University Knowledge Digital Repository UPLB (University of the Philippines Los Baños)
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Molecular Mimicry of NodA Genes by an N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine Amidases Gene in a Nodule Forming Staphylococcus cohnii [RESEARCH NOTE]
Get PDFA rare, nodule-forming, Gram-positive bacterium (Sub4) was isolated from the forage and cover crop Pueraria phaseoloides, which aligned at 99.26% sequence identity to a partial 16S rDNA sequence of Staphylococcus cohnii sp. This was the first record of a strain/species of Staphylococcus capable of independent, unassisted nodule formation in a legume host. When a nodA gene was sought by PCR using a pair of gene-specific primers synthesized using a related (Firmicutes) Paenibacillus sp. nodA gene, the reaction yielded a PCR product of similar size but a distinct identity. The resulting ~400bp PCR product coded for a likely N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine amidase and not an acyltransferase. It may be inferred that the N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine amidase gene was amplified due to sequence similarities/mimicry between 2 cosmetically unrelated loci. There was also an analogy in protein backbones between homology models of the Sub4 N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine amidase and a Paenibacillus nodA gene product, which also suggests that the 2 protein families may have an evolutionary relationship. When the phylogeny of the sequenced locus was inferred, a unique clade with high bootstrap support was formed by the sequence under study with an Azorhizobium nodA gene. Azorhizobia were distinct in relation to their nodule formation on stems and their ability to fix nitrogen in the free-living and the symbiotic forms. N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine amidases may have roles to play in remodeling peptidoglycan for LysM receptor interactions, likely without nod factors
DIETARY INTAKE, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, AND NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF WOMEN WITH POLYCYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME IN SELECTED PROVINCES IN THE PHILIPPINES
No full textPolycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common hormonal problems of women of reproductive age in which an abnormal amount of androgens are produced by the ovaries. In the Philippines, 4.5 million women are living with PCOS. This study aspires to contribute to the small but growing literature about the syndrome in the country. This cross-sectional study aimed to analyze the relationship of dietary intake, physical activity, and nutritional status of women with PCOS in selected provinces in the Philippines. The Two-Sample Z-Test and Fisher Exact Test were used for data analysis. With 30 respondents participated in the posting of online survey questionnaire in private Facebook Groups exclusive to women with PCOS, it was determined that there was no association between socioeconomic (p=0.0786), physical activity (p= 0.7665), and nutritional status at 0.05 level of significance. Moreover, Energy (p=0.0455), Fat (p= 0.0001), and Calcium intake (p= 0.0182) were associated with nutritional status. These findings suggest that the pathophysiology of PCOS must be well-understood to know how dietary interventions along with being physically active, alleviate its signs and symptoms. Furthermore, future researchers should consider a bigger sample size and other relevant nutrients to PCOS
Video gaming lifestyle, dietary habits, and physical activity level of university students aged 18-24 years old
No full textExcessive video gaming has been associated with increased risk of malnutrition due to poor dietary habits and sedentary lifestyle. This study aims to determine the relationship of video gaming lifestyle with dietary habits and physical activiy level of university students aged 18-24 years old. This research follows a descriptive study design and uses Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient to determine the association among the variables. Results revealed a weak positive correlation between video gaming addiction level and intake of the following food groups: dark leafy vegetable (ρ = 0.150), deep yellow vegetable (ρ = 0.082), milk and dairy products (ρ = 0.115), rice and products (ρ = 0.117), processed meat (ρ = 0.081), sugar and confectionary (ρ = 0.089), mixed foods (ρ = 0.057), and non-alcoholic beverages (ρ = 0.124), indicating that GAS is directly proportional with the frequency of intake of these food groups. Meanwhile, weak negative relationship were noted for fruits (ρ = -0.054) and meat and other proteins (ρ = -0.066), which suggests that GAS is inversely proportional with the frequency of intake of fruits and meat and other proteins. A weak positive correlation was also observed with excessive gaming and meal skipping (ρ = 0.177), self-reported loss of appetite (ρ = 0.170), and tendency to eat meals in front of gaming devices (ρ = 0.218). Increased preference for sweet and salty foods with increasing GAS scores (ρ = 0.068) was also noted. Lastly, a weak positive correlation between physical activity level and video gaming addiction level (ρ = 0.098) was noted implying that despite the high risk of video game addictive behavior, respondents still perform moderate to vigorous physical activities
An exploration into the motivations, benefits, and barriers associated with volunteering among the community pantries in Brgy. Batong Malake, Los Baños, Laguna
No full textThe COVID-19 pandemic has aggravated the long-standing inadequacies in the country\u27s health and social systems. In response to the Philippine government\u27s insufficient and delayed COVID-19 response, Filipinos at the barangay level established community pantries to meet the needs of the people. This study was conducted to explore the motivations, benefits, and barriers of the community pantry volunteers in Brgy. Batong Malake, Los Baños, Laguna. The research utilized mixed methods. Using snowball sampling, 67 volunteers served as the respondents for the survey and five organizers for the key informant interview. Using Clary et al.’s Volunteer Functions Inventory (1998), the Values factor obtained the highest score, whereas the Career factor was the lowest. Other motivations in participating in the community pantry include their prosocial behaviors and attitudes and the lack of social services and welfare support of the municipality. The benefits they gained were new perspectives and enhanced skills, while the barriers they experienced were time and financial constraints. Statistical analyses revealed that there are no significant correlations between the volunteers’ sociodemographic profiles and their factors for volunteering. Spreading awareness regarding volunteerism and its importance and utilizing social media are recommended to increase participation, as well as having a proper and organized system and expanding the accessibility of community pantries among marginalized barangays
Exploring the influence of the pandemic online learning setup on the quality of social interactions among BS Human Ecology college students
