IPA Recipients for January 2016

Tina S. Clemente
Asian Center
UP Diliman

“Spanish Colonial Policy Toward Chinese Merchants in Eighteenth-Century Philippines” in Merchant Communities in Asia, 1600-1980. Lin Yu-ju and Madeleine Zelin (editors). London, U.K: Pickering & Chatto, 2015

Louis Angelo M. Danao
Department of Mechanical Engineering
College of Engineering
UP Diliman

“Visualising Dynamic Stall Around a Vertical Axis Wind Turbine Blade Through Particle Image Velocimetry” in Transactions on Engineering Technologies. Gi-Chul Yang, Sio-long Ao and Len Gelman (editors). Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer, 2015

Nestine Hope S. Hernandez, Richelle Ann B. Juayong and Henry N. Adorna
Department of Computer Science
College of Engineering
UP Diliman

“On the Communication Complexity of the Vertex Cover Problem and 3-Satisfiability Problem in ECP Systems” in Membrane Computing: 14th International Conference, CMC 2013 Chișinău, Republic of Moldova, August 20-23, 2013. Artiom Alhazov, Svetlana Cojocaru, Marian Gheorghe, Yurii Rogozhin, Grzegorz Rozenberg and Arto Salomaa (editors). Heidelberg, Germany: Springer, 2014

Antoinette R. Raquiza
Asian Center
UP Diliman

“The BPO Industry and the Philippine Trade in Services: Boon or Bane?” in The Local Impact of Globalization in South and Southeast Asia: Offshore Business Processes in Services Industries. Bart Lambregts, Niels Beerepoot and Robert C. Kloosterman (editors). London and New York: Routledge, 2016

Carolina G. Hernandez
Department of Political Science
College of Social Sciences and Philosophy
UP Diliman

“Human Security in Building the ASEAN Community” in Post-Conflict Development in East Asia. Brendan M. Howe (editor). Surrey, England: Ashgate Publishing Limited, 2014

Carolina G. Hernandez
Department of Political Science
College of Social Sciences and Philosophy
UP Diliman

“Security Sector Reform in Southeast Asia: From Policy to Practice” in Security Sector Reform in Southeast Asia: From Policy to Practice. Felix Heiduk (editor). United Kingdom: Palgrave Macmillan, 2014

Teresa R. Melgar
Department of Sociology
College of Social Sciences and Philosophy
UP Diliman

“Voices from the Periphery: Participatory Budgeting and the Remaking of Citizenship in Porto Alegre, Brazil” in The Meaning of Citizenship. Richard Marback and Marc W. Kruman (editors). Detroit, Michigan, USA: Wayne State University Press, 2015.

Erik Paolo S. Capistrano
Cesar E.A. Virata School of Business
UP Diliman

The Antecedents of Purchase and Re-Purchase Intentions of Online. Computers in Human Behavior, 54: 186–196, January 2016

This research explores some factors affecting purchase and repurchase intentions towards online auctions. An experiment, in the context of PChome& eBay and Yahoo Auction online auctions websites, was conducted to simulate an environment manipulating branding, seller evaluation, volume of information, and price ranges to influence purchase intentions, reflecting some aspects of utilitarian and hedonic approaches towards purchase and repurchase intentions. Furthermore, mediation strategies, trust, and media richness were also introduced in the study to examine their influence on repurchase intentions. 120 participants validated the experimental design, where all variables influencing purchase intentions were found to be significant in varying degrees, and where mediator strategies and trust were found to significantly influence repurchase intentions. These results reinforce notions that online auctions are complex processes, especially to induce purchase and repurchase intentions, and that both buyers and sellers have complex utilitarian and hedonic approaches to develop purchase and repurchase intentions. Further theoretical and managerial implications are detailed in this research.

Link to the article: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0747563215300583
Impact Factor: (2014/2015) 2.694

Christine Joy M. Guzman and Ma. Cecilia G. Conaco
Marine Science Institute
College of Science
UP Diliman

Comparative Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Insights into the Streamlined Genomes of Haplosclerid Demosponges. Scientific Reports, 6: 18774, 10 pages, 2016.

Catchy title of research: Why bigger is not always better? 

Marine sponges (Porifera) are a highly diverse group of animals. Of the 8,553 species of modern sponges, 83% belong to the demosponge class. Demosponges exhibit ecological adaptability and plasticity, thriving in extreme environments, exhibiting resilience to environmental disturbances, and successfully outcompeting other organisms. To better understand how these organisms can adapt to variable environments, we sequenced and assembled the transcriptomes of two marine haplosclerid demosponges found native to Bolinao, Pangasinan, Philippines. Our findings reveal the similarity of the genetic complement of closely related haplosclerid demosponges and highlight some differences that may underlie the unique characteristics of each species. Importantly, we discovered that diversification of haplosclerid demosponges may be associated with innovations acting upon a streamlined yet flexible genome. This work contributes important resources and new knowledge on marine animals that are evolutionarily and ecologically significant and yet remain poorly investigated. The results of this work lay the foundation for future research into the molecular basis of adaptation and ecological interactions for endemic sponges.

Link to the article: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26738846
Impact Factor: (2014/2015) 5.578

C. Blanca J. Villarino
Department of Food Science and Nutrition
College of Home Economics
UP Diliman

The Effects of Lupin (Lupinus angustifolius) Addition to Wheat bread on its Nutritional, Phytochemical and Bioactive Composition and Protein Quality. Food Research International, 76 (Part 1): 58–65, October 2015.

