University Knowledge Digital Repository UPLB (University of the Philippines Los Baños)
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Capstone internship at the Samsung Research Philippines with a mini study on : D-fogger : optimizing dengue intervention using random forest and breadth-first search algorithms
No full textThe SPARK 11 internship program is a Samsung-based program that aims to help students who aspire to pursue a career in computer-related courses by performing a series of workshops to help students understand programming. After which, the students will compete in an idea contest, in which they will solve a real-world problem using programming and algorithms. Dengue fever remains a major public health concern in the Philippines, consistently rising yearly in reported cases with no reliable vaccine available, highlighting a need for proactive prevention. The D-Fogger presents an algorithmic approach to improving dengue intervention strategies by identifying high-risk areas and optimizing resource allocation of local government units. The primary objective is to predict dengue-prone zones and determine efficient intervention areas using a combination of machine learning and graph traversal techniques. A grid-based map was utilized to create a 30x30 grid map with each grid cell analyzed using a Random Forest (RF) model to predict dengue incidence risk. The model was trained on various environmental and socio-economic features, including humidity, rainfall, temperature, population density, and the area\u27s proximity to schools and bodies of water. Using the resulting risk map, a Breadth-First Search (BFS) algorithm was implemented to identify coordinates with the highest concentration of high-risk areas. The RF model was only capable of gaining a 51% accuracy, indicating a weak predictive capability, while the BFS algorithm performed efficiently with an O(n) complexity. The model did not perform well enough to be used in real world simulations, however, with improvements in data collection and processing, the program has high potential in providing support for healthcare optimization and dengue intervention
9 - Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
No full text9 - Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructurehttps://www.ukdr.uplb.edu.ph/un-sdgs_images/1008/thumbnail.jp
13 - Climate Action
No full text13 - Climate Actionhttps://www.ukdr.uplb.edu.ph/un-sdgs_images/1012/thumbnail.jp
Genetic and Geographic Profiling of Fragrance-Associated BADH2 Mutations in Rice from China, Laos, and Vietnam
No full textFragrance in rice is a culturally and economically significant trait in Asia and around the world. This study aimed to develop a genetic and geographic profile of the fragrance-associated BADH2 mutations (badh2.1 and badh2.11) in 1,067 rice varieties from China, Laos, and Vietnam, which are part of the International Rice Genebank Collection. Seventy-three varieties were found to carry the common eight-base pair (bp) deletion in exon 7 of the genes (badh2.1, also known as badh2.7), primarily from indica varieties, with some belonging to japonica, javanica, and intermediate varieties. Conversely, 59 varieties possess the recently identified badh2 allele, badh2.11 (also known as badh2.4-5). Diversity analysis of a selected subset of these 1,067 varieties using 377 nucleotide polymorphisms revealed that most badh2.1 alleles clustered in Groups A.2, B.1.1, B2.1, B2.2a1, B2.2b1, and B2.2b, B2.2b3, whereas rice varieties carrying the badh2.11 allele clustered in Group B2.2a2. This study provides a genetic and geographic profile of the fragrance-associated badh2 alleles in rice from China, Laos, and Vietnam, offering additional evidence of the domestication, geographical isolation, and introgression or gene flow of fragrance alleles across different rice subgroups
Effects of Financial Literacy and Insurance Knowledge and Perception on Crop Insurance Availment of Rice Farmers in General Mamerto Natividad, Nueva Ecija, 2023
No full textAgricultural insurance helps mitigate the effects of financial loss caused by natural disasters, pests, and plant diseases. However, even when the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation has a full premium subsidy program available for agricultural insurance, availment is still low. The main objective of this study was to assess how financial literacy, insurance knowledge, and perception affect the availment of crop insurance by rice farmers in General Mamerto Natividad, Nueva Ecija.
