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The Island of Catanduanes is located in the eastern most fringe of Luzon considered to be the doorstep of typhoon path. The rainfall in the province is important in producing agricultural food to make life in the province sustainable. Hence, it is necessary to establish how the effect of climate change variable on the availability of water in the island, so that impending extreme drought or flooding will be mitigated. In addition to that, Climate change in the island has an impact on human activity, and a treat from flooding of variable weather pattern like seasonal monsoon rain and inter tropical convergence zone develop near the island. Using the data from the PAGASA-DOST, Climatology and Agro meteorology Division (CAD) of April 2020, from the Virac Doppler and Radar Weather in Catanduanes. Synoptic data were used to evaluate the rainfall for the last 30 years. The rainfall pattern caused by the southwest monsoon (Habagat) most from June to September gives an average of 73.08mm for 3 decades. Northeast monsoon (Amihan) usually arrives on November and ends on March having an average rainfall of 103.78mm for 3 decades. It has been shown that the rainfall is increasing every year, the annual rainfall trends will increase of up to 10.76mm in the next 10 years. Studying the rainfall pattern and temperature will give us more precise assessment of the climatic condition in the island and give the community and the government the proper information for mitigating and planning on how we can handle climate change.

The Island Province of Catanduanes is prone to all types of natural hazards that includes torrential and heavy rains, strong winds and surge, flooding and landslide or slope failures as a result of its geographical location and topography. RA 10121 mandates local DRRM bodies to “encourage community, specifically the youth, participation in disaster risk reduction and management activities, such as organizing quick response groups, particularly in identified disaster-prone areas, as well as the inclusion of disaster risk reduction and management programs as part of youth programs and projects. The study aims to determine the awareness to disaster of the student of the Catanduanes State University. The disaster-based questionnaire was prepared and distributed among 636 students selected randomly from different Colleges and Laboratory Schools in the University The Catanduanes State University students understood some disaster-related concepts and ideas, but uncertain on issues on preparedness, adaptation, and awareness on the risks inflicted by these natural hazards. Low perception on disaster risks are evidently observed among students. The responses of the students could be based on the efficiency and impact of the integration of DRR education in the senior high school curriculum. Specifically, integration of the concepts about the hazards, hazard maps, disaster preparedness, awareness, mitigation, prevention, adaptation, and resiliency in the science curriculum possibly affect the knowledge and understanding of students on DRR. Preparedness drills and other forms of capacity building must be done to improve awareness of the student towards DRRM. The study further recommends that teachers and instructor must also be capacitated in handling disaster as they are the prime movers in the implementation of the DRRM in education. Preparedness drills and other forms of capacity building must be done to improve awareness of the student towards DRRM. Core subjects in Earth Sciences must be reinforced with geologic hazards. Learning competencies must also be focused on hazard identification and mapping, and coping with different geologic disaster.

We report the most sensitive upper limits to date on the 21 cm epoch of reionization power spectrum using 94 nights of observing with Phase I of the Hydrogen Epoch of Reionization Array (HERA). Using similar analysis techniques as in previously reported limits, we find at 95% confidence that Δ2(k = 0.34 h Mpc−1) ≤ 457 mK2 at z = 7.9 and that Δ2(k = 0.36 h Mpc−1) ≤ 3496 mK2 at z = 10.4, an improvement by a factor of 2.1 and 2.6, respectively. These limits are mostly consistent with thermal noise over a wide range of k after our data quality cuts, despite performing a relatively conservative analysis designed to minimize signal loss. Our results are validated with both statistical tests on the data and end-to-end pipeline simulations. We also report updated constraints on the astrophysics of reionization and the cosmic dawn. Using multiple independent modeling and inference techniques previously employed by HERA Collaboration, we find that the intergalactic medium must have been heated above the adiabatic cooling limit at least as early as z = 10.4, ruling out a broad set of so-called “cold reionization” scenarios. If this heating is due to high-mass X-ray binaries during the cosmic dawn, as is generally believed, our result’s 99% credible interval excludes the local relationship between soft X-ray luminosity and star formation and thus requires heating driven by evolved low-metallicity stars.

The Island Province of Catanduanes is gaining grounds in the field of construction. The program of the current administration “Build, Build, Build” have taken the construction industry to full blast. Construction, both private and public are evident on every corners of the island. Occupational Safety and Health in construction is often neglected and disregarded. Construction is the one of the most dangerous sectors in health and safety. The government, thru the Department of Labor and Employment had already address the problem by providing safety and health training to the personnel of the construction firm as well as the industry as a whole. But the effort has been far from satisfactory, as construction accident continue to dominate the entire industry. The study aims to awareness of construction safety in Catanduanes. The study focuses on the awareness of workers in construction industry in Catanduanes on Occupational Safety and Health. From the series of interviews and interaction with the workers on site, and upon evaluation of their responses, the researcher finally come up with the conclusion that, the construction workers are aware of the safety and health in constructions but they do not adhere and follow it. Workers admittedly that the reason they are complaisant about following safety and health practices are discomfort, beliefs, and bad habits. The following recommendation were sought based on the results of the interview; 1. Workers must attend or be trained with safety and health. A training that would enable them to understand the safety and health issues and concerns, 2. Workers must be taught with correct attitude towards safety in workplace, 3. They must taught of right things contrary to their old beliefs, 4. Workers must developed good habit and positive outlook in terms of their safety and well-being.