Catchy title of research: Australian sweet lupin (ASL) varieties differ in their nutritional and health components

The study differentiated six varieties of Australian sweet lupin (ASL) in terms of nutritional, phytochemical and bioactive composition and protein quality. Specifically, the varieties differed in dietary fibre, fat, carbohydrates, antioxidants and protein quality. The bioactive protein, gamma-conglutin, which was found to have anti-diabetic properties, did not differ amongst varieties and was not affected by processing. The results emphasize the importance of segregating ASL varieties for food as a source of important nutrients and bioactive compounds.

Link to the article: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0963996914007601
Impact Factor: (2014/2015) 2.818

Dexter W. dela Cruz, Edgardo D. Gomez  and Helen T. Yap
Marine Science Institute
College of Science
UP Diliman

Assessing an Abridged Nursery Phase for Slow Growing Corals used in Coral Restoration. Ecological Engineering, 84: 408–415,November 2015.

A proposed cost-effective way to bring back the living coral cover to degraded reefs is to introduce fragments of healthy colonies from natural populations, somewhat similar to reforestation. The researchers in this study investigated whether survival and growth of the introduced fragments would be much better if they were first reared under “nursery” conditions, with additional care and maintenance. The results of the experiment show that “nursery”-reared corals do not fare much better than fragments obtained directly from the reef. Thus, a nursery phase, with the additional expense involved, is not necessary. The impact of this research would be indicated by its use by practitioners of coral restoration.

Link to the article: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0925857415301865
Impact Factor: (2014/2015) 2.580

Denny Lane B. Sombillo and Eric A. Galapon
National Institute of Physics
College of Science
UP Diliman

Particle Detection and Non-Detection in a Quantum Time of Arrival Measurement. Annals of Physics, 364: 261–273, January 2016.

 

Link to the article: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S000349161500411X
Impact Factor: (2014/2015) 2.103

Mildred A. Padilla and Rio John T. Ducusin*
Department of Veterinary Paraclinical Sciences
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences*
College of Veterinary Medicine
UP Los Baños

Herd-level Prevalence and Factors for Risk of Endoparasite Infection in Smallholder Pig Farms in Sariaya, Quezon, Philippines. Philippine Journal of Veterinary Medicine, 52 (2): 99-106, 2015.

Catchy title of research: Internal parasites of smallholder pigs in Sariaya, Quezon

A study was conducted to determine the prevalence of internal parasites and the factors associated with the risk of infection in smallholder pig farms in Sariaya, Quezon. From a sample of 36 farms in three rural villages, freshly voided feces were collected and examined microscopically for the presence of internal parasites. In addition, interviews using a questionnaire were conducted to collect data on factors likely affecting the risk of infection. Thirty-one farms (86.1%) were infected with one or more types of internal parasites. Six of these were helminths (roundworms and flatworms) and four were protozoa (single-celled parasites). Four of these parasites had zoonotic potential namely, Balantidium coli (a protozoan parasite), Ascaris suum (large roundworm), Fasciola sp. (liver fluke) and Trichuris suis (whipworm). Stephanurus dentatus (kidney worm) was the most common species recorded (25.8%). Multiple infections with two to five parasite species were more common (58.1%) than single infections. None of the factors studied was associated with the presence of internal parasites. Nevertheless, the high infection rate and wide spectrum of parasites that are of economic and/or public health importance point to the need for prior fecal examination and regular treatment of animals with appropriate and effective anti-parasite drugs combined with adequate sanitation and farmers’ education.

Link to the article: 
Impact Factor: Not yet available

Liberato V. Laureta Jr.
Institute of Aquaculture
College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
UP Visayas

Occurence of Parasites and Vibrio spp. In Adult Oriental Angelwing Clam, Pholas orientalis. ELBA Bioflux, 6 (1): 29-35, 2014.

The angelwing clam, Pholas orientalis, locally known as “diwal”, is the only endemic species of angelwing clam in the Philippines, particularly in the Western Visayan provinces of Negros Occidental, Iloilo, Capiz and Aklan. Several other species of angelwing clam are found in different parts of the world, including Barnea dilatata, B. manillensis, Martesia striata, Cytopleura costata, Pholadidea penita and many others.

Link to the article: 
Impact Factor: Not yet available

Liberato V. Laureta Jr.
Institute of Aquaculture
College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
UP Visayas

Habitat Characteristics and Relative Abundance of the Mud Crab Scylla serrata (Forskål, 1775) in Lawele Bay, Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia. Su Ürünleri Dergisi, 31 (1): 11-18, 2014.

The relative abundance of male S. serrata in the present study was always higher than females at all habitats. The reason was unclear, but apparently there was phenomenon that male S. serrata and S. tranquebarica (Fabricius, 1798) preponderated over female at several coastal waters in Southeast Sulawesi.

Link to the article: 
Impact Factor: Not yet available

Edgardo D. Gomez
Marine Science Institute
College of Science
UP Diliman

Rehabilitation of Biological Resources: Coral Reefs and Giant Clam Populations Need to Be Enhanced for a Sustainable Marginal Sea in the Western Pacific. Journal of International Wildlife Law & Policy, 18 (2): 120-127, 3 April 2015.