Data were gathered through personal interviews with 158 randomly selected rice farmers in the municipality. Their financial literacy was assessed in terms of their financial knowledge, behavior, and attitude. The relationship of their socioeconomic characteristics, farm characteristics, and financial inclusion with their financial literacy score was determined through a Tobit regression analysis. It was found that younger farmers, bank account owners, and farmers who maintained more years of relationships with financial institutions had higher financial literacy scores.
Crop-insured respondents displayed a better understanding of the objectives, processes, and coverage of the crop insurance program than the crop-uninsured respondents. However, it was found that topics on indemnity claims, risk coverage, and the insurance coverage amount need better information dissemination for farmers. Crop- insured respondents had a relatively positive perception of the insurance program, while crop-uninsured farmers had a negative perception of the insurance program. The respondents found the processes to be too time-consuming, and the indemnity payment amounts that get disbursed are too small compared to what they spent on rice production.
A binary logistic regression analysis was done to find the significant factors that affect crop insurance availment. The farmers\u27 perception of the insurance program, an endorsement from a trusted source, having insured peers, risk aversion, their predicted financial literacy score, their crop insurance knowledge score, availment of other types of insurance, and previously receiving indemnity payments were found to be significant factors affecting crop insurance availment. It was therefore recommended to conduct educational seminars on the crop insurance program, streamline indemnity claim processes, maintain transparent communication with farmers, and tailor the marketing to and insurance plans of individuals with different risk preferences
Factors Affecting Student Dropout at the Primary Education Level: A Cross-Country Analysis
No full textThe study’s general objective is to analyze the relationship of various macroeconomic factors separated into three categories: education, health, and economic on the primary student dropout rate in selected countries from the five regions in Asia. The focus was on the primary education level as it is during these years when children are able to build their knowledge base and gain skills that are vital in their progression to higher education. The inability of students to complete at least the primary education levels leads to them being more likely to have lower earnings in the future, worse health outcomes, as well as greater crime rates.
The study generated two models each for the pooled OLS model and the random effects model, one model with the income classification dummies and one without. It was found that across all four models, the student-teacher ratio and the prevalence of stunting were statistically significant and able to greatly influence early school leaving. In the pooled OLS models, it was found that the unemployment rate was statistically significant and had a negative relationship with the student dropout rate, the inflation rate was also found to be statistically significant while the GDP per capita growth rate was only statistically significant in model 1 and in model 2 the lower-middle income classification dummy was significant. In the random effects models, aside from the student-teacher ratio and the prevalence of stunting, only the GDP per capita growth rate was found to be statistically significant
Analyzing the Potential Transport Mode Switching Among the Commuters in Quezon City due to Jeepney Modernization
No full textThis study analyzes the potential effect of the calculated fare increase in a study by Mendoza (2021) to commuters or jeepney users in Quezon City. Specifically, it examines the likelihood of the respondents to switch after a fare increase, and their willingness to pay for the fares of a modernized jeepney.
Based on the analyses conducted on the data gathered, 41.5% are willing to pay for a fare lower (Php 10 to 15) than the computed fare increase (Php 21) while some are willing to pay higher depending on some factors, especially household income. Most of the respondents, particularly 53.2%, remain price-takers and would still likely to continue jeepney usage despite a fare increase due to limited alternative transportation options. Key socio-economic factors such as age, household income, vehicle ownership, and travel factors influence their willingness to pay and their likelihood of switching to other modes.
Specifically, respondents that are employed or have higher household income levels are generally more accepting of the fare increase, while younger respondents and those from lower income levels are more vulnerable to the changes in price. Owning a vehicle is also a significant factor, as it increases the likelihood of switching to alternative modes, as well as the number of rides
Factors Affecting Occupational Hazards in Selected Building Construction Projects in the National Capital Region, Batangas, and Laguna
No full textWith a view to improving project management practices and enhancing occupational safety and health, this study ranked the critical occupational hazards using the Relative Importance Index (RII) method and identified the factors affecting awareness of risks while being exposed to identified hazards through multiple regression analysis.
