Showing papers by "University of the Philippines published in 1979"

The refrigerated storage of tropical and subtropical products

Abstract: During the last few years increased emphasis has been placed on the development of methods for reducing losses of perishable produce after harvest rather than endeavouring the boost production. It has been estimated that 25 to 80% of fresh fruit and vegetables are lost afer harvest. The most serious losses are thought to occur in tropical regions which include a large proportion of the developing countries. Even in developed countries postharvest losses can be substantial. Provided that produce has been harvested at the best stages of maturity and handled carefully, refrigeration offers the greatest potential for increasing postharvest life. However, refrigeration is expensive and many sub-tropical and tropical species are sensitive to chilling. For these species the benefits of refrigeration are limited. Research is proceeding along two principal lines. One line involves the study of the basic differences between closely related species which differ greatly in sensitivity to chilling. It is hoped that knowledge of the nature of chilling injury will assist in the development of methods for overcoming or ameliorating chilling injury thereby increasing the effectiveness of refrigerated storage. The second line of research is concerned with developing techniques for extending post-harvest life with a minimum of refrigeration. Results of these lines of research will be discussed.

The Natural History of Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatic Heart Disease in the Orient

Abstract: Studies published in the past 10 years suggest that group A streptococcal infections are frequent in the Orient and lead to a high incidence of rheumatic fever (RF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD). In the present study, streptococcal infections were found to be more prevalent in Japan and Taiwan, whereas RF and RHD were more common and severe in the Philippines, Thailand, and Indonesia, particularly among the socioeconomically less privileged populations. The pattern of childhood RF varied: Carditis was the most common manifestation, occurring in 57% to 94% of the patients; polyarthritis was generally atypical and less common in the tropics; chorea minor and erythema marginatum were much more common in Japan, less common in Taiwan and rare in the tropics. RF recurrences were quite common and led to the development of new carditis, and deterioration or persistence of the pre-existing heart disease. The 5 year mortality rates differed greatly, ranging from zero to 42%. There was disappearance of the heart murmur in 16.5% to 37.5% of patients. Such apparent recovery was related to adherence to chemoprophylaxis. The major risk factors adversely affecting survival were the severity of carditis, inadequacy of medical service, non-compliance to chemoprophylaxis, RF recurrence, poor socioeconomic status, and high prevalence of group A streptococci. It is concluded that there is no uniform "Oriental-type" of natural history of RF and RHD. The natural history varies greatly among countries as is true in other parts of the world.

The cytogenetics of F1 hybrids from Oryza nivara Sharma et Shastry * O. sativa L.

Abstract: IRRI Accession 101508 of the wild species Oryza nivara Sharma et Shastry was crossed directly and reciprocally to six varieties of the cultivated species, O. sativa L. This accession was cross-compatible with the six O. sativa cultivars.Each of the parents and hybrids have median, submedian, and subtelocentric chromosomes. A combination of three median (chromosome number 2, 3 and 7), seven submedian (number 1, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11 and 12), and two subtelocentric chromosomes (number 6 and 10) were the most common set. The parents and hybrids differed markedly in their chromomeric pattern, chromatin length, and arm ratio.The most frequent chromosomal aberrations observed were loose pairing at pachytene, univalents, and quadrivalents at diakinesis and metaphase I, bridges and late disjunction at anaphase I, and bridges and laggards at telophase I.Based at pollen and spikelet counts, only O. nivara, O. nivara×TNl and O. nivara×Dgwg were partially sterile. The other F1 hybrids were fertile. The difference between the pollen and spikelet sterilities in most hybrids and parents may be due to environmental effects. There was no direct relationship between the meiotic aberrations observed and the sterility of the F1 plants.Chromosome pairing was essentially normal in all F1 plants and most of them are fertile, indicating that the O. nivara accession and the O. saliva cultivars have the same genome composition (AA). There is close affinity between IRRI Acc. 101508 and the O. sativa cultivars.

Pseudomonas resistance to gentamicin.

Abstract: 66 burned patients admitted to the Burn Unit from Jan. to Sept., 1977, were studied. Topical therapy employed was mafenide or silver sulfadiazine. The most common pathogens isolated in 288 burn wound cultures were Pseudomonas aeruginosa (42%), Klebsiella-Enterobacter (16%), and Staph, aureus (13%). Pseudomonas was sensitive to gentamicin in only 36.2% of instances. In 1976, 42% of Pseudomonas isolates was sensitive. During the period 1969-1973, 85.7% of the Pseudomonas was sensitive to gentamicin.

An Intersectoral and Sequencial Analysis of Migration Decision: Philippines

Abstract: This paper attempts to refine the understanding of migration behavior by analyzing intersectorally and sequentially the decision to move. The main hypothesis is that the factor which influence migration decision vary depending on sector of origin and destination, as well as on whether the decision to be made involves a return to origin or a repeat move to another destination. The results of logit analysis show that such factors as education, occupation, expected monetary income, martial status, and sex exert different intersectoral and sequential effects on migration choice. An implication is that migration and labor mobility policy may be more realistic and, hence, effective if it views migration intersectorally and sequentially, in addition to considering the personal attributes of migrants or potential migrants. As a methodological exercise, the results of logit analysis are compared with those of OLS. The results appear to be virtually no different, lending support to the findings of similar exercises. While the logit model has a distinct statistical (theoretical) advantage, the use of OLS analysis would seem to make practical sense considering that logit analysis is a lot more expensive. (This abstract was borrowed from another version of this item.)