People who believe they have greater efficacy to address climate change are more likely to engage in pro-environmental behaviour. To confront the climate crisis, it will therefore be essential to u...

Aim: To determine the instrument reliability of Postural Application Technology (PAAT) as an assessment tool of static posture. Method: There were sixty participants included in the study. The respondents were obtained using a non-probability convenience sampling technique, Slovin’s Formula was used to compute for the sample size. Data were analyzed using Cronbach Alpha Correlation to measure internal consistency, Interclass correlation Coefficient for external reliability. A scattered plot was use to understand and observed the correlational / relationship between variables. Result: The anterior view (AV) and lateral view (LV) showed high reliability on the shoulder, ankle, torso, and leg assessments (Cronbach’s alpha= 0.80, 0.76, 0.84, 0.84 respectively) and medium reliability on AP head, arms, pelvis assessments (Cronbach’s alpha= 0.50, 0.66, 0.61 respectively), and for LV head tilt (Cronbach’s alpha= 0.64.) For external reliability on AV, data showed excellent reliability on shoulder, pelvis, and ankle assessments (ICC= 0.81,0.77, 0.79) and good reliability on arms (ICC=0.65); and fair reliability on head and knees (ICC= 0.5, 0.46 respectively). With LV, excellent reliability was found on torso and legs (ICC= 0.84, 0.77) respectively) and good reliability on head tilt (ICC=0.64). The scatter plot showed a strong positive linear correlation of the anterior view data with the head, shoulder, pelvis, and ankle. With the lateral view data, the scatter plot showed a strong positive linear correlation with head tilt, and torso, and a weak positive linear correlation with the leg Conclusion and Implication: PAAT is a reliable tool for the assessment that can be used by clinicians, academicians, and students for objective assessment of static posture.

This study assesses the communication capabilities of the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Catanduanes and to develop findings on the current communication systems that will address the information needs of their constituents more particularly when the usual communications fails during the times of disasters. All Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (MDRRMO) uses the small messaging system (SMS) or cellular phones in gathering and disseminating disaster-related information. A handful of MDRRMO do not use VHF Radio and all of them use early warning systems to disseminate information to their respective communities. The transmission and receiving of disaster-related information are being acquired through cellular phones. The study concludes the inadequacy in the LGU Communications System Facilities and the readiness for deployment in case of the strong typhoon on the province when the existing communication facilities are disrupted, particularly the Internet and SMS technologies. Some municipalities have not identified what communications systems to use in case there is a total communication failure during disasters. Some municipalities will request the services of Amateur Radio for assistance. Some will request private radio users to relay information in case normal communication fails. Some Municipalities have not invested in or allocated a budget for communications systems facilities. Finally, this study recommends that an annual budget for the communications system must be restored under the MDRRMO to ensure the serviceability of existing communications facilities and equipment. And equip the LGU with the low cost and modest communication facilities to respond in times of disaster.

VHF Directional Antenna is not easily found in the Philippine market. Supplies of this kind of antenna are expensive that can only be purchased directly from the manufacturers. Ham Radio operators usually build, modify, and perform experimentation on the directional antenna to achieve higher dB gain for DXing activities. In this study, we use the 3- effective directional antenna for comparability analysis. Its performance is needed in long-range communication of 2-meter amateur band application. The 4NEC2 software was used to simulate the radiating pattern and other properties of each directional antenna. Simulation of the antenna with 3, 7, and 13 elements resulted in substantial proof, describing the better usage of the loop feed-in directional antenna system. It would result in a higher dB gain with longer antenna boom length. However, the MOX-GI design is comparable to a Yagi-Uda directional antenna in both boom length, and dB gain. MOX-GI antenna exhibits good impedance and lowers SWR reading which is desirable for easy home brewing directional antenna.

The graduates of the Catanduanes State University prefer to work abroad and in Metro Manila. There were some who preferred to stay in the province and look for a job. The College of Engineering barely needs additional faculty members, but few are willing to work in the institution. This research sought to determine the unique motivational factors towards work of the faculty of the college and why they are staying in the university. The research was conducted using a qualitative study of the faculty utilizing the questionnaire and interview on the motivation aspect towards work. The faculty of Catanduanes State University- College of Engineering was found to be significantly interested in doing their best and, given the freedom, will perform well. Simple recognition will validate what they have done well and will serve as additional motivation for the faculty. This research also found that organization background, reputation, working environment, harmonious workplace relationship is equally important with the salary.

