Genetic association of rs7754840 and rs7756992 polymorphisms in the CDKAL1 gene and gestational diabetes mellitus in selected Filipino pregnant women

Objective:To investigate the possible association between rs7754840 and rs7756992 polymorphisms of CDKAL1 gene and susceptibility to gestational diabetes mellitus(GDM)in a Filipino pregnant population.Methods:A total of 101 patients with GDM and 99 women without GDM were included.Two CDKAL1 gene single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs),namely rs7754840 and rs7756992,were genotyped by using TaqMan allelic discrimination assays.Mann-Whitney U test,median and interquartile range were used to describe physical and biochemical characteristics.The differences in the genotype and allele distribution of the target genetic variants among the two groups of participants were assessed by using Chi-square test.Conformity to Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was tested prior to conducting further analysis.Multiple logistic regression model was used to investigate the effects of the genotype models on GDM development.Results:There was no observed correlation between the genotypes of the rs7754840 SNP and oral glucose tolerance test parameters.Consequently,there was no significant association between genetic models of the rs7754840 SNP and GDM risk(additive OR 1.43,95%CI 0.82-2.50,P=0.21;dominant OR 1.21,95%CI 0.57-2.59,P=0.62;recessive OR 1.63,95%CI 0.86-3.09,P=0.13).Conclusions:The results of this study suggest no association between CDKAL1 gene variant rs7754840 and GDM development in Filipino pregnant women.Further studies with a larger population should be performed to validate our findings.

Predictive roles of organizational and personal factors in work engagement among nurses

Objective:To determine the work engagement levels of hospital nurses and the predictive roles that nurses’personal and organizational characteristics play.Methods:A cross-sectional design was employed in this study,which included 549 nurses working in the Central Philippines.Nurses were selected through purposive sampling,and a self-repor t questionnaire outlining personal and organizational characteristics was employed.The Utrecht Work Engagement Scale(UWES)was applied to gather data about nurse engagement.Results:The dedication score was the highest among the three dimensions of engagement while the vigor score was the lowest.Overall,Filipino nurses experienced an average level of work engagement.We observed significant relationships between a nurse’s age,years of experience in nursing,years in their present unit,and their position at work and their levels of engagement,vigor,sense of dedication,and absorption.Hospital capacity was a negative predictor of vigor,dedication,absorption,and overall work engagement.Fur ther,the type of nursing contract was a negative predictor of vigor and dedication.The type of hospital and the nurse’s position were positive predictors of vigor,dedication,and absorption.Conclusions:Filipino nurses were satisfactorily engaged at work.A number of nurses’personal and organizational characteristics play a predictive role in their work engagement.Thus,nursing administrators must suppor t,develop,and implement activities and measures that engage nurses at work.

Early Detection of Mild Alzheimer’s Disease in Filipino Elderly: Validation of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment-Philippines (MoCA-P)

Background: The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is a useful instrument employed by clinicians to detect cognitive impairment and diagnose probable Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) while in its early stages. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the diagnostic validity of the Philippine version of the MoCA (MoCA-P) among 1385 community-dwelling Filipino elderly from Marikina City, Metro Manila. Results: 509 controls and 97 elderly with probable AD and a Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) global score of 0.5 were included in the analysis. Analysis of variance showed that the AD group was older (p < 0.05) and had fewer years of education (p < 0.05). The optimal cut-off score to differentiate controls from those with probable AD was 20/21, with a sensitivity of 0.835 and a specificity of 0.723, and area under the curve (AUC) of 0.89 (p < 0.001). The positive and negative likelihood ratios were 3.01 and 0.23, respectively;and pre- and post-test odds were 0.0951 and 0.2224, respectively. Logistic regression showed that the odds of scoring < 20 on the MoCA-P increased with advancing age and with education at ≤7 years (p < 0.05). Two points are added to the MoCA-P score for those with ≤7 years of education. Conclusion: The MoCA-P is a valid instrument for the early detection of mild AD among the Filipino elderly.

