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Rice industry in the Philippines is beset with environmental, social, and economic concerns resulting in low farmer incomes, lack of food security and meager competitiveness. This study aimed to develop inclusive interventions on rice trading practices involving smallholder farmers. Primary data were derived from baseline interviews from farmers, traders, millers, wholesalers, and retailers to assess trading practices involved in the chain. Stakeholder consultations were also conducted to validate the findings and identify strategies for the initiatives. Based on the results, the major challenges identified include high production and marketing costs of paddy attributed to high material inputs and labor costs. This leads to a low profit margin for smallholder farmers. This gap relates to poor market linkage that limits the ability of farmers to receive higher prices for their produce. Interventions involving the improvement of marketability through market innovation were prioritized to address the gap. Recommendations concerning reducing institutional barriers towards smallholder farmers was provided to broaden adoption of inclusive trading practices and foster a more equitable and sustainable rice value chain.

Excessive use of pesticides in high-value crops proves detrimental to both health and the environment. This action research aims to evaluate farmers’ food safety practices as basis in introducing interventions to empower them toward the adoption of good agricultural practices for safe and sustainable farming. In this study, bitter gourd farmers (n=30) from Rizal, Laguna, Philippines were randomly sampled and surveyed. Current agricultural practices of the farmer participants and sustainability gaps in production were determined to assess the factors that contribute to their existing knowledge. Based on the results, socio-economic variables such as age, income, poverty, years of farming, and tenancy arrangement were found to be associated with GAP-related practices. Most of the farmers were aware of the importance of reading the product label of pesticides before application, wearing protective equipment, and routine monitoring. Moreover, a training intervention that focused on the identified sustainability gaps was provided. Farmers were trained in integrated pest management, internal control system on pesticide use, and keeping records to equip them towards safe and sustainable farming. Training, monitoring, and other extension activities should be provided occasionally to the farmers for continuous adherence to these sustainable practices.

Since the promulgation of the Philippine Halal Export and Promotion Act in 2016, there has been no formal research conducted to assess its impact on the industry’s development. This study aimed to assess the status of the Philippine Halal Industry, identify opportunities and challenges, and formulate recommendations to further enhance and sustain growth of the Philippine Halal Industry instrumental to the creation of a national development plan. Following a qualitative research design, thematic, pattern and content analyses were applied. Findings from virtual focus group discussions with Halal exporters highlighted the current emerging state of the Halal Industry in the Philippines in terms of industry structure, changes in the nature of innovation and determinants of survival. The global demand for Halal products continued to prove promising even if confronted by significant challenges in terms of certification, quality assurance and inability to synchronize with the prevailing international standards. Government support infrastructure is necessary to sustain the industry’s development. Technological research and development with respect to quality assurance and traceability are necessary for the Philippine Food Halal Industry to prosper both in the domestic and export market.

The phytoremediation potential of three bamboo species, i.e. Bambusa merilliana , Bambusa blumeana , and Dendrocalamus asper , were evaluated for their total Cu uptake ability in hydroponics. Dendrocalamus asper proved to be the most efficient in terms of Cu phytoremediating potential with a constant positive uptake of 80 μM in a contaminated substrate and a bioconcentration factor of 50.57. Copper accumulation was found to concentrate the most in the roots compared to the amount translocated in the shoots. Analysis of the Cu uptake of D. asper roots at varying concentrations of Cu contamination (40, 80 and 120 μM) allowed for the fitting of the kinetics of Cu uptake and removal with existing kinetic models. The rate of copper removal per mass of plant was the best for the 0 th order model in the 80 μM solution with an R 2 of 0.954 and rate constant of 3.136 mg-kg -1 d -1 . The accumulation of Cu within the roots on day 7 (7d) followed the Michaelis-Menten model with an R 2 of 0.970. The Michaelis-Menten constant (K M ) was 4.87 mg/L and maximum accumulation velocity (Vmax) was 66.26 mg Cu-kg -1 -day -1 . Results suggest that D. asper is a potential hyperaccumulator plant that can be used in clean-up of domestic and industrial wastes present along river systems in the Philippines., (© 2019 The Author(s).)