Catchy title of research: Healthy Reefs and Many Giant Clams Will Ensure  Abundant Marine Life in Our Seas

Over the past half century, the marine environment of the South China Sea has been degraded because of many factors, mostly due to man’s activities.  The condition of the coral reefs as a whole is poor, and the populations of giant clams have mostly been extirpated.  In view of this, rehabilitation and restoration efforts are needed for the reefs and giant clam populations need to be re-introduced from cultured stocks.  Fortunately, the methods for both actions have been developed, many of them in the Philippines.  It therefore remains for the countries bordering the marginal sea referred to in maps as the South China Sea, to take action, individually and collectively, to begin the rehabilitation.  Resources and time will be required, but with genuine collaboration, or non-interference or non-destruction as a minimum, the coral reefs and the giant clam populations can be brought back to good health.  This will result in the improvement of the productivity of this marginal sea, providing food and biodiversity for all the bordering countries.

Link to the article: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13880292.2015.1044795#.Vr6FmbQrKM8
Impact Factor: Not yet available

Edieser Dela Santa and Jose Edgardo Saporsantos
Asian Institute of Tourism
UP Diliman

Philippine Tourism Act of 2009: Tourism Policy Formulation Analysis from Multiple Streams. Journal of Policy Research in Tourism, Leisure and Events, 8 (1): 53-70, 2 January 2016.

This paper aims to identify the broad factors that explain the formulation of the Philippine Tourism Act of 2009, a law that restructures the Philippine tourism industry. It uses Multiple Streams as a theoretical lens and relies on a content analysis of congressional records. Through these methods, the paper identifies three broad independent factors or streams, namely, problem stream, policy stream, and political stream, as significant in bringing tourism to the attention of policy-makers, including it in the policy agenda, and pushing it through to the final stages of the process. The study also finds the involvement in decision- making of multiple actors, with some more powerful than others. In addition, actors are observed to be cognizant of the rules of the game, particularly Philippine-style politics, in moving the process forward. The paper argues that the recognition of these broad factors, the convergence of the policy streams, the actions of a policy entrepreneur, as well as an understanding of the contextual conditions, may take tourism from the margins to the mainstream of policy-making.

Link to the article: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19407963.2015.1047378#.VsUO6rQrKM8
Impact Factor: Not yet available

Rieziel Ann D. Bernal and Luis Maria B. Garcia
Institute of Biology
College of Science
UP Diliman

Seasonal Gonad Cycle of the Climbing Perch Anabas testudineus (Teleostei: Anabantidae) in a Tropical Wetland. Ichthyological Research, 62 (4): 389-395, November 2015

Catchy title of research: Seasonal breeding of martiniko

About the size of an adult person’s palm, the climbing perch (Anabas testudineus), known locally as martiniko, puyo, liwalo, inhabits stagnant freshwater environments with dense vegetation.  While it is a popular food fish in many inland rural communities in southeast Asia, including the Philippines, not much is known about the timing of martiniko reproduction, much less with what goes on in its gonads (i.e., ovaries and testes).  The weight of the ovary relative to the body weight of martiniko in swamps along the banks of Pampanga River in central Luzon was low from September to February, peaked in May, and fell slightly in June but increased again in July and August.  Relative testes weight was likewise low from September until May, but increased in June before it waned in later months.  Eggs at all stages of development were found in the ovary throughout the year, but the abundance of each egg stage varied during certain months.  Mature yolk-filled eggs became increasingly abundant starting in March and peaked in May.  Fully mature sperm was present in the testes throughout the year. Judged by the weight of the martiniko gut, food intake was low during the dry season (December-April) when gonad growth was also low, but increased at the beginning of the wet season (May-November) when gonad growth started to peak. By most indications, martiniko in central Luzon is capable of a long breeding season, becoming intense at the start of the wet season when food intake also increases.

Link to the article: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10228-014-0454-3
Impact Factor: (2014/2015) 0.810

Linda M. Peñalba, Merlyne M. Paunlagui* and Rowena D.T. Baconguis
Institute for Governance and Rural Development
*Center for Strategic Planning and Policy Studies
College of Public Affairs and Development
UP Los Baños

“Harnessing Poverty Alleviation Potential of Biofertilizer in the Philippines” in Bio-innovation and Poverty Alleviation: Case Studies from Asia. Edsel E. Salor, Bernadette P. Resurrección and Sudip K. Rakshit (editors). New Delhi, India: SAGE Publications India, 2014.

Cheryl Joy J. Fernandez and Rodelio F. Subade*
Department of Management
College of Management
*Division of Social Sciences
College of Arts and Sciences
UP Visayas

Perceptions of Fishers Towards Marine Reserves in Iloilo Coastal Communities, Central Philippines. Asian Fisheries Science, 28 (4): 198-212, 2015.

A marine reserve, or marine protected area (MPA) is an important coastal resource management strategy and plays a key role in enhancing health of marine life as well as in securing livelihoods, particularly in coastal communities. Investigating MPAs is a continuing concern within many disciplines, including fisheries, ecology and economics/management. Questions have been raised about participation and cooperation between stakeholders in less known and small MPAs, which is not well studied. Using survey data from 175 fishers in 5 coastal towns in Central Philippines, this research investigated similarities and differenced between their perceptions towards benefits of MPA and conflict between various stakeholders. We then compared these perceptions to governance quality of towns, their income level and their memberships to non-government organisations or people’s organisations. The most interesting findings was that the improvement in the quantity and quality of coral reefs from establishment of marine reserves could be enhanced if fishers have higher incomes, are members of NGOs/POs, or have less conflict with other fishers and their local government. This information can be used to develop targeted interventions aimed at improving local participation and membership to NGOs/POs.

