CNU Journal of Higher Education
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158 research outputs found
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Interfacing Random and Non-Random Genet
No full textThe study tested whether genetic mutations (point mutations) are random or non-random phenomena through simulation experiments using the amino acid sequencing of human CD4 lymphocytes. The randomness or lack thereof of point mutations has crucial implications to Darwin‘s theory of evolution and natural selection. A single hypothesis is tested in the study , namely, that genetic mutations can be regarded as both random and deterministic. This hypothesis was accepted since no significant difference was noted in the mutations induced by a purely random process (Beta(.5,.5)) and a deterministic chaotic dynamical function (logistic function on [0,1]). The beta density was used as a representation of a random process since it is the ergodic distribution of the corresponding deterministic dynamical system. The implication is that if it were possible to discover the driving function for the genetic sequencing of nucleotide bases then point mutations can be predicted. However, as the study has demonstrated, even knowing that the point mutations are in fact deterministically generated, knowledge of the initial conditions is a crucial factor in predicting the mutation outcomes because chaotic dynamical systems are extremely sensitive to initial conditions
Validation of the Invariance and Dominance Principles in Decision Theory in the Urban Poor Decision Making Process
No full textEconomic decision-making of the poor had negative effects on controlled behavior. This may be because the poor decisions making required more difficult trade-offs, and low - set of cognitive resources. The research revealed that the decision making of the poor in terms of expected value maximization is characterized by their strict adherence to the invariance and dominance principle. In contrast, the decision making of the non-poor is characterized by willingness to accept loss provided that the loss is insignificant compared to their wealth. The invariance principle does not appear to be followed by the poor more often than by the nonpoor. It signifies that the poor and the non-poor decision making process violated the invariance principles towards certain situations. Hence, this research primarily validates that invariance and dominance principle in decision theory is the best parameter in determining the poor decision making process
When Boys are Pushed-Pulled Out of School: Empirical Evidence from the Philippines
No full textThere is a disturbing school-leaving pattern among poor boys. In other countries, this problem has been glossed over because boys outperform girls. However, literature points out that Filipino boys are being outperformed by girls for quite some time. Data from the 2008 Annual Poverty Indicators Survey (APIS) treated to common descriptive statistical analysis were used to determine the primary factors that push-pull boys away from schools; whether poor rather than non-poor boys have preponderance for not attending school; and how not attending school among boys impact on society. Lack of personal interest is clearly the predominant reason among the boys from the lowest 30% and the highest 70% income strata that independently or simultaneously push-pull them from school. Poor boys rather than non-poor boys frequently leave school in terms of magnitude and coverage of their reasons. Empirical evidence gathered point to different societal manifestations of shifting gender parity conditions that may impact on poor males
Global Voronoi Mapping of HIV Infections
No full textAccording to UNAIDS (Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS) 2009 statistics, around 33.3 million people in the whole world are living with the Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Although HIV is found in all parts of the world, some areas are more afflicted than others. This study aims to generate a voronoi map that traces the countries where HIV infections are very apparent. Furthermore, this study determined the personal characteristics of the inhabitants and environmental characteristics of the countries that significantly contributed to the increasing HIV infections. Multiple regression was utilized to find out the predictors of HIV infection and discriminant analysis was used in determining the factors that differentiates between high and low risk countries. Among the nine characteristics identified, only four of them have significantly influenced HIV occurrence, namely: unemployment rate, literacy rate, geographical location and race and only three characterisctics differentiated between high and low HIV occurrence countries; population density, national average income per capita and total health expenditure. To determine the speed of the spread of infection per country, HIV rates were gathered from 1990-2009 and were correlated. Eighty countries revealed a significant increase in the speed of the spread of infections from 1990- 2009 while the rest had an insignificant change in the number of infections. The voronoi map was then created illustrating the red, pink and blue areas reflecting the high, moderate and low risk countries, respectively
Marine Ecosystem Protection Trade-off Economic Model with Terrestrial Ecosystem Exploitation in Fishing Communities Near Marine Protected Areas
No full textThe total ban on fishing in marine protected areas demands entailed that fisherman in nearby fishing communities look for an alternative means of livelihood. Often, such alternative livelihoods exploit the remaining terrestrial ecosystem found within or near these fishing communities. This paper introduced a trade-off economic model for marine protection-terrestrial exploitation through a Marine Protection Terrestrial Exploitation Curve (MPTEC). The peculiar characteristics of the fishing communities near marine protected areas (MPAs) are inputted to the trade-off model. Simulation results revealed that for the optimistic case (communities which are better educated and with small household sizes), the terrestrial ecosystems’ damage rate ranged from 3.7% to 28% for MPA sizes ranging from 3 hectares to 30 hectares, while in the worst case scenario (communities which have 6 years or less of schooling and with larger household sizes), the estimated damage rates for the terrestrial ecosystems ranged from a low of 8% to a high of 37% for the same range of MPA sizes. Damage to the terrestrial ecosystems within the fishing communities close to marine protected areas can be mitigated by minimizing the exploitation rate ρ which in turn depends on the socio-demographic characteristics of these communities. Alternative livelihood programs for affected fishing communities should veer them away from livelihoods that make use of raw materials coming from the various terrestrial ecosystems, e.g. mangroves. Ecotourism is one such livelihood project recommended following the Apo Island, Negros experience in the Philippines
