Taflurut nit-towards an inculturated theology on the communion of saints for Kei people in Eastern Indonesia

Ancestor veneration is considered by some to be a primitive custom, outdated, and with no relevance to modern society. In this study, however, the researcher will show that ancestor veneration is alive and practiced in various cultures, especially among Kei people in East Indonesia to this day. This research focuses on ancestor veneration (Taflurut Nit) of the Kei people vis-à-vis the Catholic Teachings on the Communion of Saints. Both the Kei ancestors and the Christian saints are revered because they are believed to be role models and wisdom figures for the members of their respective communities. Kei religious and cultural practices that focus on remembering, honoring, and expressing love for their ancestors and the saints have a significant impact on the lives of Kei Christians. The dissertation uses the process of inculturation to explore the potential of using the practices and beliefs of ancestor veneration among Kei people in re-articulating an aspect of the Christian Faith. With the mutual interaction between the Judeo-Christian Tradition of the Communion of Saints and the present practice of Ancestor Veneration (Taflurut Nit) among Kei people, an inculturated theology for Kei Christians in East Indonesia is being proposed in response to the new evangelization envisioned by the Church. This study uses the descriptive method of research where qualitative data were generated to describe the cultural practice of Taflurut Nit as one of the popular Kei Tribe rituals. Data were gathered through interviews of select members (i.e., traditional elders also regarded as kings, religious leaders, community leaders, government figures, and cultural observers) of the Kei community. These were recorded, coded, and thematically categorized. Interpretation and analysis were guided by the cultural exegesis process popularized by the theologian, José M. de Mesa. Available local literature was also helpful in enriching the information derived from the interviews conducted. To present a comprehensive understanding of the Church’s teachings on the Communion of Saints, a review of pertinent Church documents, books, journals, and articles was performed. Similar to the cultural exegesis process, the hermeneutics of appreciation was applied in discerning the primary themes from the Judaeo-Christian Tradition (JCT) which were used in mutual dialogue with the themes from Taflurut Nit. Based on the results of the research, it was concluded that there are parallelisms between the Taflurut Nit of Kei people as a cult of respect for their ancestors and the teachings of the Catholic Church on the Communion of saints. First, both ancestors and saints are respected by the faithful as a form of deep love. Second, the belief in the existence of a Supreme Being (Duad Ler-vuan) as the creator of all things. Third, the role of ancestors and saints as intercessors (pengantara), model of virtuous living and companions in the journey of life emerged as common themes. Fourth, the exemplary legacy (warisan keteladanan) of ancestors and saints is passed on to their descendants or the faithful. And fifth, the meaning and implications of communion for both poles (persekutuan dan kekeluargaan yanur mangohoi), namely, harmony, unbreakable bond, faithfulness, and life-giving orientation that characterized their relationships. With the findings of this study, the proponent explored the potential of a widespread ancient practice, Taflurut Nit, as a starting point in doing theology that is sensitive to the present experience of the people. Besides the proposed inculturated theology on the Communion of Saints, it has also shown its broader spiritual implications and theological perspectives which, if developed, can benefit the whole Church. Keywords: Kei people, Taflurut Nit, Ancestor Veneration, Communion of Saints, Inculturation, Culture

The effects of fermentation on the bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity in cruciferous vegetables

