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The Philippines is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world based on some researches covering the period between 1995 and 2015. The Philippines is surrounded with large bodies of water, making it prone to the most frequent/recurring disasters such as storms and landslides, aside from earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. This paper proposes a framework for the development of a mobile application that enhances information dissemination of local community officials and its residents in times of disasters. Real-time information reports will improve response time and rescue. With an updated database of residents as its main users, their safety could be monitored through a safety check poll. The main feature takes advantage of crowd sourcing concepts. Capitalizing on the capability of smartphones geolocation capabilities, pinpointing precise location of users is simplified. Data gathered from past occurrences can be used for risk reduction planning and implementation of disaster preparedness and response activities. The Zone 44 of Sampaloc, Manila Philippines is the initial focus of implementation testing.

Familial testotoxicosis is a gonadotropin-independent autosomal dominant condition in which precocious puberty occurs, only in males. We present the cases of four Japanese boys with precocious sexual development aged 3 to 4 years, who showed pubertal serum testosterone levels, but with low basal serum gonadotropin levels and a minimal response of gonadotropins to luteinizing hormone releasing hormone. They showed symmetric testicular enlargement, premature Leydig cell maturation and spermatogenesis. There was no evidence of familial sexual precocity in three generations. These findings are consistent with familial testotoxicosis except for the negative family history. In a nationwide survey for precocious puberty in Japan, there were no familial cases of male-limited sexual precocity. It appears that this disease is limited to sporadic cases and is very rare in Japan.

We have attempted to facilitate differential diagnosis of etiological types of congenital hypothyroidism using real-time ultrasonography. Sonography of the thyroid gland was performed on 418 normal children, and 23 patients with congenital hypothyroidism and hyperthyrotropinemia. The thyroid gland was imaged by transverse scanning at the neck; the maximum thickness and the maximum width of the right and left lobe were measured. On the basis of the normal thyroid gland size obtained from normal children, the thyroid gland image of the patients were classified into 4 types: large image, normal image, small image, and no image of the thyroid gland at the neck: no image of the thyroid gland indicated agenesis or ectopia; large thyroid gland image indicated goitorous hypothyroidism. On the other hand, normal or small thyroid gland image probably included mild or transient forms of hypothyroidism, and transient hyperthyrotropinemia; these 2 types required further examination to complete the diagnosis. We concluded that real-time ultrasonography of the thyroid gland was a useful diagnostic imaging technic for patients who revealed elevated serum thyrotropin on neonatal mass-screening.

A case of a 12-year-old girl with a multiple auto-immune disorder is reported. She showed Hashimoto thyroiditis which subsequently developed to hashitoxicosis and distal renal tubular acidosis at 5 years of age, pernicious anaemia at the age of 9 and severe encephalopathy at the age of 12. Laboratory studies revealed very high titres of anti-microsomal and anti-thyroglobulin antibodies and positive gastric parietal cell antibody. As to the encephalopathy, positive oligoclonal IgG bands and high values of IgG index and IgG synthesis ratio in CSF were observed with aggravation of her neurological symptoms. High-dose steroid therapy was effective toward the encephalopathy. Paediatricians should pay careful attention to patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis for association with other autoimmune disorders.

Secretory rhythms in LH and testosterone (T) before and during the onset of puberty were studied. Forty boys (28 prepubertal and 12 pubertal) with short stature aged 4.4 to 19.3 yr participated to this study. Blood samples for LH and T measurements were drawn every 20 min for 24 h after obtaining consent. AH the subjects were followed up by measuring height and weight and evaluating pubertal development every 3 months for 1 to 7 yr (mean 3.4 yr). There were definite diurnal rhythms in both LH and T in all of the subjects. Serum T showed maximum level at 0400-0800 h which delayed to the LH peak, decreased gradually and attained minimum level at 2000-2400 h. The ratio of T levels during 0400-0800 h period to the whole 24-h were 1.38 ± 0.16 (mean ± SD) at prepuberty and it rose to 1.87 ± 0.08 at midpuberty. Mean 24 h LH levels rose with age; they were 0.15, 0.76 and 0.98 IU/l at 1-2 yr before, at 0-1 yr before and at the time of onset of puberty, respectively. There were no significant changes in LH pulse frequency with the pubertal development. All of the 40 boys showed positive cross-correlation between the LH and T concentrations. Mean lag time of the diurnal rhythms in T to LH was 7.1 ± 2.8 h at prepuberty. It decreased with developing puberty and came to 1.4 ± 0.9 h at midpuberty. In conclusion, the diurnal rhythms of T and LH are already exist before the onset of puberty. There is a delay in the diurnal rhythm of T to LH and the lag time decreases with developing puberty.