Cercospora needle blight of pines in the Philippines

Abstract: A needle blight disease caused by a species Cercospora was observed prevalent in Luzon and Mindanao islands of the Philippines. The disease was observed on Pinus kesiya, P. merkusii and P. caribaea. The causal organism was identified as Cercospora pini-densiflorae Hori et Nambu through studies on the morphological characteristics and pathogenicity. This is the first report on the fungus from the Philippines, and Pinus kesiya is recorded as a new host for the fungus.

New estimates of the vital rates of the united states black population during the nineteenth century

Abstract: The difficulties of obtaining credible estimates of vital rates for the black population throughout the entire nineteenth century are overcome in this study. The methodology employed the notion of deviating networks of mortality rates for each general mortality level, which was taken from the United Nations study The Concept of a Stable Population. Period life tables and vital rates for intercensal periods were generated from the new estimates of the black population at each census date. The results of this study are highly compatible both with the life tables for the death-registration states in the twentieth century and the recent Coale and Rives reconstruction for the period from 1880 to 1970 and with several estimates of vital rates previously made for the mid-nineteenth century. This study places the mean life expectancy at birth for the black population during the nineteenth century at about 33.7 years for both sexes. The infant death rate (1000 m0) is shown to have varied between 222 and 237 for females and between 266 and 278 for males. The intrinsic crude death rate centered on 30.4 per thousand during the century, while the birth rate declined from 53.2 early in the century to about 43.8 at the end.

Why economic-demographic models have not been used in the Philippines.

Abstract: The author first describes the three economic-demographic models of the Philippines that have been published. He then explores the reasons why their findings have not been utilized by government planners. The inadequacies of models including the data on which they are based are briefly reviewed (ANNOTATION)

The economic costs of children in the Philippines : a survey

Abstract: This paper attempts to survey the state of the art on the economic costs of children. Relevant studies suggest rough orders of magnitude for the direct, indirect and social costs of children. The pattern of these costs seems consistent with the persistence of high fertility especially in rural areas. Direct cost appears sufficiently onerous but indirect (opportunity) costs do not seem to be a major consideration in the rural setting. These private costs, in any case, appear to be more than offset by the stream of economic benefits, not to mention non-economic satisfaction from children. By contrast, the social costs of high fertility seems considerable but are not material to the extent that fertility decisions are made within the household framework. Persistently high fertility may be further explained in the context of the threshold model. If a household is poor and/or rural (i.e., below the threshold), the graduation of a child from net consumer to net producer would, by definition, push the household up toward the threshold (and down the mother's labor force participation curve), helping to foster natural fertility. This graduation seems faster the poorer the household. The implication for policy, other than the obvious one of uplifting the masses from poverty, would seem to be to bring social cost considerations to bear on household fertility decisions through information and education.(This abstract was borrowed from another version of this item.)

Why Are We Reluctant to Set Numerical Equity Targets (Comments on the 1978-1982 Five-Year Development Plan)

Abstract: The new 1978-1982 Development Plan asserts the 'the conquest of mass poverty' is the immediate and fundamental goal. Yet, although construction of numerical targets is a basic element of development planning, the 1978-1982 Plan continues the tradition of technical overconcentration on economic growth, and is very deficient in the area of equity. It does have targets for the reduction of open unemployment, visible underemployment, under- nutrition, and infant mortality, and for the increase of life expectancy, literacy, schooling participation, housing and social services. But the targets cannot be regarded as very aggressive (with the notable exception of the nutrition plan). What is keeping NEDA from going to the heart of the matter, and from making numerical targets for reduction in the incidence of poverty and in income inequality, and for increases in real wages? There are no serious technical obstacles to this. Naturally, it would have to officially adopt a poverty line and an index of inequality -- at this point, it is more important to decide on some mode of measurements than to argue on what the best mode should be. Given that targets are set, to be met within a 5-year planning period, and subjected to a mid-term review, it also follows that there should be an annual monitoring system for poverty and other equity-variables, just as there is for the GNP. Technicians should be conscious that neglect of numerical targeting and frequent monitoring is a subtle way of supporting the status quo.

The individual dietary intake of some children living in a children's home in quezon city, Philippines

Abstract: Individual 24‐hour dietary intakes of 16 children in a Children's Home in Quezon City, Philippines were weighed once a week for a period of 19 to 47 weeks. There was appreciable variation in the amounts of energy and of protein intakes on different days by each of the subjects. The mean value for an individual child on 20 separate random days was very close to the mean value for 47 separate days. Means of fewer daily intakes gave values which deviated sporadically from the true mean by 20 percent. A downward trend in the amount of energy consumed in relation to body weight with increasing size was apparent and a less degree of downward trend was seen in the case of protein. The characteristics of separate meals in terms of protein quality varied considerably.