Education is the basic response to challenges of the socioeconomic status of a nation. The higher... more Education is the basic response to challenges of the socioeconomic status of a nation. The higher education, particularly, is tasked to develop human resources that will become a productive and relevantly employed member of the society. One of the important metrics in the implementation of the quality and relevant education is the realization of the graduates of the program in attaining their professional goals. Anchored on the concept that tracking system is a vital basis of information to determine the status of graduates of academic programs, this descriptive study aims at specifying the profile of the graduates of a Teacher Education Institution in their current employment and earned employability skills. Through the use of an institutionally crafted instrument adapted from the Commission on Higher Education, a total of 178 graduates from 2009 to 2017 identified via criterion-referenced purposive sampling positively responded to the survey instrument. Analysis revealed that the strategies employed for employment show that advertisement, referrals, and personal connections were the major approach employed by education graduates for employment. This study also unveils two major criteria when applying for a job: (i) Compensation, Opportunity for Development, and Proximity Criterion, and (ii) Time Flexibility and Sociocultural Criterion. This study concludes that the learning and skills developed in the university were relevant to the present job of the graduates. The curriculum enhanced their problem-solving and research skills, as well as, their communication and information skills. This made them satisfied in their current employment.
Antibiotics have transformed human life. Infections that once killed millions can now be cured by... more Antibiotics have transformed human life. Infections that once killed millions can now be cured by taking a few tablets. Yet this miraculous technology contains the seeds of its own destruction -the more we use antimicrobial drugs, the more microorganisms evolve, adapt and become resistant to them. Overuse of antimicrobials can breed dangerous 'superbugs' immune to any treatment. As a result, the United Nations considers antimicrobial resistance (AMR) to be a global high priority health issue and recommends reducing antimicrobial drug use. But why do we overuse antibiotics, and why is it difficult to stop overusing them? With the Antimicrobials in Society (AMIS) project, Professor Clare Chandler and PhD researcher Susan Nayiga of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine are studying antibiotic use in rural and urban Uganda, highlighting the difficult choices local people face when it comes to health and work. THE PROBLEM OF ANTIMICROBIAL OVERUSE Antimicrobial drugs have many important uses. They cure and prevent infections in humans, animals and even crops. However, they have come to be used in cases beyond the strictly medically necessary. For example, people might use them to increase livestock productivity and as a quick fix to stop infections, rather than avoiding infections in the first place through better hygiene and sanitation infrastructure.
Emotional and behavioral disorders are potential causes of disciplinary problems in the classroom... more Emotional and behavioral disorders are potential causes of disciplinary problems in the classroom. The main interest of the study is the EBD and achievements of Grade 1 pupils in public schools of South Cotabato. About 210 Grade One pupils and teachers were involved as subjects and respondents of this inquiry. A questionnaire in EBD was given to teachers for them to carefully assess the pupils' ODD, CD and ADHD level. The survey tools were modeled after the Noanxiety.com resources and the Vanderbilt Rating Scales. Records of pupils' gender, curricular and extra- curricular achievements were taken from the teachers' own class records. Gathered data were suitably tabulated and presented in tables and chart. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were applied to treat the data. Specific tools like percentages, Multiple Linear Regression Analysis, mean and t-test were employed to analyze the collected data. As found out, the Grade 1 pupils' EBD level is singly, and ...
Background: ICI are widely used in the treatment of various cancer types. It has been hypothesize... more Background: ICI are widely used in the treatment of various cancer types. It has been hypothesized that ICI could confer an increased risk of severe acute lung injury or other complications associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Methods: We analyzed data from 113 patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 while on treatment with ICI without chemotherapy in 19 hospitals in North America, Europe, and Australia. Data collected included details on symptoms, comorbidities, medications, treatments and investigations for COVID-19, and outcomes (hospital admission, ICU admission, and mortality). Results: The median age was 63 years (range 27–86); 40 (35%) patients were female. Most common malignancies were melanoma (n=64, 57%), non-small cell lung cancer (n=19, 17%), and renal cell carcinoma (n=11, 10%); 30 (27%) patients were treated for early (neoadjuvant/adjuvant) and 83 (73%) for advanced cancer. Most patients received anti-PD-1 (n=85, 75%), combi...