Link to the article: 
Impact Factor: Not yet available

Jerome T. Dimabayao
Institute of Mathematics
College of Science
UP Diliman

On The Vanishing of Cohomologies of p-Adic Galois Representations Associated with Elliptic Curves. Kyushu Journal of Mathematics, 69 (2): 367-386, 2015.

Catchy title of research: Computation of certain Galois group cohomology for some Galois representations defined by elliptic curves   

The vanishing of cohomology groups associated with p-adic Galois representations defined by elliptic curves is one of the useful results towards generalization of methods in Iwasawa theory to larger Galois extensions. Such vanishing enables the computation of Euler characteristics for discrete modules associated to p-adic Galois representations and Selmer groups of elliptic curves over extensions containing all p-power roots of unity. Our purpose in this paper is to show the vanishing of cohomology groups with values in a geometric p-adic Galois representation with respect to some large Galois extensions. In particular, we consider extensions of a p-adic field obtained by adjoining the coordinates of p-power torsion points on an elliptic curve.

Link to the article: https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/kyushujm/69/2/69_367/_article
Impact Factor: (2014/2015) 0.364

Jerome T. Dimabayao
Institute of Mathematics
College of Science
UP Diliman

On the Cohomological Coprimality of Galois Representations Associated with Elliptic Curves. Proceedings of The Japan Academy Series A-Mathematical Sciences, 91 (10): 141-146, 2015.

Catchy title of research: Independence of Galois representations defined by elliptic curves   

Given two continuous representations of a topological group, we are interested in determining up to what extent they are “independent”. There can be several notions of “independence”, the simplest being non-isomorphism. Another notion is the “independence” among representations in a given system of representations of a profinite group which was pioneered by J.-P. Serre. Motivated by problems that arise from generalization of Iwasawa theory to infinite Galois extensions of a number field, we introduce in this note another notion of “independence” between representations of a topological group and prove that under some suitable conditions, representations of the absolute Galois group of a number field associated with two elliptic curves are “independent” in this sense. 

Link to the article: http://projecteuclid.org/euclid.pja/1449080124
Impact Factor: (2014/2015) 0.221

Jezie A. Acorda and Jesalyn L. Constante
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences
College of Veterinary Medicine
UP Los Baños

Ultrasonographic Features of the Ovaries and Uterus in Dairy Water Buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis L.) at Different Physiological States. Philippine Journal of Veterinary Medicine, 52 (2): 113-120, 2015.

Catchy title of research: Ultrasound Features of the Ovaries and Uterus in Dairy Buffaloes 

The ultrasound appearance, measurements and brightness values of the ovaries and uterus of 24 healthy dairy water buffaloes during in heat (n=7), non-pregnant (n=11) and pregnant (n=6) states were taken using an ultrasound machine equipped with a 5.0 MHz linear probe. Examination of the organs were done by inserting the probe inside the rectum. The ovaries of all animals were ovoid and mottled gray in appearance and contained black-colored follicles upon ultrasound visualization. The measurements taken from the ovaries of in heat buffaloeswere higher than the pregnant and non-pregnant animals. The wall of the uterus appeared as a thick, white band for non-pregnant and pregnant groups compared to the thin walls seen in water buffaloes in heat. The inner region (lumen) of the uterus was mottled gray for non-pregnant and pregnant buffaloes while animals in heat had distinct white areas within the unevenly mottled gray lumen. The left horn of the uterus was significantly thin for buffaloes in heat compared to the other groups. Brightness values of the ovaries and uterus of animals in heat were also significantly lower compared to non-pregnant and pregnant buffaloes.

Results of this study can be useful in determining the different physiologic states in dairy water buffaloes. The brightness values of the ovary and uterus maybe used to determine the appropriate time for artificial insemination.

Link to the article: http://journals.uplb.edu.ph/index.php/PJVM/article/view/1376
Impact Factor: Not yet available

Karen Grace S, Andrino, Mary Jane S. Apines-Amar, Rosy L. Janeo and Valeriano L. Corre Jr.
Institute of Aquaculture
College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
UP Visayas

Effects of Dietary Mannan Oligosaccharide (MOS) and β-glucan on Growth, Immune Response and Survival Against White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) Infection of Juvenile Tiger hrimp Penaeus monodon. AACL Bioflux, 7 (5): 321-332, 2014. 

Crab larval stages are characterized by rapid development of parts or organs and frequent metamorphosis or molting. These cause the mud crab larvae to be susceptible to pathogenic organisms present in the rearing environment. The general innate immune response in crustaceans involves a cascade of processes and substances are produced intended to eliminate pathogens.

Link to the article: 
Impact Factor: Not yet available

Soledad S. Garibay, Milagrosa R. Martinez-Goss* and Marie June C. Esprela
Institute of Aquaculture
College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
UP Visayas
*Institute of Biological Sciences
College of Arts and Sciences
UP Los Baños

Diversity of Planktonic Organisms in Selected Areas of Panay Island, Philippines. Philippine Scientist, 51: 104-121, 2014.