The detection of the Epoch of Reionization (EoR) delay power spectrum using a "foreground avoidance method" highly depends on the instrument chromaticity. The systematic effects induced by the radio-telescope spread the foreground signal in the delay domain, which contaminates the EoR window theoretically observable. Applied to the Hydrogen Epoch of Reionization Array (HERA), this paper combines detailed electromagnetic and electrical simulations in order to model the chromatic effects of the instrument, and quantify its frequency and time responses. In particular, the effects of the analogue receiver, transmission cables, and mutual coupling are included. These simulations are able to accurately predict the intensity of the reflections occurring in the 150-m cable which links the antenna to the back-end. They also show that electromagnetic waves can propagate from one dish to another one through large sections of the array due to mutual coupling. The simulated system time response is attenuated by a factor $10^{4}$ after a characteristic delay which depends on the size of the array and on the antenna position. Ultimately, the system response is attenuated by a factor $10^{5}$ after 1400 ns because of the reflections in the cable, which corresponds to characterizable ${k_\parallel}$-modes above 0.7 $h\;\rm{Mpc}^{-1}$ at 150 MHz. Thus, this new study shows that the detection of the EoR signal with HERA Phase I will be more challenging than expected. On the other hand, it improves our understanding of the telescope, which is essential to mitigate the instrument chromaticity.

OBJECTIVE: Informed by the family stress and family investment models, this study investigated whether income is indirectly related to adherence and glycemic control through parenting constructs among youth with type 1 diabetes. METHODS: Youth and their families (n=390) from four geographically-disperse pediatric endocrinology clinics in the United States were participants in a multi-site clinical trial from 2006-2009 examining the efficacy of a clinic-integrated behavioral intervention targeting family disease management for youth with type 1 diabetes. Baseline data were collected from youth age 9 to 14 years and their parents. Parents reported family income and completed a semi-structured interview assessing diabetes management adherence. Parents and children reported diabetes-specific parent-child conflict. Children completed measures of collaborative parent involvement and authoritative parenting. Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), a biomarker of glycemic control, was analyzed centrally at a reference laboratory. The relations of income, parenting variables, regimen, adherence, and HbA1c were examined using structural equation modeling. RESULTS: Lower family income was associated with greater parent-child conflict and a less authoritative parenting style. Authoritative parenting was associated with more collaborative parent involvement and less parent-child conflict, both of which were associated with greater adherence, which was associated with more optimal glycemic control (p

New massively redundant low frequency arrays allow for a novel investigation of closure relations in interferometry. We employ commissioning data from the Hydrogen Epoch of Reionization Array to investigate closure quantities in this densely packed grid array of 14m antennas operating at 100 MHz to 200 MHz. We investigate techniques that utilize closure phase spectra for redundant triads to estimate departures from redundancy for redundant baseline visibilities. We find a median absolute deviation from redundancy in closure phase across the observed frequency range of about 4.5deg. This value translates into a non-redundancy per visibility phase of about 2.6deg, using prototype electronics. The median absolute deviations from redundancy decrease with longer baselines. We show that closure phase spectra can be used to identify ill-behaved antennas in the array, independent of calibration. We investigate the temporal behavior of closure spectra. The Allan variance increases after a one minute stride time, due to passage of the sky through the primary beam of the transit telescope. However, the closure spectra repeat to well within the noise per measurement at corresponding local sidereal times (LST) from day to day. In future papers in this series we will develop the technique of using closure phase spectra in the search for the HI 21cm signal from cosmic reionization., 32 pages. 11 figures. Accepted to Radio Science

There is broad theoretical consensus that one way to promote climate-friendly behavior is to increase people's belief that their actions can make a difference (individual response efficacy). However, attempts to increase individual efficacy beliefs about climate change through explicit instruction have generally failed. In the current paper, two experiments tested an intervention designed to convince people that their individual actions spread and multiply, causing larger changes in interconnected systems (also known as ripple or butterfly effects). Participants were presented with four principles which explain how individual actions can have aggregate effects at the collective level: social norms, consumer pressure, political pressure, and snowball effects. Although Study 1 (N = 491) revealed promising effects of the intervention in terms of individual efficacy and pro-environmental intentions, the intervention did not influence actual behavior (i.e., donations to an environmental campaign). Further, when changes were made to the design to reduce social desirability processes, the interventions had no significant effects (Study 2; N = 801). We draw on these data – as well as previous failed attempts to promote individual efficacy – to extract theoretical implications for our understanding of how people internalize individual control over broad collective threats such as climate change.

This triangulation study assessed pre-service teachers of their readiness to functionally utilize Information and Communication Technology (ICT) – based teaching strategies and techniques as corroborated with new graduates’ related experiences.Their knowledge in ICT-based teaching acquired from the educational technology courses in teacher education was correlated with their attitudes and perceptions toward the use of these strategies in causing functional learning, their perceived readiness, and technological practices. Subsequently, issues concerning the use of ICT-based strategies learned in college were sought from graduates of teacher education through exposition of experiences in their respective workplaces.This study ultimately revealed that the educational technology course experiences were not responsive enough to capacitate pre-service teachers to enact ICT-based strategies toward functional learning of their future students. They generally believe that their knowledge, potentials, and skills were not adequate to maximize ICT in designing and implementing curricular programs when they become full-fledged teachers despite their positive views on the benefits of ICT in teaching. New teacher-graduates, meanwhile, experienced limitations on the opportunities to use ICT in teaching due to lack of facilities and available resources to carry out their learned competencies. They also expressed restraint to innovate teaching as they were aghast of the demands of 21st century education. The need to revitalize the teacher education curriculum is, therefore, proposed that should be highly responsive in gearing up the potentials of pre-service teachers on ICT-based teaching in the light of 21st century education. Keywords 21st Century Ict-Based Teaching, Educational Technology, Pre-Service Teachers, Teacher Education