The onset of circulation in a developing embryo requires intact blood vessels to prevent hemorrha... more The onset of circulation in a developing embryo requires intact blood vessels to prevent hemorrhage. The development of endothelial cells, and their subsequent recruitment of perivascular mural cells are important processes to establish and maintain vascular integrity. These processes are genetically controlled during development, and mutations that affect endothelial cell specification, pattern formation, or maturation through the addition of mural cells can result in early developmental hemorrhage. We created a strong loss of function allele of the zebrafish GDP-mannose 4,6 dehydratase (gmds) gene that is required for the de novo synthesis of GDP-fucose, and homozygous embryos display cerebral hemorrhages. Our data demonstrate that gmds mutants have early defects in vascular patterning with ectopic branches observed at time of hemorrhage. Subsequently, defects in the number of mural cells that line the vasculature are observed. Moreover, activation of Notch signaling rescued hemorrhage phenotypes in gmds mutants, highlighting a potential downstream pathway that requires protein fucosylation for vascular integrity. Finally, supplementation with fucose can rescue hemorrhage frequency in gmds mutants, demonstrating that synthesis of GDP-fucose via this alternative (salvage) pathway may provide an avenue toward therapeutic correction of phenotypes observed due to defects in the de novo GDP-fucose synthesis. Together, these data are consistent with a novel role for the de novo and salvage protein fucosylation pathways in regulating vascular integrity through a Notch dependent mechanism.
Plant diseases cause losses of approximately 16% globally. Thus, management measures must be impl... more Plant diseases cause losses of approximately 16% globally. Thus, management measures must be implemented to mitigate losses and guarantee food production. In addition to traditional management measures, induced resistance and biological control have gained ground in agriculture due to their enormous potential. Endophytic fungi internally colonize plant tissues and have the potential to act as control agents, such as biological agents or elicitors in the process of induced resistance and in attenuating abiotic stresses. In this review, we list the mode of action of this group of microorganisms which can act in controlling plant diseases and describe several examples in which endophytes were able to reduce the damage caused by pathogens and adverse conditions. This is due to their arsenal of molecules generated during the interaction by which they form a kind of biological shield in the plant. Furthermore, considering that endophytic fungi can be an important tool in managing for biot...
The trees, developed green spaces, and natural areas within the City of Austin’s 400,882 acres wi... more The trees, developed green spaces, and natural areas within the City of Austin’s 400,882 acres will face direct and indirect impacts from a changing climate over the 21st century. This assessment evaluates the vulnerability of urban trees and natural and developed landscapes within the City Austin to a range of future climates. We synthesized and summarized information on the contemporary landscape, provided information on past climate trends, and illustrated a range of projected future climates. We used this information to inform models of habitat suitability for trees native to the area. Projected shifts in plant hardiness and heat zones were used to understand how less common native species, nonnative species, and cultivars may tolerate future conditions. We also assessed the adaptability of planted and naturally occurring trees to stressors that may not be accounted for in habitat suitability models such as drought, flooding, wind damage, and air pollution. The summary of the co...
Background: Green tea has been suggested to improve cardiovascular disease risk factors, includin... more Background: Green tea has been suggested to improve cardiovascular disease risk factors, including circulating lipid variables. However, current evidence is predominantly based on small, short-term randomized controlled trials conducted in diverse populations. Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the efficacy and impact of green tea extract (GTE) supplementation high in epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) on blood lipids in healthy postmenopausal women. Design: This was an ancillary study of a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-arm trial investigating the effects of a GTE supplement containing 1315 mg catechins (843 mg EGCG) on biomarkers of breast cancer risk. Participants were randomly assigned to receive GTE (n = 538) or placebo (n = 537) and were stratified by catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) genotype activity (high COMT compared with low or intermediate COMT genotype activity). They consumed either 4 GTE or identical placebo capsules daily for 12 mo. A total of 936 women completed this substudy. Circulating lipid panels including total cholesterol (TC), HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides were measured at baseline and at months 6 and 12. Results: Compared with placebo, 1-y supplementation with GTE capsules resulted in a significant reduction in circulating TC (22.1% compared with 0.7%; P = 0.0004), LDL cholesterol (24.1% compared with 0.9%; P , 0.0001) and non-HDL cholesterol (23.1% compared with 0.4%; P = 0.0032). There was no change in HDL-cholesterol concentration, but triglyceride concentrations increased by 3.6% in the GTE group, whereas they decreased by 2.5% in the placebo group (P = 0.046). A significant reduction in TC was observed only among women with high (i.e., $200 mg/dL) baseline TC concentrations (P-interaction = 0.01) who consumed GTE capsules. The effect of GTE on the increase in triglycerides was mainly observed among obese women and statin users (P-interaction = 0.06). Conclusion: Supplementation with GTE significantly reduced circulating TC and LDL-cholesterol concentrations, especially in those with elevated baseline TC concentrations. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00917735.