This study evaluated the effect of chia on the iron bioavailability and gene expression of proteins involved in iron metabolism in animals fed with a high fat diet and a standard diet. Four experimental groups were tested (n = 8): standard diet + ferrous sulfate (SD + FS), standard diet + chia (SD + C), high fat diet + ferrous sulfate (HFD + FS), high fat diet + chia (HFD + C). The hemoglobin gain, hemoglobin regeneration efficiency, biological relative value of HRE, serum ferritin and transferrin, liver iron concentration and gene expression of proteins were evaluated. The SD + C group showed lower transferrin expression when compared to the control group. The control group showed serum transferrin concentration higher than the other groups. Serum ferritin and liver iron concentration did not differ among the animals that received chia ferritin and hephaestin expression was lower in experimental groups when compared with the control group. The peroxisome proliferator activated receptor expression was higher in animals fed with SD + C than in the control group. The expression of duodenal cytochrome B and divalent metal transporter 1 in the HFD + C group was higher and ferroportin was lower in the groups containing chia. Animals fed with chia showed similar iron bioavailability compared to animals fed with ferrous sulfate.

A three-dimensional and almost complete pterosaur mandible from the Crato Formation (Early Cretaceous of Northeastern Brazil), Araripe Basin, is described as a new species of a tapejarine tapejarid. Tapejarines are a particular group of toothless pterosaurs, characterized by well-developed cranial crests, downturned rostra, and have been proposed to represent frugivorous flying reptiles. Though comparatively well represented and distributed, the evolutionary history of the group is still poorly known, and the internal relationships of its members are not well understood. The new species here reported, named Aymberedactylus cearensis gen. et sp. nov., adds new data concerning the evolution of the group, concerning their morphology and geographical origin. It differs from known tapejarids due to its unusually elongate retroarticular process and a shallow fossa on the splenial exhibiting distinctive rugose texture. Furthermore, it exhibits a suite of basal and derived conditions within the Tapejaridae, demonstrating how their morphological traits probably evolved and that these forms were even more diverse than already acknowledged. The discovery of Aymberedactylus cearensis sheds new light on the evolutionary history of the Tapejarinae., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

One of the interesting features of Anticarsia gemmatalis multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus isolate 2D (AgMNPV-2D) genome is the absence of chitinase (chiA) and cathepsin (v-cath) genes. This characteristic may be responsible for the lack of liquefaction and melanization in A. gemmatalis larvae killed by AgMNPV-2D infection. This study aimed to test the hypothesis that CHIA and V-CATH proteins from Choristonera fumiferana DEF multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (CfDEFNPV) are able to liquefy and melanize the cuticle of A. gemmatalis larvae infected by a recombinant AgMNPV containing chiA and v-cath genes inserted in its genome. A fragment from the CfDefNPV genome containing chiA and v-cath genes was inserted into the genome of AgMNPV-2D. The recombinant virus (vAgp2100Cf.chiA/v-cath) was purified and used to infect insect cells and larvae. Transcripts of v-cath and chiA genes were detected along the infection of insect cells by qRT-PCR, from early to late phases of infection. The analysis of A. gemmatalis larvae killed by vAgp2100Cf.chiA/v-cath infection confirmed the hypothesis proposed. The vAgp2100Cf.chiA/v-cath showed higher insecticidal activity against third instar A. gemmatalis larvae when compared to AgMNPV-2D. The mean time to death was also lower for the vAgp2100Cf.chiA/v-cath when compared to AgMNPV-2D at 10 days post infection. Occlusion body production was higher in A. gemmatalis larvae infected with vAgp2100Cf.chiA/v-cath when compared to AgMNPV-2D. Enzyme assays showed higher chitinase and cysteine protease activities in insect cells and insects infected with vAgp2100Cf.chiA/v-cath when compared to AgMNPV-2D. The introduction of chiA and v-cath genes into the genome of AgMNPV improves its insecticidal activity against A. gemmatalis larvae and this recombinant virus could be used as an alternative to the wild type virus to control this important insect pest.