Utilization of Allogeneic Red Blood Cell Units in Elective Gynecologic Surgeries
No full textThis research determined the pattern and indices of blood usage, and the relationship between elective gynecologic surgeries and utilization of allogeneic red blood cell units in a tertiary retained hospital in Cebu City, Philippines. All patients who underwent elective gynecologic surgeries admitted from October 1, 2008 to December 31, 2008 were included in this study. This 3- month study utilized a descriptive-correlational research design. A total of 63 patients underwent elective gynecologic surgeries during the study period. A total of 150 red blood cell units were ordered, but only 142 units were procured. All units were cross-matched but only 52 units were transfused. The overall frequency of blood transfusion related to elective gynecologic surgery was 30.37%. This meant that 69.63% of the blood was not utilized. Ten patients needed preoperative transfusions because of preexisting anemia, eight because of excessive bleeding during surgery, and nine had postoperative transfusions. The overall crossmatched/transfusion ratio of 2.73 revealed insignificant blood utilization. However, the probability of transfusion of 31.74% and the index of transfusion of 0.86 were indicative of significant utilization. There was inefficiency in the ordering of allogeneic red blood cell units in elective gynecologic surgeries. However, there was an appropriate number of units ordered for the patients. Moreover, a pre-operative cross-match was required for the procedure. Lastly, the type of surgery was not a determinant in the blood utilization
Global Competitiveness Sub-Indices as Potential Determinants of Basic Education Quality across Different Countries
No full textVery recent research (Felipe and Porio, 2010) revealed no direct relationship between the lengths of basic education cycles and student performance in TIMSS (2007) science and mathematics tests. The TIMSS scores were impliedly used as proxy measures of quality for basic education. The present study is an in-depth analysis of the various socio-economic factors that directly bear on the quality of basic education outcomes using the sub-indices of the Global Economic Index (GCI) 2009 in view of the assertion that a mechanical addition of more years in basic education does not improve quality at that level. Results revealed that specific basic economic parameters (connectivity and access) related to poverty reduction, efficient and effective higher education and training of teachers, technological readiness and strengthening of economic fundamentals all significantly bear on the quality of basic education globally
Some Applications of the Distribution of the Maximum on Independent Normal Random Variables
No full textThe paper deals with the distribution of the maximum of n independent normal random variables and some of its applications in the electricity power industry in the area of peak load estimation and in genetic selection for animal breeding. For small n, the difficulty in finding the value of multiple integrals involved in the distribution function of the maximum order statistics (and hence, in the computation of its expected value) is recognized. The paper provides for simple approximations to the mean of the largest order statistics both in the iid and non-identically distributed cases. Large sample asymptotic results for extreme values of normal random variables are often used in reliability theory and of late, used in the analysis of extreme weather changes in relation to climate change. While the large sample results for the iid case have been treated in the past, we focused on the relatively unexplored non-identical but independent case. Results show that : (a) the simple approximations to the mean of the largest order statistic both for the iid and non-iid cases have good MSE properties, and (b) the large sample distribution for a non-identically distributed case still obeys the Type I Gumbel distribution with shifted parameters
Hoku Cryokinetics for the Reduction of Labor Pain in the Active Phase of Labor
No full textThe study investigated the use of ice massage (cryokinetics) to reduce a woman’s perception of labor pain. After thorough peer review and approval of the conduct of the study, this non-equivalent, one-group-pretest-posttest design was instituted among 30 primigravid Cebuano women, 20-30 years old, 37-42 weeks age of gestation, with fetus in cephalic presentation and who had reached the active phase of labor while being admitted in a Department of Health-accredited birthing center. The study utilized a 100-mm Visual Analog Scale (VAS) to numerically measure pain levels before and after using ice the massage (100 grams slashed ice) on the left and right hand, respectively. The findings indicated significant pain reduction for both the left and the right hand. Moreover, cryokinetics on the left Hoku point yielded the same analgesic effect as that on the right. The results suggest that ice massage on either hand is a cost-efficient, safe, non-invasive, non-pharmacologic and effective method of reducing labor pain
White Noise Path Integral Evaluation of the Characteristic Function of a Modified Wormlike Chain
No full textThe characteristic function of a wormlike chain is expressed as a Feynman path integral, obtained via the white noise functional approach. In order to describe the model statistically, the following physical assumptions are considered: (i) the wormlike chain curve is analogous to a trajectory of a quantum particle, and (ii) the total length L of the Wormlike chain is regarded as “time” t. The mathematical treatment is then facilitated by modifying its Lagrangian , given by Fizman and Kovac , wherein the resulting expression of the Lagrangian is just similar to the harmonic oscillator in an external elctric field. Then, the cosine of the angle between the field vector and the tangent vector is approximated. In order to evaluate the characteristic function in one dimension only, we let this angle be linearly dependent on the contour distance of the chain. The characteristic function is then evaluated via white noise analysis. The result, with the field set to zero, is then compared to a propagator of a harmonic oscillator in an inverse potential