University of the Philippines Manila

About: University of the Philippines Manila is a education organization based out in Manila, Philippines. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Medicine. The organization has 2218 authors who have published 2357 publications receiving 88781 citations. The organization is also known as: UPM.

World studies of abuse in the family environment--risk factors for physical intimate partner violence.

Abstract: Objectives: To identify risk factors for physical intimate partner violence against women in Chile, India, Egypt and the Philippines Design: Population-based household survey Settings: Selected urb...

Neurological Manifestations in COVID-19 Infection: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Abstract: Background: Growing evidence showed that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection may present with neurological manifestations. This review aimed to determine the neurological manifestations and complications in COVID-19. Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis that included cohort and case series/reports involving a population of patients confirmed with COVID-19 infection and their neurologic manifestations. We searched the following electronic databases until April 18, 2020: PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and World Health Organization database (PROSPERO registration number: CRD42020180658). Results: From 403 articles identified, 49 studies involving a total of 6,335 confirmed COVID-19 cases were included. The random-effects modeling analysis for each neurological symptom showed the following proportional point estimates with 95% confidence intervals: “headache” (0.12; 0.10–0.14; I 2 = 77%), “dizziness” (0.08; 0.05–0.12; I 2 = 82%), “headache and dizziness” (0.09; 0.06–0.13; I 2 = 0%), “nausea” (0.07; 0.04–0.11; I 2 = 79%), “vomiting” (0.05; 0.03–0.08; I 2 = 74%), “nausea and vomiting” (0.06; 0.03–0.11; I 2 = 83%), “confusion” (0.05; 0.02–0.14; I 2 = 86%), and “myalgia” (0.21; 0.18–0.25; I 2 = 85%). The most common neurological complication associated with COVID-19 infection was vascular disorders (n = 23); other associated conditions were encephalopathy (n = 3), encephalitis (n = 1), oculomotor nerve palsy (n = 1), isolated sudden-onset anosmia (n = 1), Guillain–Barre syndrome (n = 1), and Miller–Fisher syndrome (n = 2). Most patients with neurological complications survived (n = 14); a considerable number of patients died (n = 7); and the rest had unclear outcomes (n = 12). Conclusion: This review revealed that neurologic involvement may manifest in COVID-19 infection. What has initially been thought of as a primarily respiratory illness has evolved into a wide-ranging multi-organ disease.

Disease onset in X-linked dystonia-parkinsonism correlates with expansion of a hexameric repeat within an SVA retrotransposon in TAF1.

Abstract: X-linked dystonia-parkinsonism (XDP) is a neurodegenerative disease associated with an antisense insertion of a SINE-VNTR-Alu (SVA)-type retrotransposon within an intron of TAF1 This unique insertion coincides with six additional noncoding sequence changes in TAF1, the gene that encodes TATA-binding protein-associated factor-1, which appear to be inherited together as an identical haplotype in all reported cases. Here we examined the sequence of this SVA in XDP patients (n = 140) and detected polymorphic variation in the length of a hexanucleotide repeat domain, (CCCTCT)n The number of repeats in these cases ranged from 35 to 52 and showed a highly significant inverse correlation with age at disease onset. Because other SVAs exhibit intrinsic promoter activity that depends in part on the hexameric domain, we assayed the transcriptional regulatory effects of varying hexameric lengths found in the unique XDP SVA retrotransposon using luciferase reporter constructs. When inserted sense or antisense to the luciferase reading frame, the XDP variants repressed or enhanced transcription, respectively, to an extent that appeared to vary with length of the hexamer. Further in silico analysis of this SVA sequence revealed multiple motifs predicted to form G-quadruplexes, with the greatest potential detected for the hexameric repeat domain. These data directly link sequence variation within the XDP-specific SVA sequence to phenotypic variability in clinical disease manifestation and provide insight into potential mechanisms by which this intronic retroelement may induce transcriptional interference in TAF1 expression.