Catchy title of research: Varied life forms that freely drifts in the Island of Panay

Plankton or the freely floating microscopic organisms were collected in Panay Island from June 2013 to February 2014.  These small drifting organisms collected were placed in plastic containers and brought to the University of the Philippines Visayas for observation under the microscope.  Because of its size, careful handling is required to keep its forms and structures intact.  In the laboratory, the plankton were classified and identified with the help of illustrated manuals, books and other references.  A total of 47 planktonic organisms including 39 phytoplankters and eight zooplankters were identified in the sampling sites. The phytoplankters observed belonged to six divisions namely Cyanophyta, Dinophyta, Ochrophyta, Bacillariophyta, Euglenophyta and Chlorophyta.  The centric type (Bacillariophyta) were found to frequently occur in the different sampling sites. The dominance of centric diatoms can be attributed to its ability to tolerate wide-range of temperature and salinities. Also with its shape, centric diatoms have the competitive advantage of reduced sinking rates and with more tendencies to float. While the zooplankters identified mostly belonged to phylum Ciliophora. Plankton serves as feed for bigger organisms that live in the area. Its nature of structure and form can help to determine the diverse kinds of animals that thrive in the area. The identified species will serve as an inventory of the major phytoplankters, including some common zooplankters, in selected areas of Panay Island.

Link to the article:
Impact Factor: Not yet available

Abdul-Rashid B. Sampaco III and Junie B. Billones
Department of Physical Sciences and Mathematics
College of Arts and Sciences
UP Manila

Virtual Screening of Natural Products, Molecular Docking and Dynamics Simulations on M.tuberculosis S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine Hydrolase. Oriental Journal of Chemistry, 31 (4): 1859-1865, 2015.

Tuberculosis (TB), one of the world’s most deadly infectious diseases, is caused by the bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). In 2013, approximately 9.0 million people developed TB, which caused 1.5 million deaths in the same year. The current treatment for TB consists of the administration of four first-line drugs – isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol, pyrazinamide – for two months, followed by 4 months of treatment with isoniazid and rifampicin. This treatment regimen however, is too time-consuming and is not usually compatible with medication for treatment of other conditions like HIV. Improper administration of the drugs has led to the emergence of drug resistant TB strains. One of the new attractive drug targets in Mtb is S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine hydrolase (SAHH).  It is involved in the regeneration of S-adenosyl methionine (SAM), a donor of active methyl groups in several essential cellular reactions and also a cofactor of certain enzymes. By crippling SAHH, key cellular processes would be impeded leading to the death of the pathogen. Computer-aided drug discovery has been used as a more practical and efficient alternative for speedy identification of potential leads. Specifically, the interaction of natural products with SAHH was modeled using the computational techniques called molecular docking and molecular dynamics. Virtual screening of over 75,000 natural products against Mtb SAHH led to the identification of a compound named methyl 4-({2-[(4-hydroxy-2-oxo-1,2-dihydro-quinolinyl)carbonyl]hydrazino}sulfonyl)phenylcarbamate as a potential inhibitor of SAHH and as anti-TB agent. This compound possesses good drug properties and may pave the way for a new class of antitubercular agents.

Link to the article: 
Impact Factor: Not yet available

Aurelio A. de los Reyes V
Institute of Mathematics
College of Science
UP Diliman

A Physiologically Based Model of Vascular Refilling During Ultrafiltration in Hemodialysis. Journal of Theoretical Biology, 390: 146–155, 7 February 2016.

Fluid status can be assessed by monitoring relative blood volume (RBV) during hemodialysis (HD) treatment. The dynamics of RBV is determined by fluid removal from the intravascular compartment by ultrafiltration (UF) and vascular refill from the interstitium. In this study, a two-compartment model describing the short-term dynamics of vascular refilling and UF is developed. Fluid movement between the compartments is governed by lymphatic and microvascular fluid shifts. Further, protein flux is described by convection, diffusion and the lymphatic protein flux. Patient specific parameters are identified based on hematocrit (Hct) measurements obtained from the Crit-Line monitor (CLM) device. Different measurement frequencies and UF profiles are compared to determine data fidelity and influence on the quality of parameter estimates. This relevant information can be used to assess the (patho)physiological status of hemodialysis patients and could aid in individualizing therapy.

Link to the article: 
Impact Factor: (2014/2015) 2.116

Victorio B. Molina
Department of Environmental and Occupational Health
College of Public Health
UP Manila

Carcinogenic Health Risk of Arsenic in Five Commercially Important Fish from Laguna De Bay, Philippines. Acta Medica Philippina, 48 (3): 12-19, 2014.

Catchy title of research: Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Manila Catfish from Laguna Lake

Human activities continuously increase the amount of heavy metals in the environment, especially in aquatic ecosystem. It is increasing at an alarming rate and has become an important global problem. The major sources of contamination in surface waters can be traced to industrial discharges, domestic waste disposal and application of agrochemicals on farmlands. The main objective of this study is to provide an assessment of the risks to human health associated with the exposure to heavy metals bioaccumulation in Manila Catfish from Laguna Lake. Manila Catfish (commonly known as Kanduli) sampleswere collected in eight sampling stations in three major areas of the lake during the dry and wet seasons.  Dry season samples were collected from May to June 2010 and wet season samples from September to November 2010. Heavy metals analyses for cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), arsenic (As), and chromium (Cr) were conducted using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) and Mercury Analyzer (Mercur-Duo). Estimates of health risks associated with Kanduli consumption were estimated based on non-carcinogenic health effects of heavy metals. Non-carcinogenic Health Quotient (NHQ) values of the five heavy metals showed that lead is the most significant pollutant of concern in terms of adverse health effects from risks associated with Kanduli consumption from the lake. From the point of view of human health protection and disease prevention, Kanduli from Laguna Lake is not fit for long term human consumption primarily due to lead contamination.