Several decades of research have found that just world beliefs (BJW) predict the blaming of innocent victims and are associated with various forms of prejudice. We tested whether anti-transgender prejudice (a) uniquely predicts victim blame for a victim perceived to be of transgender spectrum experience (or trans*), apart from BJW, and (b) whether anti-transgender prejudice is a mediator of the association between BJW and victim blame. U.S. participants (N = 311) read a hypothetical crime vignette in which the victim was either perceived to be trans* by perpetrators or not, then completed measures of victim blame, BJW, and anti-transgender prejudice. In a multiple linear regression analysis, anti-transgender prejudice and the interactions of vignette with BJW and with anti-transgender prejudice were significant predictors of victim blame. There was no independent main effect for BJW, gender, or vignette. BJW was associated with victim blame only for the trans* victim. Anti-transgender prejudice wa...

Youth with Type 1 diabetes and lower family income typically have poorer glycemic control. This post hoc analysis examines whether a family-oriented behavioral intervention for this population is differentially effective across income levels.Families of youth aged 9-15 years with Type 1 diabetes (N=390; 49.2% female; age, 12.4 [1.7] years; hemoglobin A1c [HbA1c], 8.4 [1.2]; pump, 33.8%) at four U.S. pediatric endocrinology clinics participated in a 2-year RCT (data collected 2006-2011) of a clinic-integrated behavioral intervention designed to improve diabetes management by facilitating problem-solving skills, communication skills, and responsibility sharing. HbA1c was analyzed centrally. Family income was categorized as$50,000 (low); $50,000 to$100,000 (middle); and ≥$100,000 (high). Treatment effect was defined as the change in HbA1c from baseline to 2-year follow-up. A linear model tested the interaction of treatment effect with family income, controlling for race, insulin regimen, and site (analyzed in 2014).Baseline HbA1c was significantly poorer (p=0.004) in the low-income group. There was a significant overall effect of treatment group on change in HbA1c from baseline to follow-up (p=0.04). The interaction term for treatment by income group was not significant (p=0.44). Within each income category, a smaller deterioration in glycemic control was observed for the treatment group relative to controls.This clinic-integrated behavioral intervention was similarly effective in improving glycemic control among youth with Type 1 diabetes across income levels. This family-oriented problem-solving approach offers flexibility in addressing families' needs and may optimize impact on health outcomes across income groups.

Constructivism has been evolving as to how educators all over the world have been perceiving it to be a responsive frame of mind in the 21st century schools. “Imagineering”, conceived as a blend of imagination and engineering, now becomes a significant concept rooted from how teachers innovate the curriculum toward making their learners create new knowledge. This descriptive-survey study generally assessed how constructivist are the 270 pre-service teachers who are the future of the modern schools. The results revealed that the would-be teachers are much more imaginative and creative in designing teaching strategies, techniques, and assessment tools than in acquiring concepts for learning. Data further imply that while they are too aggressive in creating outputs, pre-service teachers tend to overlook the significance of knowledge acquisition prior to exploration and creation. It is important to note that pre-service teacher training be founded on capacity building and stimulation of imagination before making decisions on creative teaching. Recreating this study is highly recommended to further understand the procedure in preparing prospective teachers in the new millennium.

To our knowledge, no published research has developed an individual difference measure of health-related stereotype threat (HRST). We adapted existing measures of academic stereotype threat to the health domain on a sample of black college students (N = 280). The resulting health-related stereotype threat scale-24 (HRST-24) was assessed for internal consistency, construct and incremental validity, and whether it explains variance in self-reported delays among four preventive health behaviors—blood pressure and cholesterol assays, physical exams, and routine checkups. After adjusting for several control variables, the HRST-24’s (full scale α = 0.96) perceived black health inferiority (18 items; α = 0.96) and perceived physician racial bias (6 items; α = 0.85) sub-scales explained unique variance in delays among two of the four behaviors including a blood cholesterol check (p < .01) and routine checkup—albeit at marginal levels (p = .063) in the case of the latter. Overall, these data provide preliminary evidence of construct and incremental validity for the HRST-24 among blacks. Recommendations for administering the scale are provided and future directions for HRST research are discussed.

Research suggests that communications about racial health disparities may adversely affect Blacks. In this study, we varied the message content (Black-White cardiovascular-related disparities + neutral health topics vs. neutral health topics only) embedded in public service announcements given to Black and White participants (N = 86) and had them complete a purported health self-assessment. We used the number of items completed as a measure of task persistence. Our results showed that participants in the disparities condition completed fewer items on average than participants in the neutral condition (p .01). Planned contrasts revealed that this effect was driven by the responses of Blacks who completed fewer items in the disparities condition (p .01), though Whites evinced a comparable condition-based trend (p = .12). We found no Black-White differences in the number of items completed in either of our experimental conditions (ps ≥ .53). Although preliminary, our findings suggest that Blacks and Whites exposed to comparative racial disparities messaging about cardiovascular diseases could experience reduced task persistence. Research implications and study limitations are also discussed.