No full textThis quantitative study aimed to know the effects of the pandemic online setup to the quality of social interaction among BS Human Ecology sophomore and junior students of the University of the Philippines Los Banos. To select participants the study used stratified random sampling equal allocation, 95 participants answered the adapted survey questionnaire through google form. Mode and PLS-SEM was used to analyze the gathered data. The study examined the online learning experiences of the students , focusing on barriers to effectiveness and lack of social interaction which resulted in students having negative experiences. The majority of students expressed a negative perception of online learning compared to traditional classroom settings, citing difficulties in effective learning, lack of confidence, and a preference for face-to-face instruction. They also reported challenges in connecting with peers, experiencing less authentic conversations, and feeling isolated due to the limitations of online communication. The study assessed the quality of social interaction among students, focusing on interpersonal sensitivity and socio-emotional dominance. The findings revealed a low level of interpersonal sensitivity, indicating limited awareness of others\u27 perspectives and a lack of willingness to assist. Respondents were rated as average in terms of socio-emotional dominance, indicating struggles in understanding and regulating emotions and navigating social interactions. After assessing the online learning experience and quality of social interaction, the study aimed to examine the relationship between the two. The result indicated that there is a significant relationship between the online setup and the quality of social interaction, the level of relationship is weak
Assessing the correlation between the study habits and study attitudes with the academic performance of Senior High School Students during the online classes in the University of the Philippines Rural High School
No full textEducation is important as it helps in the personal development of individuals and in the establishment of skills that are vital in surviving and bettering society. Research has reveal ed that many factors affect the education and learning of an individual, including non-cognitive factors such as study habits and study attitudes. This study further examined the effects of these factors, applying previous research on senior high school students (N=38) of the University of the Philippines Rural High School in Bay, Laguna, Philippines who experienced online classes during the Covid-19 pandemic. A questionnaire developed by Holtzman and Brown in (1954) was modified and used to gather data. The modified questionnaire determines the study habits and study attitudes of its respondents, in terms of the following components: delay avoidance, work method, teacher approval, and education acceptance. The respondents’ study habits and attitudes leaned slightly towards the negative side. It was revealed in the statistical analysis of the data that none of the mentioned components had any significant effect on academic performance. However, it was seen in the qualitative data that the respondents’ data is ambiguous— in some respondents, these negative habits/attitudes work for them, or do not necessarily affect their work and their process of learning. An example of this is scheduling/time management; a student mentioned that despite their tendency to do things at the last minute, they still end up doing well in their work. Motivation is another example, as some students mentioned that due to a range of different problems, they tend to lose the motivation to do their work,
but in the end, they are still able to finish what they need to. Recommendations for further research are discussed, such as alterations in the questionnaire, the sampling method, and the target population— to gather more reliable and accurate data
Impulsive buying behavior among select UPRHS Senior High School Students in the A.Y. 2022-2023: a mixed methods study
No full textInformation about the presence of impulsive buying behavior among senior high school (SHS) students before and during the pandemic is scarce. There are relatively no studies specifically related to this topic, both in the context of the pandemic and the target population. Since the research was started during the height of the pandemic, literature about this topic has been hard to find. On the other hand, studies about impulsive buying behavior among the working class during the pre-pandemic have been published already. The general objective of this study is to understand what causes the select SHS students of UPRHS to buy impulsively before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The researchers used a mixed methods study, specifically the explanatory sequential design, to answer the general and specific objectives. The researchers collected quantitative data before gathering the qualitative data needed to answer the study’s objectives. The researchers first conducted a multi-layered survey and then proceeded with an interview to further supplement their quantitative data. The restudy identified that the UPRHS SHS students are moderately to highly stressed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in them resorting to buying online instead of face-to-face. The students also commonly use online shopping platforms as a “reward system,” showing that they are heavily influenced by their emotions when they purchase items online. The research discovered that boredom is one of the two (2) leading factors as to why they impulsively checkout items online. The previously mentioned factors influenced how the students exhibited impulsive buying behavior during the pandemic. However, it is essential to note that while the students were stressed, impulsive buying was not necessarily their primary coping mechanism. All in all, the objectives were achieved and discussed by the researchers in the paper. However, the turnout of the final result was not what they initially expected
The Willingness to Pay of Households in Batangas City for College Educational Plans
No full textEducational plans are seen as a viable option for financing the tertiary education of Filipino children. The current study focuses on how households in Batangas City value college educational plans. Specifically, the study aims to determine the awareness and knowledge of households regarding college educational plans, estimate their willingness to pay for it, and identify and assess the factors that affect their willingness to pay. Employing a Contingent Valuation Method (CVM), a total of 378 household heads were surveyed. Results show that about 84% of the respondents are aware of college educational plans. However, the majority is not yet knowledgeable of its benefits and risks. A mean willingness to pay of Php 2,731.08 for monthly insurance premium was calculated from the treated data with 310 observations through the Turnbull estimator. With the use of Logistic Regression, four variables were found to be statistically significant in affecting the willingness to pay of households for college educational plans. Bid (monthly insurance premium) and age have a negative relationship with willingness to pay. While, income and insurance knowledge and awareness have a positive relationship with willingness to pay. Considering these factors, strengthening consumer education about these products, targeting certain age groups, and establishing educational plan policies that fit the needs of existing and new policyholders might significantly increase educational plan enrollment in the Philippines