Link to the article: http://actamedicaphilippina.com.ph/
Impact Factor: Not yet available

Dennis F. Quilala
Department of Political Science
College of Social Sciences and Philosophy
UP Diliman

The Philippines in 2014: Unmasking the Daang Matuwid. Philippine Political Science Journal, 36 (1): 94-109, 2015.

The Benigno S. Aquino administration continued with its good governance platform in 2014. It has resulted in continued economic growth and the detention of key personalities of the opposition. However, it failed to apply the same standards to its allies. The challenges the administration faced include the persistence of poverty, bureaucratic incompetence, unconstitutionality of its pump-priming economic program, the peace process, and the threat of China. The same challenges would seem to continue in 2015.

Link to the article: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01154451.2015.1026389
Impact Factor: Not yet available

Jerwin L. Sanchez and Barbara L. Caoili
Crop Protection Cluster
College of Agriculture
UP Los Baños

Identification of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) Biotypes using the Molecular Marker, Cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) Gene. Philippine Entomologist, 29 (2): 136-156, October 2015.

The whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) is considered as one of the most economically important pests of agricultural crops primarily due to its ability to transmit phytoviruses. At least 41 biotypes that differ in their biology, host plant preference, insecticide susceptibility and ability to transmit plant viruses were identified. In the Philippines, B. tabaci is known as primary vector of phytoviruses of tomato, cucurbits, and cotton. However, no local study has been done to identify the whitefly biotypes present in the country. Based on cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) nucleotide sequences, we identified the B. tabaci biotypes associated with cotton eggplant, squash and tomato, that revealed the predominance of B biotype, one of the two most notorious biotypes of whiteflies reported. No sample was found identical with the other most destructive biotype, the Q biotype. Two other biotypes, Asia biotypes I and II6, were found in B. tabaci samples infesting eggplant. This is the first report on the presence of these B. tabaci biotypes in the Philippines. Results showed that there is a need to assess the biotypes present in the country to design efficient management programs for the control of both the insect pest and the viral diseases it transmits. Moreover, with the formation of ASEAN Economic Community in 2015, there is a great possibility of introduction of other B. tabaci biotypes in the country from other ASEAN member states. Thus, baseline information on the local B. tabaci biotypes present in the country is necessary for biosecurity purposes.

Link to the article: 
Impact Factor: Not yet available

Leonila Corpuz-Raros
Crop Protection Cluster
College of Agriculture
Museum of Natural History
UP Los Baños

First Report of Malaconothridae (Acari, Oribatida) from the Philippines, with Description of a New Species of the Genus Malaconothrus. Acarina, 23 (1): 63-68, 2015.

This paper reports thediscovery of a primitive oribatid mite inhabiting mixed swamp forest litter jn the Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary, Mindanao Is., Philippines. Although it belongs to the rather well-known and cosmopolitan genus Malaconothrus, this species represents the first record of the family Malaconothridae in the Philippines. The species is new to science and being such, a new scientific name, MalaconothrusagusanensisErmilov and Corpuz-Raros,is assigned to it, to comply with requirements of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. It closely resembles a Vietnamese species from which it is separated by its long and barbed body hairs,short hairs on the ventral portion of its capitulum, and serrate claws on the legs. The named hairs are short and smooth, and the leg claws are not serrate in the Vietnamese species. A detailed morphological description is provided together with illustrations of its distinguishing characteristics. Like other oribatids which primarily inhabit dry soil and overlying litter, malaconothridsform part of the microfauna that are responsible for the physical breakdown of organic debris before this is acted upon chemically by microbial agents of decomposition in both terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Because of their mobility, theydispersespores of immobile microbesamongst piles of organic debris, thereby facilitating their decomposition.

 

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Impact Factor: Not yet available

Kiall Francis G. Suazo and Aaron Joseph L. Villaraza
Institute of Chemistry
College of Science
UP Diliman

Gd–XO: A Colourimetric Probe for the Complexation of Gd3+ with DO3A-type Ligands. Analytical Methods, 20: 8967-8969, 21 October 2015.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a medical diagnostic technique used for the visualisation of soft tissue in the context of neurology, cardiology, and cancer detection. MRI contrast enhancement can be achieved with the use of gadolinium-based contrast agents (Gd-CAs), formed from the complexation of the strongly paramagnetic Gd³⁺ ion with polydentate macrocylic polyamino carboxylate (PAC) ligands. First generation Gd-CAs where found to be both thermodynamically-stable and kinetically-inert, and hence it was generally assumed that all analogues would exhibit similar stability characteristics. However, recent research has demonstrated that this assumption is untrue, underlying the need to evaluate the complexing characteristics of any new PAC ligand developed for MRI CA use. In this report, we describe a simple and cost-effective UV-Vis spectrophometry-based colourimetric technique able to measure rates of complex formation between Gd³⁺ and DO3A-type ligands, demonstrating as well that the nature of functionalisation of a macrocylic PAC ligand does have a notable effect on the rate of complex formation.  

Link to the article: http://pubs.rsc.org/is/content/articlelanding/2015/ay/c5ay01738f/unauth#!divAbstract
Impact Factor: (2014/215) 1.821

Jerrold M. Tubay and Jomar F. Rabajante
Institute of Mathematical Sciences and Physics
College of Arts and Sciences
UP Los Baños

Microhabitat Locality Allows Multi-Species Coexistence in Terrestrial Plant Communities. Scientific Reports, 5: 15376, 9 pages, 2015.