Cruciferous vegetables have been widely recognized for their abundance in bioactive compounds that contribute to their vast pharmacological benefits. Fermentation, a traditional preservation technique, imparts various changes in these bioactive compounds. Glucosinolates (GSLs) and their hydrolysis products, isothiocyanates (ITCs), as well as antioxidant activity in Malabar spinach (Basella rubra), cabbage (Brassica oleracea var capitata), mustard (Brassica juncea), radish (Raphanus sativus var longipinnatus), and Napa cabbage (Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis) have been investigated to elucidate the effects of a 14-day fermentation period. GSL and ITC levels were quantified through HPLC analysis while antioxidant activity was investigated through a DPPH assay. Results showed that all raw extracts had much higher GSL levels with concentrations ranging from 19.55 to 384.07 umol/g while fermented samples obtained GSL levels ranging from 6.90 to 49.16 umol/g. Furthermore, hydrolysis induced an increase in ITC levels for both raw and fermented samples. Upon investigation of the hydrolyzed samples, only 5.33% to 22.78% ITC contents were retained in fermented samples except for radish which exhibited a 44.57% increase. Lastly, all vegetables obtained IC50 values ranging from 547.77 ppm to 1028.25 ppm, indicating low antioxidant activity. Additionally, fermentation changed antioxidant activity by 25.24% to 119.52%. Overall, the findings of this study suggest that fermentation elicits possible effects of degradation which lowers bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity in cruciferous vegetables. Controlled and monitored conditions play crucial roles in the fermentation process. Keywords: glucosinolates, isothiocyanates, fermentation, cruciferous vegetables, antioxidant activit

Making sense of making sense : Exploring the relationship between dimensions of rumination and dimensions of meaning in life

The dominant trend in previous research was that rumination is maladaptive, but recent reiterations of the construct argue that it can be adaptive. The positive and negative mental health outcomes of rumination remain inconsistent across literature, but rumination has been indicated to contribute to generating meanings. The present study explores the nature of the relationship between rumination and meaning in life through the canonical correlation analysis of maladaptive/adaptive and context-free/event-related forms of rumination and the process and outcome aspects of meaning in life. Surveys were distributed to a non-specific sample of emerging adults through social media platforms (e.g., Messenger, Facebook, Telegram, etc.). Through canonical correlation analysis, two roots were formed representing the relationship between the multiple facets of rumination and the multiple facets of meaning in life. Results showed that (a) overall: rumination and meaning in life are positively related across all roots, that (b) for the first root: context-free forms of rumination have significant but varying associations with output aspects of meaning in life, and that (c) for the second root: adaptive forms of rumination have significant and positive associations with the process aspects of meaning in life. From these associations, pairings between forms of rumination and aspects of meaning in life are established and interpreted. These findings suggest that various forms of rumination function differently in relation to various aspects of meaning in life, and that these different functions can have important implications for the assessment and management of rumination and meaning in life for empirical research and clinical practice. Future research is thus encouraged to account for the importance of distinguishing these variations when examining their influence and potential outcomes in psychological health

Formulation of flour fortified with freeze-dried malunggay (moringa oleifera) seeds: Evaluation of the functional and physicochemical properties

Malunggay (Moringa oleifera) is a versatile plant having a wide array of medicinal properties due to the presence of bioactive compounds. It has been explored as a source of nutrients in food fortification programs. Flour, which is a staple ingredient in human diet, has been used as an effective matrix in multimicronutrient fortification to address the demand for nutrient-enriched foods. However, the utilization of Malunggay seeds as a flour material has not been explored, hence this study. This study explored the possibility of preparing flour from Malunggay seeds and integrating it into wheat flour to improve its nutritional value. The screening of the Malunggay/wheat flour blends was done to assess its physicochemical and functional properties. The SEM analysis revealed that cooking the flour blends made the morphology amorphous and compact in contrast to the loose packing of the raw flour blends. Moreover, FTIR analysis validated the different proximate composition of the flour samples. Among the flour blends, MF10 exhibited significant differences in the functional property test results and gelatinization and retrogradation experiments. Nevertheless, it is recommended that further analyses, such as intro digestibility and solid-state NMR should be conducted in order to further investigate the interaction that occurs when the flour samples are subjected to higher temperature conditions. Baking tests, cooking applications, and sensory evaluation may also be performed to evaluate the applicability of the flour for food formulations