Operation RedBlock, a substance abuse prevention and early intervention program at Amtrak, implemented an interactive health promotion website (On The Right Track, OTRT) for its volunteers, other employees and their families. OTRT was customized from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) -sponsored GetFit@SAMHSA.GOV website and implemented with the purpose of facilitating the peer-to-peer substance abuse prevention efforts of Operation RedBlock volunteers. SAMHSA’s GetFit website combines broad health and wellness messages with current substance abuse prevention resources. The OTRT customization adds Amtrak relevant and specific content concerning substance abuse prevention resources and treatment options, drug and alcohol use policies, health care coverage, support group meeting locations and dates, and local Operation RedBlock and Employee Assistance Program contact information. Using a retrospective pretest-posttest design this study evaluates whether and how OTRT facilitated peer-to-peer efforts in substance abuse prevention and early intervention. The evaluation revealed that the website significantly improved access to information and resources that helped Operation RedBlock volunteers’ in their peer-to-peer efforts. Volunteers valued the ready availability of reliable information, the confidential nature, and the ease of use of OTRT. Facilitated access to information and resources may help reduce substance abuse among employees at high risk.

Objective: Despite minimum-purchase-age laws, young people regularly drink alcohol. This study estimated the magnitude and costs of problems resulting from underage drinking by category-traffic crashes, violence, property crime, suicide, burns, drownings, fetal alcohol syndrome, high-risk sex, poisonings, psychoses, and dependency treatment-and compared those costs with associated alcohol sales. Previous studies did not break out costs of alcohol problems by age. Method: For each category of alcohol-related problems, we estimated fatal and nonfatal cases attributable to underage alcohol use. We multiplied alcohol-attributable cases by estimated costs per case to obtain total costs for each problem. Results: Underage drinking accounted for at least 16% of alcohol sales in 2001. It led to 3,170 deaths and 2.6 million other harmful events. The estimated $61.9 billion bill (relative SE = 18.5%) included $5.4 billion in medical costs, $14.9 billion in work loss and other resource costs, and $41.6 billion in lost quality of life. Quality-of-life costs, which accounted for 67% of total costs, required challenging indirect measurement. Alcohol-attributable violence and traffic crashes dominated the costs. Leaving aside quality of life, the societal harm of $1 per drink consumed by an underage drinker exceeded the average purchase price of $0.90 or the associated $0.10 in tax revenues. Conclusions: Recent attention has focused on problems resulting from youth use of illicit drugs and tobacco. In light of the associated substantial injuries, deaths, and high costs to society, youth drinking behaviors merit the same kind of serious attention. (J. Stud. Alcohol 67: 519-528, 2006). Language: en

The emergence and improvement of wearable low cost sensors gives way to an improved patient rehabilitation from impairment such as those caused by accidents or stroke. We have developed a digital motion sensing system that uses accelerometers and gyroscopes worn by the patient, and enables the rehab session to be recorded visually using a high-FPS camera. Through collaboration with interns and licensed physical therapists (PTs), we conducted tests using these wearable sensors known as the inertial measurement unit (IMU) side-by-side their norm of using a static universal goniometer (UG). An Android-based portable system was demonstrated that could be used by PTs on the move. We explored the variations of the normal range of motion (ROM) in healthy uninjured individuals, following that the functional ROM is less stringent than the conventional criteria. We can show that using the system the patient can participate in developing their digital medical records, as well as in their own wellness program

Responses to the 1999 Youth Risk Behavior Survey including suicide ideation, attempt, medically treated attempt, and six problem behaviors were analysed. Youth across the spectrum ideated. Overwhelmingly, the 17% of youth with more than three problem behaviors were the youth who acted; they accounted for 60% of medically treated suicidal acts. Compared to adolescents with zero problem behaviors, the odds of a medically treated suicide attempt were 2.3 times greater among respondents with one, 8.8 with two, 18.3 with three, 30.8 with four, 50.0 with five, and 227.3 with six. A count of problem behaviors offers a reliable way to identify suicide risk.

Gompertz kinetics is a simple, realistic, accurate, and computationally parsimonious alternative for prediction of macroscopic changes in Na+ conductance during voltage clamp. Conductance delay and time course depend on initial amplitudes and decay rates of surrogates for the macroscopic gating currents. The model is tested by the fit to published data of other authors. The proposed physical basis for the model is that membrane potential perturbation triggers motion of charged "gating" components of the axon membrane at rapid (activating) and at slow (inactivating) rates. The resulting distortion increases and more slowly diminishes the probability that conduction channels will be open.