This study recorded the highest Relative Importance Index for physical hazards. Dust (from sand and cement) and elevated noise rank first and second, respectively, for factors which have highest RII in the physical hazards category. These findings point to the importance of using Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), especially during hot weather conditions.
Binomial logistic regression analysis revealed that union membership and occupational safety and health (OSH) training were the two factors that significantly affect the likelihood of being aware of risks of being exposed to the identified hazards. Union members are less likely to be aware of the risks than non-union members and those who received OSH training or orientation on the job are more likely to be aware of the risks than those who have not received OSH training or orientation on the job.
All in all, the findings of this study highlight the need for proactive risk management and stakeholder cooperation to enhance occupational safety and health. Future efforts should focus on mitigating physical hazards due to dust and elevated noise and encouraging communication and cooperation among all stakeholders involved
Impact of rice soaking on food safety and nutritional value
No full textRice soaking has been a traditional practice in Asia. The researchers were able to access related foreign studies that examined rice soaking, though significant gaps were found due to differences in the method and rice type used. Hence, soaking experiments using NSIC Rc 222 were not found, only the rice\u27s characteristics. This research was conducted because the researchers found that performing an experiment that can both increase consumed rice’s nutritional value and be done at home will help improve undernourished Filipinos’ diets. This research aims to compare the nutritional composition (iron and zinc) between unsoaked cooked rice and soaked cooked rice; to determine the impact of soaking cooked rice in water on its proximate composition (moisture, crude protein, crude fat, crude ash, crude fiber, and nitrogen-free extract); and to assess whether soaking cooked rice in water has any affect on its bacterial profile, particularly total detected coliform count. The samples were tested for proximate analysis done by the Institute of Plant Breeding (IPB) to observe the unsoaked and soaked rices’ nutritional and proximate composition. In determining the bacterial profile and coliform count of the samples, bacterial analysis was performed by the National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (BIOTECH) – Philippine National Collection of Microorganisms (PNCM). The findings are an increase in crude fiber, crude protein, NFE, and total coliform, but a decrease in all other components, including zinc and iron content. Rice soaking appeared to be a great method to increase the nutritional value of rice, but as observed in the results, soaking stripped certain nutrients from the rice, thus concluding the result of rice soaking was less health-beneficial than the unsoaked rice. The researchers recommend that rice soaking be used as a substitute instead of buying more expensive rice, but if possible, buy more expensive and therefore healthier rice to improve nutrition intake
Tipid tactics : the development of the simulation game on spending habits among Senior High School students
No full textThis study presents the development and evaluation of Tipid Tactics, a browser-based 3D simulation game designed to reflect the spending habits of senior high school students in familiar, school-related situations. The game focuses on three key areas: saving and budgeting, impulse buying, and dealing with unexpected expenses which are topics under the Sustainable Development Goal of Quality Education (SDG 4). It was created following the ADDIE framework, going through several stages of planning, design, testing, and revision. Random events and a motivational statistical message were added mid-game to influence player decisions in the second week. Built using Unity and Blender, Tipid Tactics was published as a WebGL game on Itch.io. A total of 34 students played a two week simulation of in-game decision-making in the game’s projected play time of approximately 5-10 minutes. After the first cycle, players were shown a motivational statistic before proceeding to the next round. Out of all participants, 70.6% showed improvement in at least one of the spending categories. Players were also shown a summarized table of all of their scores in the three financial skill categories that were set to be measured in the game, Saving and Budgeting, Impulse Buying, and Unexpected Expenses. Players also gave feedback through a Google Forms which was sent out to them after the playtesting, using a version of the Game User Experience Satisfaction Scale (GUESS), focusing on the game’s usability, engagement, and design. The results suggest that Tipid Tactics was successful in delivering a relatable and interactive experience for simulating spending behavior. While further refinement is needed, the game offers a solid framework for using a video game simulation to support a game-based survey