Biosafety is a field of knowledge that raises questions geared to genetically modified organisms that are linked to social and job-related employee protection. The educational process involves seeking to create a participative and transforming agent and must therefore transcend the simple concept of teaching. Thus, it is important to contextualize biosafety within a constructive teaching strategy by identification of its core concepts - risk, hazard and accident - which allows each individual to understand how risk is perceived within society and dealt with in academia in order to add multiple skills to tackle the situation. Understanding how the relationship between work and health and its consequences and effects are constructed over the course of time, makes it possible to train more critical and well prepared citizens to participate in decisions of a political and social nature that can influence their future.

This study investigates the prevalence of urinary incontinence and how it interferes in the daily life of women from a health center in the city of Fortaleza, state of Ceará, Brazil. This is a cross-sectional analytical and quantitative study. The studied population was of 168 women who had appointments for hypertension and/or diabetes in September 2009. The data was collected through interviews and the application of the "International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire". For inferential analysis, we used chi-square and Fisher's exact test. Women from the analysis sample (59) were: aged between 42 and 59 years (52.5%), low educational level (55.9%), without a partner (57.6%), retired (50.8%), nonsmokers (81.4%) and overweight (71.2%). Only the low educational level was associated with incontinence. Prevalence was of 61.0%. For 55.5% of incontinents, losing urine intervenes in a grave or very grave way with their daily life. The urinary loss occurred while coughing or sneezing (72.2%) and before arriving at the bathroom (61.1%). The urinary incontinence presented a high prevalence, intervening negatively with these women's lives.

The nonstructural protein (NSs) of the Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) has been identified as an RNAi suppressor in plant cells. A recombinant Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) designated vAcNSs, containing the NSs gene under the control of the viral polyhedrin (polh) gene promoter, was constructed and the effects of NSs in permissive, semipermissive and nonpermissive insect cells to vAcNSs infection were evaluated. vAcNSs produced more budded virus when compared to wild type in semipermissive cells. Co-infection of vAcNSs with wild type baculoviruses clearly enhanced polyhedra production in all host cells. Confocal microscopy analysis showed that NSs accumulated in abundance in the cytoplasm of permissive and semipermissive cells. In contrast, high amounts of NSs were detected in the nuclei of nonpermissive cells. Co-infection of vAcNSs with a recombinant AcMNPV containing the enhanced green fluorescent protein (egfp) gene, significantly increased EGFP expression in semipermissive cells and in Anticarsia gemmatalis-hemocytes. Absence of small RNA molecules of egfp transcripts in this cell line and in a permissive cell line indicates the suppression of gene silencing activity. On the other hand, vAcNSs was not able to suppress RNAi in a nonpermissive cell line. Our data showed that NSs protein of TSWV facilitates baculovirus replication in different lepidopteran cell lines, and these results indicate that NSs could play a similar role during TSWV-infection in its thrips vector., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

An Anticarsia gemmatalis multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AgMNPV) mutant, vApAg, induces apoptosis in a cell culture derived from Anticarsia gemmatalis (UFL-AG-286), reducing viral progeny. We have investigated apoptosis induction in vivo by vApAg in A. gemmatalis larvae and its correlation to infectivity reduction. LC(50), LD(50), LT(50) and the mean time to death of larvae were determined for vApAg and AgMNPV. Apoptosis was accessed for hemocytes of infected larvae using light and transmission electron microscopy. All types of hemocytes can be infected by vApAg. After 12h post-infection (h p.i.), typical cellular modifications associated to nucleopolyhedrovirus infection were observed. Apoptosis becomes evident after 24h p.i., and massive after 72h p.i. Necrosis of infected cells was also observed. Despite cell death, hemocytes produced budded viruses and polyhedra. Pl and gh1-type hemocytes presented phagocytic activity. Agarose gel electrophoresis revealed fragmentation of hemocytes DNA at late times post-infection. The LC(50) and LD(50) were between five- and six-fold higher for vApAg. The LT(50) and the mean time to death were higher for vApAg in a same treatment or for a similar mortality induced by AgMNPV. These results show correlation of apoptosis and the reduced infectivity of vApAg in A. gemmatalis larvae.