Catchy title of research: Microhabitat locality allows multi-species coexistence in terrestrial plant communities

Terrestrial plant communities such as forests and grasslands exhibit relatively high plant diversity which include many competitive species. This coexistence has baffled scientists for generation since competition of the same resources should lead to a less diverse environment. Many theoretical studies have been done to explain this phenomenon of coexistence but in most cases, they suggest competitive exclusion. One suggestion that can explain coexistence of many species is the presence of fine differences in suitable microhabitat for each species which was suggested by Tilman. In this simulation study, we built a simple lattice Lotka-Volterra model of competition and incorporated the minute differences in microhabitat to verify Tilman’s claim. In doing this, we have demonstrated that the coexistence of many species is possible in the presence of minute differences in microhabitat.

Link to the article: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4613359/
Impact Factor: (2014/2015) 5.578

Salcedo L. Eduardo
Department of Veterinary Paraclinical Sciences
College of Veterinary Medicine
UP Los Baños

Species of the Genera Gastrothylax Poirier, 1883 and Carmyerius Stiles and Goldberger, 1910 (Paramphistomoidea: Gastrothylacidae) Occurring in Philippine Ruminants. Philippine Journal of Veterinary Medicine, 52 (2): 89-98, 2015.

Catchy title of research: A new and previously known species of stomach worms affecting Philippine Ruminants

The discovery, description and illustration of new species and other known species of stomach worms of the pouched amphistome group affecting Philippine ruminants will provide information useful for the health management of ruminants as important food animals worldwide.

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Impact Factor: Not yet available

 

Mark Daniel G. de Luna and Edgar D. Flores*
Department of Chemical Engineering
Environmental Engineering Program*
College of Engineering
UP Diliman

Removal of Copper Ions from Aqueous Solution by Adlai Shell (Coix lacryma-jobi L.) Adsorbents. Bioresource Technology, 192: 841–844, September 2015.

Adlai shell (Coix lacryma-jobi L.) adsorbents (ASA) were used to remove copper ions from aqueous solutions under batch conditions. The effect of physical and chemical modification of ASA on Cu(II) removal was evaluated. Results showed that the high coefficients of determination for the pseudo-second order (R2 > 0.9999) and for the intraparticle diffusion (R2 > 0.9843) equations indicate that the rate-determining step is a combination of pore diffusion and chemisorption at low Cu(II) concentration and boundary layer, pore diffusion and chemisorption at high Cu(II) concentration. The Freundlich model (R2 > 0.9636) adequately describes the experimental data indicating heterogeneous adsorption. Overall, the results of the study demonstrate the potential of adlai shell adsorbents for the removal of heavy metals from aqueous solutions.

Link to the article: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960852415008044
Impact Factor: (2014/2015) 4.494

Eduardo O. Jatulan, Jomar F. Rabajante, Charina Grace B. Banaay, Alejandro C. Fajardo Jr. and Editha C. Jose
Institute of Mathematical Sciences and Physics
College of Arts and Sciences
UP Los Baños

A Mathematical Model of Intra-Colony Spread of American Foulbrood in European Honeybees (Apis mellifera L.). PLoS ONE, 10 (12): e0143805, 13 pages, 2015.

Catchy title of research: A Model of the Spread of American Foulbrood in European Honeybees

 

A mathematical model was constructed to elucidate how American foulbrood (AFB) spread throughout a colony. The Model aims to describe the long term fate of a Honeybee colony once expose to AFB spores. Our results can be used to forecast the transmission timeline of AFB infection and to evaluate the control strategies for minimizing a possible epidemic.

Link to the article: http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0143805
Impact Factor: (2014/2015) 3.234

Sandra L. Yap
Institute of Biology
College of Science
UP Diliman

Dynamic Response of a Philippine Dipterocarp Forest to Typhoon Disturbance. Journal of Vegetation Science, 27 (1): 133–143, January 2016.

Catchy title of research: The Calm Between the Storms: Response of a Philippine Forest to Typhoon Disturbance

Natural disasters such as cyclones have been known to cause considerable damage to forests, but few studies in the Philippines have attempted to measure their effects. In this paper, researchers compared the tree growth and death rates for a 16-hectare plot in Palanan, Isabela before and after the onslaught of Typhoon Imbudo in 2003. Censuses from 1998, 2004, and 2010 revealed that the diversity of species in the plot remained relatively stable. Although strong winds resulted in some casualties during and after the storm, the forest was quick to rehabilitate itself, with a spike in the number of seedlings observed after the death of larger trees opened gaps in the canopy for sunlight to filter in. In about 6 years’ time, the growth of plants in the affected area had already exceeded levels from before the typhoon. The study also showed that damage varied significantly between areas with differing topography and exposure to the storm. Overall, it was found that the Palanan forest was both resistant and resilient to the disturbance caused by Typhoon Imbudo, although further research should be undertaken to monitor the country’s woodlands and resources as natural disasters become stronger and more frequent.  

Link to the article: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jvs.12358/full
Impact Factor: (2014/2015) 3.709

Baby Rorielyn T. Dimayacyac-Esleta
Institute of Chemistry
College of Science
UP Diliman

Mining Missing Membrane Proteins by High-pH Reverse-Phase StageTip Fractionation and Multiple Reaction Monitoring Mass Spectrometry. Journal of Proteome Research, 14 (9): 3658–3669, 2015.