Vitamin D regulates expression of genes important in development and progression of breast cancer... more Vitamin D regulates expression of genes important in development and progression of breast cancer. The association of vitamin D with breast cancer outcomes among breast cancer patients is controversial. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of this association in early stage breast cancer outcome. We searched MEDLINE (1982-May 1, 2013), the American Society of Clinical Oncology (2009-2012), and the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (2010-2012) for abstracts, using the following keywords: "breast cancer" and "prognosis" or "survival", and "vitamin D" or" calcitriol" to identify studies reporting the associations of blood vitamin D levels (drawn close to diagnosis) with breast cancer outcomes. Meta-analyses were performed using an inverse-variance weighted fixed-effects model with Stata Version 12. Eight studies including 5,691 patients were identified. Vitamin D deficiency was variably categorized across studies; a median of 36.8 % of patients were classified as deficient. Low vitamin D levels were associated with a pooled hazard ratio of 2.13 (95 % CI 1.64-2.78) and 1.76 (95 % CIs 1.35-2.30) for recurrence (six studies) and death (four studies), respectively, with no evidence of significant heterogeneity across studies. There was potential evidence of a publication bias in studies examining associations with death (but not in those examining associations with recurrence). These findings support an association of low levels of vitamin D with increased risk of recurrence and death in early stage breast cancer patients. Given the observational nature of the included studies, it cannot be concluded that this association is causal. Further research is warranted to investigate the potential beneficial effects of vitamin D in breast cancer.
There exists limited data demonstrating that glycemic control can improve healing of diabetic foo... more There exists limited data demonstrating that glycemic control can improve healing of diabetic foot wounds. From March through December 2017, patients followed in the Foot Wound Clinic of a large urban safety net health system were concurrently seen by diabetes specialists to determine whether improving glycemic control via an integrated treatment approach impacted wound healing. This pilot study is the first to examine the effect of diabetes specialty co-management with podiatric care of diabetic foot wounds. Sixty patients were included in the analysis of this pilot program and were followed for an average of 220 days. Patients were classified as having either improved glycemic control (IGC) or non-improved glycemic control (NIGC) defined as < 1% HbA1c change at study end. Cohort characteristics and outcomes are summarized in Table 1. All patients had aggressive diabetic foot care including wound debridement and appropriate antibiotic therapy as determined by their podiatrist. U...
Education is the basic response to challenges of the socioeconomic status of a nation. The higher... more Education is the basic response to challenges of the socioeconomic status of a nation. The higher education, particularly, is tasked to develop human resources that will become a productive and relevantly employed member of the society. One of the important metrics in the implementation of the quality and relevant education is the realization of the graduates of the program in attaining their professional goals. Anchored on the concept that tracking system is a vital basis of information to determine the status of graduates of academic programs, this descriptive study aims at specifying the profile of the graduates of a Teacher Education Institution in their current employment and earned employability skills. Through the use of an institutionally crafted instrument adapted from the Commission on Higher Education, a total of 178 graduates from 2009 to 2017 identified via criterion-referenced purposive sampling positively responded to the survey instrument. Analysis revealed that the strategies employed for employment show that advertisement, referrals, and personal connections were the major approach employed by education graduates for employment. This study also unveils two major criteria when applying for a job: (i) Compensation, Opportunity for Development, and Proximity Criterion, and (ii) Time Flexibility and Sociocultural Criterion. This study concludes that the learning and skills developed in the university were relevant to the present job of the graduates. The curriculum enhanced their problem-solving and research skills, as well as, their communication and information skills. This made them satisfied in their current employment.
Antibiotics have transformed human life. Infections that once killed millions can now be cured by... more Antibiotics have transformed human life. Infections that once killed millions can now be cured by taking a few tablets. Yet this miraculous technology contains the seeds of its own destruction -the more we use antimicrobial drugs, the more microorganisms evolve, adapt and become resistant to them. Overuse of antimicrobials can breed dangerous 'superbugs' immune to any treatment. As a result, the United Nations considers antimicrobial resistance (AMR) to be a global high priority health issue and recommends reducing antimicrobial drug use. But why do we overuse antibiotics, and why is it difficult to stop overusing them? With the Antimicrobials in Society (AMIS) project, Professor Clare Chandler and PhD researcher Susan Nayiga of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine are studying antibiotic use in rural and urban Uganda, highlighting the difficult choices local people face when it comes to health and work. THE PROBLEM OF ANTIMICROBIAL OVERUSE Antimicrobial drugs have many important uses. They cure and prevent infections in humans, animals and even crops. However, they have come to be used in cases beyond the strictly medically necessary. For example, people might use them to increase livestock productivity and as a quick fix to stop infections, rather than avoiding infections in the first place through better hygiene and sanitation infrastructure.