Making of a Great Filipino Nurse Educator

The research study aimed to identify the defining characteristics of a great Filipino nurse educator which have provided input in developing a theoretical model of a great Filipino nurse educator. This research is a qualitative study which employed a grounded theory methodology toward theory development. The following findings generated 26 categories and 9 themes from the responses of 53 nursing students and professionals. Findings revealed that the great Filipino nurse educator is defined to be a world-class (World-Klas) nurse educator who is highly qualified (Kwalipikado) from having education, experience, physical and mental fitness and being a lifelong learner. He is competent (Natatanging Kakayahan) in teaching, leadership and managerial roles, and engages in research and accreditation. He possesses caring (Mapagmahal) behaviors that are shown through communication, passion, compassion, commitment, inspiration and empowerment, transcendence, nurturing and belief in his student’s capabilities. She is equipped with well-rounded personality (Mabuting Pagkatao) comprising of positive traits, versatility, resilience and sense of humor. She is spiritual (Maka-Diyos), patriotic (Maka-Bayan), a role-model (Idolo) and catalyst agent (Tagasulong ng Pagbabago). The road to greatness of a Filipino nurse educator is all attuned with the strongest core of being spiritual and patriotic that makes it very Filipino which demarcates a great Filipino nurse educator from what is not. Each characteristic is significant because all are important in describing what a great Filipino nurse educator is. One characteristic cannot be absent nor removed for it will not decipher the puzzle of what completes the defining characteristics of a great Filipino nurse educator. Total greatness is not an end product;it is an ongoing, deliberative process. Teacher’s greatness is a lifelong pursuit. Greatness is the result of many factors.

Decolonization of the Filipino Church after Vatican II

The second great paradigm shift in the history of the Catholic Church arrived after Vatican II, which ended the lengthy sway of the Greco-Roman Church and led, as Karl Rahner has written, to “the Church actualizing itself precisely as a world Church.” This statement has enormous consequences for the Catholic Church in the Philippines where Vatican II initiated a major paradigm shift. Vatican II decolonized the Latin Spanish church imposed upon the Philippines in the seventeenth century and transformed it into the Catholic Church of the Philippines, that is to say, transformed it into a church deeply rooted in the Filipino soil, language, and culture. Twenty-nine Filipinos chosen by snowball method of selection were interviewed who reported on how they received the teachings of Vatican II on inculturation and equality and were thus decolonized the Catholic Church.

A Push Motivation Model of Filipino Youth Travel

Youth travel is of special interest, because a considerable number of Filipinos belong to the youth population. By focusing on the youth market, tourism enterprises can maximize considerable business opportunities. This study, by using several known motivations and activity preferences of travelers, identified major push motives of young students. Factor analysis of responses from 117 students revealed four push motives, namely, nature and wellness, education, meeting people and relaxation, and unique experience. Young students have been found to travel from the hustle and bustle of city life and contemplate nature, to learn, rest, and interact with other people, and to acquire different kinds of experiences.

The Prevalence of Heterozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia among Adult Filipino Patients with Dyslipidemia at Universidad de Santa Isabel Health Services Department: An Observational Descriptive Prospective Study

Objectives: It is to determine the prevalence of familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) among adult Filipino patients with dyslipidemia at Universidad de Santa Isabel Health Services Department in one year. Methods: An observational descriptive prospective study involves Filipino patients, aged 19 years and older, with dyslipidemia. The Dutch Lipid Network (DLN) Criteria was used to diagnose FH. Prevalence data and categorical variables were expressed as percentages, while continuous variables were reported as mean and standard deviations. Results: 529 patients were included in the study. 302 were females, and 227 were males. 180 (34%) scored Unlikely, 100 (19%) scored Probable, 185 (35%) scored Possible, and 64 (12%) were classified under Definite Familial Hypercholesterolemia. Most of the patients diagnosed with definite FH did not have diabetes, cerebrovascular disease (CVD), and coronary artery disease (CAD). The diagnosis was not affected by gender, BMI, smoking, and alcohol consumption. Hypertension was significantly correlated to the diagnosis of FH, as most of them were already hypertensive at diagnosis. It was noted that hypertension, diabetes, CVD, and CAD were seen at an earlier age among patients with definite FH. Conclusion: The prevalence of heterozygous FH at 12% among dyslipidemia patients and 1.3% among the general population was described for the first time in our region. This result should raise the awareness of our healthcare providers that FH, which is a major risk factor for premature CAD and CVD, exists, and early detection and management are important.