49 VOL. 47 NO. 3 2013 ACTA MEDICA PHILIPPINA _______________ Corresponding author: Deborah David-Ona, MD Section of Hypertension Department of Medicine Philippine General Hospital University of the Philippines Manila Taft Avenue, Ermita, Manila, 1000 Philippines Telephone: +632 5264372 Email: debbiedavidona@gmail.com The Distribution of Hypertension in the Philippine General Hospital after 4 Decades (A Comparative Study)

The classical Gompertz assumption that the number of individuals surviving in a population decreases with age at an exponentially increasing rate often fits actual data poorly. In particular, observed mortality rates of the older individuals may be lower than predicted. However, such data can be very well fit by the alternative assumption that the number dying increases at an exponentially decreasing rate. Thus, when the appropriate form of the Gompertz kinetics is used, the older individuals die according to the same rule as the younger.

The end of life cycle of batteries used in electric and hybrid electric vehicles may have great potential for further use in the electrical power system for energy storage. However, the phenomenon known as battery aging must be considered before the repurposing of these batteries. This phenomenon affects the batteries' ability to maintain their nominal capacity, voltage and current rating. This paper examines an approach for repurposing used electric and hybrid electric vehicle batteries for large scale energy storage of renewable energy in the electric power system. In addition, this paper describes a system that utilizes pulsed charge regulation and interlacing of batteries to form a multi-level battery scheme to extend the useful life of batteries. This concept was demonstrated in a physical model of the system that was developed with PSCAD.

The traditional approach to designing FACTS and HVDC system controls, are to run electromagnetic transients (EMT) simulations of the power network and the proposed controller strategy. After the design is completed, the controls can be re-implemented in hardware. However, prototyping the controls from EMT programs into a microcontroller platform is a long and arduous task. This paper reports on an automatic control generation strategy, which converts the controls developed in an EMT simulation, into C code for a microcontroller. The code generator is developed for a commonly used EMT simulation program (PSCAD/EMTDC). The viability of this approach is demonstrated by the construction of a hardware based step-down dc-dc converter, with the controls being implementing on a PIC microcontroller using the proposed approach.

This paper investigates an approach to repurposing old hybrid electric vehicle batteries for energy storage in electrical networks that incorporate renewable energy sources. Such batteries suffer from aging affects that limit their ability to maintain their designed capacity, voltage and current ratings. Furthermore, this paper examines the battery aging factors which will affect the development of a repurposed battery energy storage system and uses pulsed charge regulation and interlacing of batteries to form a multi-level battery operation scheme to further the life of the aged batteries. The approach is demonstrated using detailed electromagnetic transient simulations.

A 31-year-old term primigravid woman had an intrathecal catheter placed following a dural puncture during attempted epidural analgesia during labour. After 23 hours she developed sudden loss of consciousness and an urgent brain computed tomography scan demonstrated a large left hyper-acute subdural haematoma. Craniotomy revealed active bleeding from a ruptured left temporal bridging vein. She was extubated 12 hours after surgery and was discharged home 11 days later without neurological deficit. Although subdural haematoma is a recognised complication of dural puncture, it has not been reported in the presence of an intrathecal catheter. An intrathecal catheter may not always prevent cerebrospinal fluid efflux, so subdural haematoma remains a potential complication of inadvertent dural puncture.

The survival patterns of many animals can be classified into one of two asymmetric sigmoid forms: One group can be predicted from the standard, classical Gompertz assumption that, with age, the number of individuals alive in the population decreases exponentially at an exponentially increasing rate. The other can be predicted from the alternative Gompertz assumption that, with age, the number of individuals that have died increases exponentially at an exponentially decreasing rate. The two models have similar mathematical forms, but the curves are not the same. In contrast to the standard, the alternative form has an early rapid fall and terminates in a gradual decay of the number of live individuals. It fits "non-Gompertzian" survival plots that are not predicted by the number-alive assumption. Analyses of published data show one or the other survival mode in various animal populations, depending on sex, genetic strain, nutrition, or activity.

The Philippine Archipelago, which comprises more than 7100 islands, has an approximate area of 1 083 000 ha of wetlands, classified as mangroves, estuaries, freshwater marsh, aquaculture ponds, lakes and man-made reservoirs. The coastal wetland is predominantly a mangrove ecosystem. In 1918, the mangrove forest was estimated to be 400 000 ha. In 1978, the remaining area of mangroves was reduced to 146 140 ha. In 1987, it was estimated to be 100 564 ha. The rapid loss is caused by timber extraction and aquaculture development. About 95% of aquaculture industry in the country is done in ponds which were once mangroves. On average, about 3500 ha of mangroves are lost every year to accommodate the aquaculture industry, the livelihood of about 2 000 000 fisheries-resource-dependent population. Some attempts have been made to remedy the rapid loss of mangroves. Efforts were made by both government and non-government organization to rectify the situation. Inventory of mangrove area was conducted to determine the exact area of remaining mangrove and the extent of the mangrove rehabilitation schemes now being conducted by the government. The Philippine wetland types are also discussed in detail.