Emotional and behavioral disorders are potential causes of disciplinary problems in the classroom... more Emotional and behavioral disorders are potential causes of disciplinary problems in the classroom. The main interest of the study is the EBD and achievements of Grade 1 pupils in public schools of South Cotabato. About 210 Grade One pupils and teachers were involved as subjects and respondents of this inquiry. A questionnaire in EBD was given to teachers for them to carefully assess the pupils' ODD, CD and ADHD level. The survey tools were modeled after the Noanxiety.com resources and the Vanderbilt Rating Scales. Records of pupils' gender, curricular and extra- curricular achievements were taken from the teachers' own class records. Gathered data were suitably tabulated and presented in tables and chart. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were applied to treat the data. Specific tools like percentages, Multiple Linear Regression Analysis, mean and t-test were employed to analyze the collected data. As found out, the Grade 1 pupils' EBD level is singly, and ...
Background: ICI are widely used in the treatment of various cancer types. It has been hypothesize... more Background: ICI are widely used in the treatment of various cancer types. It has been hypothesized that ICI could confer an increased risk of severe acute lung injury or other complications associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Methods: We analyzed data from 113 patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 while on treatment with ICI without chemotherapy in 19 hospitals in North America, Europe, and Australia. Data collected included details on symptoms, comorbidities, medications, treatments and investigations for COVID-19, and outcomes (hospital admission, ICU admission, and mortality). Results: The median age was 63 years (range 27–86); 40 (35%) patients were female. Most common malignancies were melanoma (n=64, 57%), non-small cell lung cancer (n=19, 17%), and renal cell carcinoma (n=11, 10%); 30 (27%) patients were treated for early (neoadjuvant/adjuvant) and 83 (73%) for advanced cancer. Most patients received anti-PD-1 (n=85, 75%), combi...
The onset of circulation in a developing embryo requires intact blood vessels to prevent hemorrha... more The onset of circulation in a developing embryo requires intact blood vessels to prevent hemorrhage. The development of endothelial cells, and their subsequent recruitment of perivascular mural cells are important processes to establish and maintain vascular integrity. These processes are genetically controlled during development, and mutations that affect endothelial cell specification, pattern formation, or maturation through the addition of mural cells can result in early developmental hemorrhage. We created a strong loss of function allele of the zebrafish GDP-mannose 4,6 dehydratase (gmds) gene that is required for the de novo synthesis of GDP-fucose, and homozygous embryos display cerebral hemorrhages. Our data demonstrate that gmds mutants have early defects in vascular patterning with ectopic branches observed at time of hemorrhage. Subsequently, defects in the number of mural cells that line the vasculature are observed. Moreover, activation of Notch signaling rescued hemorrhage phenotypes in gmds mutants, highlighting a potential downstream pathway that requires protein fucosylation for vascular integrity. Finally, supplementation with fucose can rescue hemorrhage frequency in gmds mutants, demonstrating that synthesis of GDP-fucose via this alternative (salvage) pathway may provide an avenue toward therapeutic correction of phenotypes observed due to defects in the de novo GDP-fucose synthesis. Together, these data are consistent with a novel role for the de novo and salvage protein fucosylation pathways in regulating vascular integrity through a Notch dependent mechanism.
Plant diseases cause losses of approximately 16% globally. Thus, management measures must be impl... more Plant diseases cause losses of approximately 16% globally. Thus, management measures must be implemented to mitigate losses and guarantee food production. In addition to traditional management measures, induced resistance and biological control have gained ground in agriculture due to their enormous potential. Endophytic fungi internally colonize plant tissues and have the potential to act as control agents, such as biological agents or elicitors in the process of induced resistance and in attenuating abiotic stresses. In this review, we list the mode of action of this group of microorganisms which can act in controlling plant diseases and describe several examples in which endophytes were able to reduce the damage caused by pathogens and adverse conditions. This is due to their arsenal of molecules generated during the interaction by which they form a kind of biological shield in the plant. Furthermore, considering that endophytic fungi can be an important tool in managing for biot...
The trees, developed green spaces, and natural areas within the City of Austin’s 400,882 acres wi... more The trees, developed green spaces, and natural areas within the City of Austin’s 400,882 acres will face direct and indirect impacts from a changing climate over the 21st century. This assessment evaluates the vulnerability of urban trees and natural and developed landscapes within the City Austin to a range of future climates. We synthesized and summarized information on the contemporary landscape, provided information on past climate trends, and illustrated a range of projected future climates. We used this information to inform models of habitat suitability for trees native to the area. Projected shifts in plant hardiness and heat zones were used to understand how less common native species, nonnative species, and cultivars may tolerate future conditions. We also assessed the adaptability of planted and naturally occurring trees to stressors that may not be accounted for in habitat suitability models such as drought, flooding, wind damage, and air pollution. The summary of the co...