West to east dispersal and subsequent rapid diversification of the mega-diverse genus Begonia (Begoniaceae) in the Malesian archipelago

Abstract: Aim The complex palaeogeography of the Malesian archipelago, characterized by the evolution of an ever-changing mosaic of terrestrial and marine areas throughout the Cenozoic, provides the geographic backdrop for the remarkable diversification of Malesian Begonia (> 450 species). This study aimed to investigate the origin of Malesian Begonia, the directionality of dispersal events within the Malesian archipelago and the impact of ancient water gaps on colonization patterns, and to identify drivers of diversification. Location Asia, Southeast Asia, Malesia. Methods Plastid DNA sequence data of representatives of all families of the Cucurbitales and Fagales (matK, rbcL, trnL intron, trnL–F spacer, 4076 aligned positions, 92 taxa) and a sample of all major Asian Begonia sections (ndhA intron, ndhF–rpl32 spacer, rpl32–trnL spacer, 4059 aligned positions, 112 taxa) were analysed under an uncorrelated-rates relaxed molecular clock model to estimate the age of the Begonia crown group divergence and divergence ages within Asian Begonia. Ancestral areas were reconstructed using a likelihood approach implementing a dispersal–extinction–cladogenesis model, and with a Bayesian approach to dispersal–vicariance analysis. Results The results indicated an initial diversification of Asian Begonia in continental Asia in the Miocene, and subsequent colonization of Malesia by multiple lineages. There was support for at least six independent dispersal events from continental Asia and western Malesia to Wallacea dating from the late Miocene to the Pleistocene. Begonia section Petermannia (> 270 species) originated in Western Malesia, and subsequently dispersed to Wallacea, New Guinea and the Philippines. Lineages within this section diversified rapidly since the Pliocene, coinciding with rapid orogenesis on Sulawesi and New Guinea. Main conclusions The predominant trend of Begonia dispersals between continental Asia and Malesia, and also within Malesia, has been from west to east. The water bodies separating the Sunda Shelf region from Wallacea have been porous barriers to dispersal in Begonia following the emergence of substantial land in eastern Malesia from the late Miocene onwards. We hypothesize two major drivers of the diversification of Malesian Begonia: (1) the formation of topographical heterogeneity and the promotion of microallopatry by orogenesis in the Pliocene and Pleistocene; and (2) cyclic vicariance by frequent habitat fragmentations and amalgamations due to climate and sea-level fluctuations during the Pleistocene.

The Tagum study I: analysis and clinical correlates of mercury in maternal and cord blood, breast milk, meconium, and infants' hair.

Abstract: Objectives. To compare the indicators and levels of mercury (Hg) exposure in the mother with those in the fetal compartments, and determine its effects on the newborn. Methods. Hg levels using atomic absorption spectrophotometry were determined in maternal blood, breast milk, cord blood, infants9 hair, and meconium of 78 consecutive mother-infant pairs in a community with high Hg pollution. The prevalence and levels of Hg both in meconium and in cord blood were correlated with maternal and infant risk factors. Results. The prevalence of Hg in the fetal compartments was higher than in the maternal fluid compartments. Hg was present in 6.4% of maternal blood and 6.4% of breast milk, as compared with 16.7% of cord blood, 31.6% of infants9 hair, and 46.1% of meconium. Forty-six percent of infants with Hg in cord blood had none in meconium, whereas 80.6% with Hg in meconium had none in cord blood. Hg was not present in the maternal blood of all infants (n = 36) with Hg in their meconium. Among those with detectable Hg, the mean levels were: mothers9 blood 24 parts per billion ± 5.47, cord blood 53.3 parts per billion ± 37.49, and meconium 48.6 ± 43.48. Quantitative measurement in hair was not done because of insufficient sample. Paired comparisons were all significant between Hg levels in the mothers9 blood and meconium, mothers9 blood and cord blood, and cord blood and meconium. Regression analysis showed Hg levels in meconium to be correlated with prevalence of Hg in infants9 hair, length of stay in Tagum, and meconium-stained amniotic fluid. Fisher9s Exact probability test showed that the prevalence of Hg in meconium was significantly related to the prevalence of Hg in the mothers9 blood and length of stay in Tagum. The prevalence of Hg in cord blood was significantly related to the prevalence in the mothers9 blood. Regression analysis of levels of Hg in cord blood showed a significant relation to levels in mothers9 blood (.0001), prevalence in infants9 hair (.0126), gestational age (GA) (.0091), and head circumference (HC) (.0469). By quadrant analysis of weight against HC in 66 full-term infants all of 4 infants weighing an average of >3000 g at birth and with HCs lower than the fifth percentile had Hg in meconium. Conclusion. The higher prevalence and levels of Hg in the fetal compartments reflect the ease of placental transfer with fetal trapping. Hg determinations in the mothers9 blood underestimate the degree and extent of fetal exposure. There is a significant difference in each compartment9s ability to reflect Hg exposure of the fetus. A small HC may be associated with the presence of Hg in meconium. Hg in meconium should be measured in addition to cord blood to determine the load of fetal Hg.