 

Membrane subproteome analysis has been recognized to be useful for drug discovery in clinical applications, although the challenges in membrane protein solubilization and peptide fractionation techniques still require further improvement. Through efficient peptide prefractionation of membrane samples from lung cancer cell lines and human tissue specimens, this subproteome has been shown by this study to be a good mining resource for many missing proteins. Deep bioinformatics analysis of mass spectral data for identification, FDR estimation, and unique peptide filtering provided highly confident evidence of translation of missing proteins. A targeted MRM-based approach has been applied to confirm the expression of 8 of 11 selected missing proteins. From a biological perspective, the evidence of the presence of missing membrane proteins in lung cancer may suggest their potential function in lung tumorigenesis. On the technical front, we expect that combining efficient membrane proteomic profiling, multiple search engines, and FDR estimations followed by MRM validation could be a feasible approach to identify missing membrane proteins. Application of this platform to other disease types may facilitate the search of the remaining missing proteins.

Link to the article: http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.jproteome.5b00477
Impact Factor: (2014/2015) 4.245

Baby Rorielyn T. Dimayacyac-Esleta
Institute of Chemistry
College of Science
UP Diliman

Rapid High-pH Reverse Phase StageTip for Sensitive Small-Scale Membrane Proteomic Profiling. Analytical Chemistry, 87: 12016-12023, 2015.

 

In this work, we evaluated the sensitivity of Hp-RP StageTip method as a first-dimension peptide fractionation technique for enhancing membrane proteomic coverage, comparing with SAX and SCX StageTips. Hp-RP StageTip method allowed us to identify more than 3000 membrane proteins in few micrograms of membrane protein digests, suitable for analysis with limited amount of biological sample. More importantly, this method provided enhanced identification of membrane proteins, as well as, those with TMH domains especially proteins integral to the plasma membrane, which are known to be under-represented in most proteomic studies. The method also showed its applicability in different types of biological specimens including cell line and tissue samples. The increased detection of membrane proteins led to the deep membrane proteomic analysis in the 11 lung cancer cell lines, with almost 4000 membrane proteins identified from a total of 6769 proteins. The in-depth proteome coverage presented here can provide a foundation in future research on biomarker discovery for lung cancer, in understanding the biological implications between wild-type and mutated EGFR, and in designing drugs that can counter the mechanisms for drug-resistance. In addition to the previously reported oncoprotein and therapeutic targets, this study also revealed novel membrane proteins with significant deregulation in the drug-resistant cell lines that can be potential targets for drug development or biomarker verification. These results showed that Hp-RP StageTip method can be used for in-depth membrane protein profiling and reproducible quantification.

Link to the article: http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.analchem.5b03639
Impact Factor: (2014/2015) 5.636

Alexandra B. Santos-Putungan*, Ray M. Vargas, Arnel A. Salvador and Roland V. Sarmago
*Institute of Mathematical Sciences and Physics
College of Arts and Sciences
UP Los Baños
National Institute of Physics
College of Science
UP Diliman

Intense and Fast UV Emitting ZnO Microrods Fabricated by Low Temperature Aqueous Chemical Growth Method. Journal of Luminescence, 169, (Part A): 216–219, January 2016.

Catchy title of research: Intense and fast ultraviolet (UV) emitting zinc oxide (ZnO) microrods for future scintillator applications

Zinc oxide (ZnO) is one of the most promising materials due to its excellent optical property. It can be used for LEDs, piezoelectric devices, etc. ZnO is capable of absorbing and emitting ultraviolet light, and to be used for UV detectors, UV LEDs, and UV laser diodes. Uniform and hexagonal-faceted ZnO microrods were successfully fabricated using low temperature ACG method. Intense UV emissions along with weak and broad orange emissions were also observed from all of the samples. ZnO microrods have intense and fast UV emissions of about 30 ps. These well-faceted structures can be easily prepared, harvested, and isolated, the ZnO microrods fabricated by the ACG method can be of great use to the development of a new wave of scintillator devices.

Link to the article: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022231315005177
Impact Factor: (2014/2015) 2.719

Maria Kristina S. Gallego
Department of Linguistics
College of Social Sciences and Philosophy
UP Diliman

Philippine Kinship and Social Organization from the Perspective of Historical Linguistics. Philippine Studies: Historical and Ethnographic Viewpoints, 63 (4): 477-506, 2015.

The language habits of a community reflect how the speakers view their world. It is through this premise that certain cultural features of a particular group can be reconstructed by means of historical linguistics. Reconstructing the kinship terms for Proto-Philippines, the ancestral language of the present-day Philippine languages, the early Philippine kinship system is characterized as bilateral, in that the sides of both the mother and father are recognized. Terms indicating relative age for the siblings were also reconstructed, pointing to the importance of age in the roles of the children in the family. Terms for one’s mother and father were also found to be similar with the terms used to refer to one’s aunt/s and uncle/s respectively, indicating that the individual’s behavior towards the kin must have also been the same. However, changes in the kinship system of the daughter languages also meant changes in the nomenclature, as changes in the behavior of the speakers towards certain kin would inevitably be reflected in the language. For instance, borrowed terms for aunts/uncles as well as gender-specific sibling terms can be seen in Tagalog, reflecting changes in how the speakers view and treat the aforementioned kin.

Link to the article: http://www.philippinestudies.net/ojs/index.php/ps/article/view/4191
Impact Factor: Not yet available