Hormone replacement therapy was first proposed as a magic solution to all the health problems of middle aged women, however, recently a great number of side effects were proven, including an increased incidence of thromboembolic events. In the last decades, a great number of women around the world were in use of HRT, believing that they would have fewer heart attacks and hip fractures. Nevertheless, large clinical trials failed to show the benefits attributed to the use of estrogen and progestin. They proved that not only HRT exposed its users to a higher risk of thromboembolic events, breast cancer and gall bladder disease, but also did not protect the women against heart attacks as it was first thought, although fewer hip fractures occurred. The truth is that we do not know the precise mechanisms by which hormones act, as we do not know all the aspects concerning coagulation and fibrinolysis. We already know that the vessel wall, as well as other target organs, have a large number of estrogen and progestagen receptors which distribution is variable from person to person, rendering a reasonably number of persons more sensitive to the hormone effects. There are still questions about the risks and benefits of the hormone replacement therapy, including its action on the chronic venous disease. Despite the impact of the recent clinical trials, many women still remained on HRT and a great number are under treatment with tamoxifene and raloxifene, for breast cancer and osteoporosis prevention.

Programmed cell death or apoptosis is one of the defense mechanisms used by insect cells in response to baculovirus infection. Baculoviruses harbour antiapoptotic genes to prevent apoptosis and to maintain the normal course of infection. In this work, we showed that, like other baculoviruses, Anticarsia gemmatalis multicapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus (AgMNPV) has a functional inhibitor of apoptosis gene (iap-3). The iap-3 gene was cloned, sequenced and its transcription confirmed by RT-PCR. The putative iap-3 gene of the baculovirus AgMNPV has 864 nucleotides and codes an ORF of 287 amino acids. We have found two BIR motifs (baculoviral iap repeats) at the amino-terminal region and a carboxi-terminal RING finger motif. The IAP-3 protein of AgMNPV is closely related to IAP-3 proteins of baculoviruses and lepidopteran IAPs, with most amino acid identity (75%) with the IAP-3 protein of CfDefNPV (Choristoneura fumiferana DEF nucleopolyhedrovirus). Transcriptional analysis of the AgMNPV iap-3 gene showed that iap-3-specific transcripts could be detected early and late in the infection. The iap-3 gene of AgMNPV was shown to encode a functional IAP since insect cells transfected with increasing amounts of a plasmid containing the iap-3 of AgMNPV showed increased resistance to apoptosis induced by a AgMNPV mutant virus.

The Anticarsia gemmatalis nucleopolyhedrovirus (AgMNPV) is the most successful viral biopesticide in use worldwide. We have demonstrated that despite widespread apoptosis and no protein synthesis at 48 h p.i., UFL-AG-286 cells infected with a mutant of AgMNPV (vApAg), produced significant amounts of budded virus (BVs) and viral DNA late in infection. However, a different susceptible cell line (BTI-Tn5B 1-4) showed no signs of apoptosis and produced 3.5 times more budded virus when infected with vApAg. A comparison of DNA from AgMNPV and vApAg digested with the same restriction enzymes showed differences in the restriction pattern, indicating that the vApAg phenotype might be due to a mutation in a gene or genes responsible for directly or indirectly inhibiting apoptosis in UFL-AG-286 cells.