Background: Green tea has been suggested to improve cardiovascular disease risk factors, includin... more Background: Green tea has been suggested to improve cardiovascular disease risk factors, including circulating lipid variables. However, current evidence is predominantly based on small, short-term randomized controlled trials conducted in diverse populations. Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the efficacy and impact of green tea extract (GTE) supplementation high in epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) on blood lipids in healthy postmenopausal women. Design: This was an ancillary study of a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-arm trial investigating the effects of a GTE supplement containing 1315 mg catechins (843 mg EGCG) on biomarkers of breast cancer risk. Participants were randomly assigned to receive GTE (n = 538) or placebo (n = 537) and were stratified by catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) genotype activity (high COMT compared with low or intermediate COMT genotype activity). They consumed either 4 GTE or identical placebo capsules daily for 12 mo. A total of 936 women completed this substudy. Circulating lipid panels including total cholesterol (TC), HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides were measured at baseline and at months 6 and 12. Results: Compared with placebo, 1-y supplementation with GTE capsules resulted in a significant reduction in circulating TC (22.1% compared with 0.7%; P = 0.0004), LDL cholesterol (24.1% compared with 0.9%; P , 0.0001) and non-HDL cholesterol (23.1% compared with 0.4%; P = 0.0032). There was no change in HDL-cholesterol concentration, but triglyceride concentrations increased by 3.6% in the GTE group, whereas they decreased by 2.5% in the placebo group (P = 0.046). A significant reduction in TC was observed only among women with high (i.e., $200 mg/dL) baseline TC concentrations (P-interaction = 0.01) who consumed GTE capsules. The effect of GTE on the increase in triglycerides was mainly observed among obese women and statin users (P-interaction = 0.06). Conclusion: Supplementation with GTE significantly reduced circulating TC and LDL-cholesterol concentrations, especially in those with elevated baseline TC concentrations. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00917735.
Vitamin D regulates expression of genes important in development and progression of breast cancer... more Vitamin D regulates expression of genes important in development and progression of breast cancer. The association of vitamin D with breast cancer outcomes among breast cancer patients is controversial. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of this association in early stage breast cancer outcome. We searched MEDLINE (1982-May 1, 2013), the American Society of Clinical Oncology (2009-2012), and the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (2010-2012) for abstracts, using the following keywords: &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;breast cancer&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; and &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;prognosis&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; or &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;survival&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;, and &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;vitamin D&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; or&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; calcitriol&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; to identify studies reporting the associations of blood vitamin D levels (drawn close to diagnosis) with breast cancer outcomes. Meta-analyses were performed using an inverse-variance weighted fixed-effects model with Stata Version 12. Eight studies including 5,691 patients were identified. Vitamin D deficiency was variably categorized across studies; a median of 36.8 % of patients were classified as deficient. Low vitamin D levels were associated with a pooled hazard ratio of 2.13 (95 % CI 1.64-2.78) and 1.76 (95 % CIs 1.35-2.30) for recurrence (six studies) and death (four studies), respectively, with no evidence of significant heterogeneity across studies. There was potential evidence of a publication bias in studies examining associations with death (but not in those examining associations with recurrence). These findings support an association of low levels of vitamin D with increased risk of recurrence and death in early stage breast cancer patients. Given the observational nature of the included studies, it cannot be concluded that this association is causal. Further research is warranted to investigate the potential beneficial effects of vitamin D in breast cancer.
There exists limited data demonstrating that glycemic control can improve healing of diabetic foo... more There exists limited data demonstrating that glycemic control can improve healing of diabetic foot wounds. From March through December 2017, patients followed in the Foot Wound Clinic of a large urban safety net health system were concurrently seen by diabetes specialists to determine whether improving glycemic control via an integrated treatment approach impacted wound healing. This pilot study is the first to examine the effect of diabetes specialty co-management with podiatric care of diabetic foot wounds. Sixty patients were included in the analysis of this pilot program and were followed for an average of 220 days. Patients were classified as having either improved glycemic control (IGC) or non-improved glycemic control (NIGC) defined as < 1% HbA1c change at study end. Cohort characteristics and outcomes are summarized in Table 1. All patients had aggressive diabetic foot care including wound debridement and appropriate antibiotic therapy as determined by their podiatrist. U...
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