Introduction Young unlicensed drivers' involvement in fatal crashes is a recurrent problem in the United States. Methods This descriptive study extracted cross-sectional data on fatal crashes from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System from 1998 to 2002. Young unlicensed driver fatal crashes are examined by age, gender, and region. Results There were 2,452 young unlicensed driver fatal crashes representing 10.8% of all young drivers' fatal crashes. By age, 72.5% are over 15 years, males are involved in 74.5%, and southern and western states have a higher percent of young unlicensed driver fatal crashes. Conclusions Subgroups of young people based on their age, gender, and region are over-represented in fatal crashes as unlicensed drivers. Further studies are needed to investigate the context and factors of young unlicensed drivers, essential to tailor interventions. Impact on industry Young unlicensed drivers circumvent the established licensing process and pose a serious threat to themselves and other road users.

First-order kinetics is based on simple exponential decay, usually expressed in base e (Naperian) notation. “Nonexponential” processes, for example, S-shaped functions, are frequently modeled as sums of that elemental construct, and the number of rate constants increases with the number of such terms. A powerful descriptive alternative to sums of simple exponentials is the Gompertz function. In Gompertz kinetics, the rate coefficient of an exponential process is assumed to change exponentially with the independent variable. Nonexponential processes are easily modeled, more efficiently and more accurately than is possible with standard kinetics. Application of Gompertz kinetics to neuroscience research topics ranging from cognitive to molecular is presented to illustrate the power of the model: distribution of nerve fiber diameters, conditioning–testing responses of excitable nerve, psychophysical estimates of taste intensity magnitude, time course of synaptic current, and behavior of membrane conductance during voltage clamp of squid axon.

At a chemical synapse, transmitter molecules ejected from presynaptic terminal(s) bind reversibly with postsynaptic receptors and trigger an increase in channel conductance to specific ions. This paper describes a simple but accurate predictive model for the time course of the synaptic conductance transient, based on Gompertz kinetics. In the model, two simple exponential decay terms set the rates of development and decline of transmitter action. The first, r, triggering conductance activation, is surrogate for the decelerated rate of growth of conductance, G. The second, r′, responsible for Y, deactivation of the conductance, is surrogate for the decelerated rate of decline of transmitter action. Therefore, the differential equation for the net conductance change, g, triggered by the transmitter is dg/dt = g(r−r′). The solution of that equation yields the product of G(t), representing activation, and Y(t), which defines the proportional decline (deactivation) of the current. The model fits, over their full-time course, published records of macroscopic ionic current associated with fast chemical transmission. The Gompertz model is a convenient and accurate method for routine analysis and comparison of records of synaptic current and putative transmitter time course. A Gompertz fit requiring only three independent rate constants plus initial current appears indistinguishable from a Markov fit using seven rate constants. Synapse 58:53–61, 2005. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

In contrast to the frequent occurrence of localized herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections during pregnancy, disseminated disease has rarely been reported.A 21-year-old woman in the 27th week of gestation developed a catastrophic illness characterized by fever, progressive pneumonia, respiratory failure, leukopenia, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), anicteric hepatitis, septic shock and acute renal failure. Initial studies for an infectious etiology were negative. In spite of empiric broad-spectrum antimicrobial therapy, her condition continued to deteriorate. Sparse vesicular skin lesions suggestive of HSV infection subsequently appeared. Despite initiation of acyclovir therapy, the patient died. HSV type 2 was cultured from a skin vesicle, and at autopsy there was extensive necrosis of the liver and lung with immunohistochemical stains positive for HSV antigen.In the third trimester of pregnancy, HSV can occasionally disseminate in immunocompetent women. A clinical syndrome of unexplained fever, pneumonia, anicteric hepatitis, leukopenia and DIC without mucocutaneous lesions should prompt investigation and possible treatment for disseminated HSV infection.

Disposition of drugs among compartments of the body usually occurs at changing rates that are commonly modeled as sums of exponential terms with different rate constants. This paper describes an alternative. Gompertz kinetics, in which the rates can change systematically.Differential equations were developed and solved that fit typical examples taken from the literature. The three or four constants required for a visually satisfactory fit to data could readily be found by successive adjustment "by hand," but strategies and results are presented for computer fitting of the data.In four examples, the amount remaining in the blood decreases as an exponentially declining fraction of the amount present at any moment, but the antecedent processes responsible for that amount differ as follows: (a) In simple i.v. disposition (e.g., lidocaine) concentration falls as a decelerated exponential decay. (b) Delayed i.v. disposition (e.g., hexobarbital) requires, as well, a decelerated exponential growth function. (c) In simple disposition after oral administration, the concentration in the blood initially increases at a decelerating rate. (d) In biphasic oral disposition (e.g., Li+ carbonate), the initial Gompertz growth is followed by decelerated exponential decay.Gompertz kinetics provides an accurate and parsimonious mathematical model describing drug disposition.

