University of the Philippines

About: University of the Philippines is a education organization based out in Quezon City, Philippines. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Health care. The organization has 4589 authors who have published 4437 publications receiving 114846 citations. The organization is also known as: UP.

Climate Change, Sustainable Development and Coastal Ocean Information Needs

Abstract: Local expressions of climate change are threatening the capacity of coastal ecosystems to support goods and services valued by society on a global scale. As articulated in many international and national ocean policies, conventions and agreements, there is widespread agreement that adaptive, ecosystem-based approaches are needed to manage climate risks and to adapt to the impacts of climate change on our environment. Design and implementation of such approaches requires routine and continuous provision of data and information that enable regular assessments of the states of marine and estuarine ecosystems, changes in states and likely future states in terms of their capacity to support goods and services. The provision of these data and information is a major goal of the climate and coastal modules of the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS), the oceans and coastal component of the Global Earth Observing System, which is coming into being through an international effort led by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) to integrate, improve and build on existing monitoring and modelling capabilities. The objective is to establish sustained, integrated and interoperable approaches that efficiently link observations and models through data management and communications on national, regional and global scales. Initial requirements for the climate module have been completed and global implementation has begun. However, implementation of coastal GOOS has been slow and uneven geographically, especially in the coastal zones of developing countries and emerging economies. Challenges that must be addressed to move this process along more rapidly and effectively include (a) capacity building; (b) reaching international agreements that enable timely exchanges of data on the states and changing states of coastal ecosystems regionally and globally; (c) achieving international consensus on priorities for phased implementation of coastal GOOS strategic plans; (d) establishing mechanisms to transition advances in science and technology into operational modes as needed; (e) effecting regional and global coordination and collaboration among coastal nations and existing regional bodies with related goals and data requirements; and (f) coordinating the development of the climate and coastal modules of GOOS. Issues associated with these challenges are discussed and the current effort of the GOOS Scientific Steering Committee to document observing system requirements for the coastal ocean is described.

Differences in biomass production and carrageenan yields among four strains of farmed carrageenophytes in Northern Bohol, Philippines

Abstract: Comparative studies on the biomass and carrageenan production of two strains of Eucheuma denticulatum and two strains of Kappaphycus alvarezii were made to assess the seasonality in their production capacities.

Trial grow‐out culture of sea cucumber Holothuria scabra in sea cages and pens

Abstract: Field trials were conducted to determine the effects of size, grow-out period and site on the growth and survival of Holothuria scabra. Juveniles were reared in sea cages in two sites for 2 months during two different times of the year. Juveniles from Experiment 1 were subsequently grown in sea pens for 8 months in one site. The significantly lower survival particularly of the small-sized group (<0.1 g) in Pilar is likely due to reduced water and sediment quality because of proximity to fish-farming activities. The importance of grow-out period was evident in the significant differences in weight increments in all size groups and biomass in the small-sized group (P < 0.10) in Lucero during Experiment 2 when water temperature range and incidence of rainfall were higher. The decrease in the average weight of adults during the second half of the grow-out period may be due to the interplay of the reduction in salinity, onset of sexual maturity and biomass exceeding carrying capacity in the pens. The estimated biomass threshold in the sea cages and pens in Lucero were 300 g m−2 and 380 g m−2 respectively. Implications of the results on the viability of small-scale pen grow-out culture are discussed.

Incidence and prevalence of hepatitis B. A community-based survey in the Philippines.

Abstract: In a rural village in the Philippines, sera were collected from 744 residents and tested for evidence of hepatitis B virus infection. In the subsequent year, every household was visited every other week for a period of three months in an attempt to identify clinically apparent cases. At the end of the year, sera were obtained from 78% of persons initially negative for hepatitis B virus and 97% of those initially positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). Overall, HBsAg was found in 8.8% of the population tested, of whom 86% were still HBsAg-positive at the end of the year. Susceptibility to hepatitis B virus infection declined significantly with age, to only 16% in the age group 50 years and older. No difference in the prevalence of markers by sex was observed. The risk of infection in children appeared to increase if one or both parents were infected, compared with both parents susceptible (odds ratio = 3.3 and 7.6, respectively); the risk increased if older siblings were infected, compared with all older siblings susceptible. The overall incidence rate of hepatitis B virus infection was 3.3% per year. For those aged five years or younger, the incidence rate was 9.2%. None of the seroconverters manifested acute symptoms of infection. Despite the evident clustering in families of persons with hepatitis B virus markers, which is suggested by the prevalence survey, only two of nine incident infections observed were in children with HBsAg-positive close relatives. The findings support the impression that in countries endemic for hepatitis B virus, most new cases occur in the young and are clinically inapparent. Furthermore, screening families of young children for chronic carriers in an effort to identify children at high risk for hepatitis B virus infection would have a low sensitivity in the Philippine setting.