, causes and effects of environmental issues, inquiry-based learning of natural history, and interesting and realistic learning scheme. It was indicated that the natural history museum do support the interest and learning of STEM students towards environmental issues at some aspects.

This introduction defines critical archival studies and summarizes the articles including in the special issue.

This article seeks to raise consciousness within the field of archival studies in order to foster a generative discussion about how descriptive practices might be expanded, approached differently, or completely rethought. It brings together crosscutting theoretical issues and provides practical examples of mediation in order to mobilize these records in support of human rights work. It first problematizes the foundational archival precept of respect des fonds and its sub-principles of original order and provenance. It then analyzes the necessary transformation of institutional policies and standards in order to foster trust and transparency and identifies structural or system wide strategies for ameliorating past abuses.

Copra meal, the byproduct of coconut oil production, has been widely available at low cost but has been underutilized, with huge portions still becoming waste. Extensive research on different species have been performed to improve its use as an alternative feed ingredient, aiming to reduce the impact of fluctuating feed prices in some parts of the world where coconut is a major commodity. As for any biological product, the physical and chemical properties of copra meal play a crucial role in its use and limitations. In the case of copra meal, studies have found that additional treatments are needed to improve its nutritional composition and make it readily and efficiently available for ruminant and monogastric animals, poultry, and aquaculture applications. This paper presents a summary of up-to-date information on the physical and chemical characteristics of the product, as well as discussions on the various methods employed to improve and optimize its biological value as animal feed. There have been limited studies that have explored other effective and economical means of utilizing copra meal outside the livestock and feed industry. Hence, this paper also aims to provide a lens on future prospects and diverse applications involving copra meal, as well as to present the gaps and challenges that have to be addressed to maximize its product value and biological potential.

The development of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) like features is emerging as a critical factor involved in the pathogenesis of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). However, the extracellular signals and the signalling pathways in AML that may regulate EMT remain largely unstudied. We found that the bone marrow (BM) mesenchymal/fibroblastic cell line HS5 induces an EMT-like migratory phenotype in AML cells. AML cells underwent a strong increase of vimentin (VIM) levels that was not mirrored to the same extent by changes of expression of the other EMT core proteins SNAI1 and SNAI2. We validated these particular pattern of co-expression of core-EMT markers in AML cells by performing an in silico analysis using datasets of human tumours. Our data showed that in AML the expression levels of VIM does not completely correlate with the co-expression of core EMT markers observed in epithelial tumours. We also found that vs epithelial tumours, AML cells display a distinct patterns of co-expression of VIM and the actin binding and adhesion regulatory proteins that regulate F-actin dynamics and integrin-mediated adhesions involved in the invasive migration in cells undergoing EMT. We conclude that the BM stroma induces an EMT related pattern of migration in AML cells in a process involving a distinctive regulation of EMT markers and of regulators of cell adhesion and actin dynamics that should be further investigated. Understanding the tumour specific signalling pathways associated with the EMT process may contribute to the development of new tailored therapies for AML as well as in different types of cancers.

Objectives: Primary care and public health comprise the bedrock of health systems, but their divergence has produced two groups of practitioners either focused on individual health or population health. We explored how primary care and public health were integrated in medical students’ training in Zamboanga Peninsula, Philippines.Methods: Our qualitative study reviewed community health plans in two municipalities and thematically analyzed the perspectives of medical students, faculty, alumni, and community stakeholders through focus group discussions and in-depth interviews.Results: Integration began by operationalizing a curriculum requiring medical students to serve rural communities during most of their training—a departure from the conventional, hospital-based medical education in the Philippines. The medical students’ community immersion provided opportunities for integrating primary care and public health activities that influenced their personal orientations and the health situation in communities. Integration continued after training as alumni found themselves serving as primary care and public health practitioners in the region.Conclusion: Social accountability and community-engaged medical education provided the foundation for medical students to integrate primary care and public health in practice to respond to local needs.

The demand for Education 4.0 is believed as response to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Founded on this concept, learners are expected to be digitally literate since Education 4.0 promotes novel ways of learning that focuses on collaboration of men and machines. For this reason, this quantitative-correlational study aimed to analyze the readiness of 204 senior high school students for online education by evaluating the extent of their digital literacy based on sex, strand and grade level, and the interrelationship across their digital literacy domains. It adapted a survey questionnaire from relevant studies that focuses on six digital literacy domains. Results showed that there are significant differences in the extent of digital literacy domains namely Media Analysis, Effective Application of Technology and Interaction through Technologies among the students in terms of sex. Meanwhile, there are no significant differences in the extent of digital literacy of the students in terms of strand and grade level across the six domains as shown by the p-values. When it comes to the relationship between and within the domains of digital literacy of students, results emphasized that the moderate positive correlations among all domains are significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed). The study recommends to schools to have a focused and improved program that may help male students to cope with the demands of digital learning. Furthermore, there should be quality teaching-learning innovations in online education to promote the digital literacy of senior high school students especially the males through the development of enhancement curricula. Digital literacy across all subjects in senior high school should be integrated and enhanced, especially in the conduct of online education in order to realize the learning competencies of each subject area with provided activities and assignments inclined towards the utilization of internet and online applications.