X-ray and age-dependent survival studies both involve increasing numbers of deaths in proportion to the destructive force implicit in the independent variable, which is radiation dose in the former and the ravages of time in the latter. Ordinarily modelled by entirely different but often unsatisfactory equations, these similar situations can both be represented by a Gompertz growth model in which the dependent variable is number dead rather than number of survivors. The present paper applies the model to X-ray survival curves. Two free parameters suffice for a curve in which the log survival terminates in a straight line. In those instances in which the slope of the log plot becomes increasingly steep, an exponential term is required to account for the disproportionate increase in X-ray sensitivity. Examples are shown of the fit to a variety of data.

A recent report (Easton, 1995) showed that, at least for Mediterranean fruit flies, a Gompertz growth equation based on the increase in number of individuals that die is a better predictor of survival data than is the classical Gompertz survivorship model based on the decrease in number that survive (analysis of medfly data of Carey et al., 1992). In the growth model, the rate of increase of the number dead (i.e., the death rate) decreases exponentially with age. The poor fit of the classical model predicts “excess survival” of older members, but, when the scale of the better-fitting growth model is increased 2400 ×, such excess is now also evident as a small but distinctly separate cohort of the medfly subjects. The smaller population appears to be about 0.01% of the larger, and the death rate decreases about one-fourth as fast. Survival of the nematode C. elegans (Brooks et al., 1994) is also better predicted by the growth model, which also shows excess survival of the worms at great age.

Simple devices are described that can facilitate student experiments on mechanical and electrical aspects of muscle contraction, for example, of isolated preparations such as frog gastrocnemius and sartorius muscles and gut. The system includes a general-purpose preparation bath that was previously described for electrophysiological observations with suction electrodes [D.M. Easton. Am.J. Physiol. 265 (Adv. Physiol.Educ. 10): S35-S46, 1993]. A tower installed in the bath allows the muscle to be oriented vertically but completely submerged in a limited volume. Recording of isotonic contraction, which is the more familiar behavior of skeletal muscle, is made convenient by an accessory to convert the commonly available Statham force transducer to isometric recording. Phenomena not conveniently accessible by isometric recording, such as muscle work, and also the length-tension relation, not ordinarily observed for isotonic contraction, can be demonstrated.

A versatile, inexpensive, easily constructed suction electrode system is described that can be used for routine exercises by the student on, or for demonstrations of, the electrophysiology of frog sciatic nerve and gastrocnemius and sartorius muscles. A disposable plastic syringe and a disposable pipette with Ag-AgCl wire comprise the suction electrode. Six readily manipulable electrodes are installed in the walls of the Plexiglas preparation bath, and an arbitrary number of additional "free" electrodes can be placed where desired. An optional small chamber, formed from a disposable plastic culture dish and Gootch rubber tubing, provides for "barrier" recording within the larger chamber. Interpretations are given of the electrical responses of nerve and muscle in terms of longitudinal currents along the preparation within the suction electrode tubes.

1. 1. The olfactory (non-myelinated) and trigeminal (myelinated) nerve axons of garfish show changes in phospholipid fatty acid composition when these fish are acclimated to temperatures ranging from 11 to 35°C. 2. 2. Myelinated and non-myelinated nerve axons show similar changes in the percent saturated, percent 16-carbon, percent 18-carbon, and percent 20-carbon-and-greater unsaturated fatty acids. 3. 3. The observed changes in phospholipid fatty acid composition fit a linear regression model suggesting a gradual change in axonal phospholipid fatty acid composition with temperature. 4. 4. The temperature-induced changes in garfish nerve phospholipid fatty acid composition are consistent with the general observation of increased saturated fatty acid residues in plasma membrane phospholipids of organisms acclimated to higher environmental temperatures. 5. 5. The garfish data are similar to data previously obtained for goldfish tissues and Tetrahymena.

1. The time course of force development by the heart is modelled by Gompertz kinetics from the product of two terms: a cumulative increase in relative number of activated “contractile units”, and an exponential decrease in contractile force. 2. For each beat, an “initial condition” is specified by an “intrinsic tension” parameter, and a specific rate of change of tension; cardioactive agents change these specifications. 3. Depending on parameter values, heartbeats are predicted that are constant, or in which the frequency, amplitude and baseline tension are appropriate to inhibited or augmented cardiac activity.

The conductance changes, gK(t) and gNa(t), of squid giant axon under voltage clamp (Hodgkin and Huxley, 1952) may be modeled by exponentiated exponential functions (Gompertz kinetics) from any holding potential VO to any membrane clamp potential V. The equation constants are set by the membrane potential V, and include, for any voltage step in the case of gK, the initial conductance, gO, the asymptote conductance g, and rate constant k: gK = g exp(-be-kt) where b = 1n g/gO. Equations of similar form relate g and k to the voltage V, and govern the corresponding parameters of the gNa system. For the gNa, the fast phase y = y exp (-be-kt) is cut down in proportion to a slow process p = (1 - p)e-k't + p, and thus gNa = py. The expo-exponential functions involve fewer constants than the Hodgkin-Huxley model. In particular, the role of the n, m, h parameters appears to be filled largely by 1n (g/gO) in the case of gK and by 1n (y/yO) in the case of gNa. Membrane action potentials during current clamp may be computed from the conductances generated by use of the appropriate differential forms of the equations; diverse other membrane behaviors may be predicted.