COST-EFFECTIVE ENGLISH LEARNING Burgeoning popularity of online Filipino English teachers in China

At least 100,000 Filipino English teachers are needed in China,and we are going to have a platform for this,”Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte declared in April 2018.Thanks to online teaching technology,Duterte’s goal might actually be met.

Intersectionality and the invisibility of transgender health in the Philippines

Transgender(trans)Filipinos are disproportionately vulnerable to health problems because of the inaccessibility of essential healthcare services resulting from the invisibility and exclusion of trans health in Philippine health and related social institutions.Because of the institutional prejudice and discrimination against trans Filipinos in Philippine society,an intersectional approach presents an opportunity to analyze the invisibility and potentially elucidate the unique health needs of trans Filipinos.This article elucidates how the invisibility of trans Filipinos in health is a product of co-existing and interacting prejudiced and discriminatory institutions,such as the law,education,and medicine,where the historical experiences of colonization,the hegemony of cisgenderism,and the impact of capitalism remain salient.By elucidating these co-existing and interacting structures and forces,this article highlights the gaps in the Philippine healthcare system,such as the lack of affirming and protective policies for trans health and the limited cul-tural competence of healthcare providers.In light of these,future research and policy work must work towards inte-grating gender-specific and gender-inclusive approaches,centering the voices of trans Filipinos in health discourses,and decolonizing and expanding the local understanding of trans health among Filipinos.

Prostate cancer:a presentation of climcopathologic prognosticators among Filipino and American men at radical prostatectomy

Lower incidence and mortality rates from prostate cancer(PCa)have been shown in Asian men in general compared to Westerners.This is the first study detailing the clinicopathologic features of resected prostate cancer in Filipino men living in the Philippines(PH)_This study investigated the supposed“lower risk”Filipino and“higher risk”American PCa patients from the PH and the United States of America(USA),respectively.We examined 348(176 from PH,172 from USA)radical prostatectomy cases.The clinicopathologic features of both groups(age at time of diagnosis,preoperative prostate-specific antigen[pre-op PSA]level,Gleason score[GS],Grade groups[GG],margin involvement,extra prostatic extension[EPE],seminal vesicle invasion[SVI],and regional lymph node[RLN]metastasis)were compared.Six of seven prognosticators examined were more strongly associated with Filipinos than with Americans.Filipinos were older at diagnosis(PH:64.32±6.56 years vs USA:58.98±8.08 years)and had higher pre-op PSA levels(PH:21.39±46.40 ng ml^(-1) vs USA:7.63±9.19 ng ml^(-1)).Filipino men had more advanced grade,GG 2 with minor pattern 5(PH:6.2%vs USA:2.9%)and GG 5(PH:14.8%vs USA:3.5%).Likewise,other adverse pathological features in margin positivity(PH:52.3%vs USA:23.8%),focal EPE(PH:14.2% vs USA:2.3%),and SVI(PH:17.1%vs USA:5.8%)were more commonly observed in Filipinos.This study reveals the prognostic disadvantage of Filipinos versus Americans and highlights an important difference of Filipinos from other studied Asian ethnicities that have repeatedly been shown to have lower-risk PCa.This study,the first on Filipino PCa patients with RP,suggests the need to modify Western-based risk stratification when employed in other countries like the PH.

Positive Vibes

One in every three banana s grown by Filipino farmers was shipped to China in 2018,the year China surpassed Japan to become the biggest importer of bananas from the Philippines, with an amount totaling 1.2 million tons, accounting for 37 percent of the countrys overall export volume.