This paper presents the development of PEC-based electrical load schedule software for residential electrical services design. All the sources that will be used for the computation and data will be based on PEC. The testing of the project will be carried out in accordance with PEC as well as other approved codes. Calculating tools to help you understand the process of accurately sizing a commercial electrical panel based on proposed loads. To emphasize, accurate load sizing is best performed by an electrical engineer, which is reviewed by the building department in your jurisdiction. The software was developed using Visual Basic (VB. net) programming language. Vb.net, or Visual Basic, is a development of the BASIC programming language. It is intended to be used in conjunction with an Integrated Development Environment (IDE). Prior to the development of IDEs, programming languages like BASIC relied significantly on the DOS command-line. A load schedule for different operating scenarios will show when peak consumption occurs and provide an opportunity to find out if all the high loads must operate at this time. It serves as a valuable calculation tool for electrical engineers, students, and technicians by providing a faster, easier, and more accurate means of carrying out some basic calculations, such as determination of the size of wire; conduit sizes; circuit breaker ratings; the main feeder size of wires; main circuit breaker ratings; voltage drop; and riser diagram using Philippine Electrical Code Tables. The results of these calculations help the designer to make vital decisions such as cable sizing and nominal ratings of protective devices required by each circuit and by the entire installation, in line with appropriate standards and regulations.

PurposeThis study was performed to determine the clinical biomarkers and cytokines that may be associated with disease progression and in-hospital mortality in a cohort of hospitalized patients with RT-PCR confirmed moderate to severe COVID-19 infection from October 2020 to September 2021, during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic before the advent of vaccination.Patients and methodsClinical profile was obtained from the medical records. Laboratory parameters (complete blood count [CBC], albumin, LDH, CRP, ferritin, D-dimer, and procalcitonin) and serum concentrations of cytokines (IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-18, IFN-γ, IP-10, TNF-α) were measured on Days 0-3, 4-10, 11-14 and beyond Day 14 from the onset of illness. Regression analysis was done to determine the association of the clinical laboratory biomarkers and cytokines with the primary outcomes of disease progression and mortality. ROC curves were generated to determine the predictive performance of the cytokines.ResultsWe included 400 hospitalized patients with COVID-19 infection, 69% had severe to critical COVID-19 on admission. Disease progression occurred in 139 (35%) patients, while 18% of the total cohort died (73 out of 400). High D-dimer >1 µg/mL (RR 3.5 95%CI 1.83–6.69), elevated LDH >359.5 U/L (RR 1.85 95%CI 1.05–3.25), lymphopenia (RR 1.91 95%CI 1.14–3.19), and hypoalbuminemia (RR 2.67, 95%CI 1.05–6.78) were significantly associated with disease progression. High D-dimer (RR 3.95, 95%CI 1.62–9.61) and high LDH (RR 5.43, 95%CI 2.39–12.37) were also significantly associated with increased risk of in-hospital mortality. Nonsurvivors had significantly higher IP-10 levels at 0 to 3, 4 to 10, and 11 to 14 days from illness onset (p

Abstract Aim We aim to determine the cost‐effectiveness of dapagliflozin in addition to standard therapy versus standard therapy alone among patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) using the public healthcare provider's perspective in the Philippines. Methods and results A thousand Filipino patients with HFrEF (with or without type 2 diabetes mellitus) were included in a simulation cohort using a lifetime Markov model. The model, which was developed based on the results of the Dapagliflozin and Prevention of Adverse Outcomes in Heart Failure trial, was composed of three health states. These were ‘alive without an event’ (chronic heart failure state), ‘alive but was hospitalized for heart failure’ (worsening heart failure), and ‘dead’ (death from any cause). Data regarding costs and utilities were obtained from previous studies and local data. These were used to estimate the incremental cost per quality‐adjusted life‐year (ICER). A 3% annual discount rate was used for both costs and effects. One‐way (deterministic) and probabilistic sensitivity analyses as well as scenario analyses were performed. The ICER for the addition of dapagliflozin to standard therapy among HFrEF patients was PHP177 868 (US$3434) and PHP160 983 (US$3108), respectively, if the present price (PHP44.00) and possible negotiated unit cost of dapagliflozin 10 mg tablet (PHP40.00) were used. These were deemed cost‐effective because they were both below the threshold ICER which was equivalent to the gross domestic product per capita of the Philippines in 2019, PHP180 500 (US$3485). Using the unit costs of dapagliflozin previously mentioned, the ICERs among HFrEF patients with diabetes were PHP132 582 (US$2560) and PHP120 249 (US$2321), respectively. Doing PSA involving Monte Carlo simulation of 10 000 iterations and plotting the resulting ICERs against the threshold ICER in the cost‐effectiveness acceptability curves, these ICERs for HFrEF among diabetics were determined to be 72% and 76% cost‐effective. Conclusion Dapagliflozin added to standard therapy for HFrEF patients is likely to be cost‐effective using the perspective of the Philippine public healthcare provider.