The Effect of Remittances on Housing Expenditure in Filipino Households

Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) have chosen to work abroad due to the abundance of better work opportunities and a higher salary earned. Migrant workers send remittances to their families from their country of origin to bring extra income for these households to spend on essential consumption. These remittances serve as additional income and protection for recipient households, easing their consumption and enabling them to spend their money on education, housing construction, and household electrical appliances. Numerous existing literature has stated that household-receiving remittances spend more money on investments that will help improve their standard of living; one of these investments is housing. The researchers used a probit model to estimate the propensity scores to be used in propensity score matching. Using the coefficients from the average treatment effect (ATE) and the average treatment effect on the treated (ATT), results from the study find that remittance-receiving households significantly spend more on housing expenditures, specifically actual rentals, and maintenance costs, than non-receiving households. However, it was found that imputed rent for households receiving remittances are significantly lower than non-receiving households

Do changes in the real exchange rate affect the trade balance? Evidence from European countries

We use five time and frequency domain causality tests to study whether unit labor costs-based real exchange rate depreciations / appreciations caused improvements / deteriorations in the trade balances of ten Eurozone economies, and thus contributed to closing trade imbalances, during 1995-2019. The methods we use deal with the inherent nonlinearity, and structural shifts in the time series. They also take into account asymmetry and regime changes. The non-parametric approach avoids the possible bias associated to the identification strategy. Test results indicate that there is no evidence of such a causal relationship

Can the Philippines attain 6.5-8 Percent Growth During 2023-28? An Assessment Based on the Estimation of the Balance-of-Payments-Constrained Growth Rate

We expand the standard balance-of-payments–constrained (BOPC) growth rate model in three directions. First, we take into account the separate contributions of exports in goods, exports in services, overseas remittances, and foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows. Second, we use state-space estimation techniques to obtain time-varying parameters of the relevant coefficients. Third, we test for the endogeneity of output in the import equation. We apply this framework to assess the feasibility of the target set by the new Philippine administration of President Marcos (elected in 2022) to attain an annual GDP growth rate of 6.5–8 percent during 2024–28. We obtain an estimate of the growth rate consistent with equilibrium in the basic balance of the Philippines of about 6.5 percent in 2021 (and declining during the years prior to it). This BOPC growth rate is below the 6.5–8 percent target. We also find that exchange-rate depreciations will not lead to an improvement in the BOPC growth rate. The Philippines must lift the constraints that impede a higher growth of exports. In particular, it must shift its export structure toward more sophisticated products with a higher income elasticity of demand

A Recommender System against Social Media Addiction among Adolescents

Social media is a dominant and an ever-expanding platform for social interaction and communication. In its popularity, Social Media Addiction (SMA) emerged as an unintended consequence, affecting a handful of users. Recommender Systems (RS) have been proven to be useful in domains such as health and alcoholism prevention. This study develops a prototype RS against SMA using a user’s personality dimensions and status of SMA. The prototype used a user-based collaborative filtering (CF) approach in recommending items. The prototype will also undergo an evaluation phase but this will not be included in the scope of this paper. The RS prototype accurately predicts an active user’s similarity with his/her neighbors using their scores on TIPI (personality dimensions) and BSMAS (status of SMA) through cosine similarity. Although recommendations show bias towards certain items, they can neither be proven effective nor ineffective without further evaluation such as a User Acceptance Test (UAT). Future prototypes can improve the RS’s information collection phase to reduce inaccuracies

Effects of processing techniques on the glucosinolate and isothiocyanate content of malunggay (moringa oleifera) and determination of its antioxidant activity

Glucosinolate (GSL) and isothiocyanate (ITC) are biologically active compounds of malunggay (Moringa oleifera), known for their chemotherapeutic potential. This research determined the effect of boiling, steaming, blanching, microwaving, and stir-frying on the glucosinolate and isothiocyanate concentrations, as well as their effect on the antioxidizing properties of malunggay leaves and seeds. The glucosinolate concentration of the desulfated raw and processed. oleifera leaves and seeds were quantified using an HPLC. Overall, malunggay seeds (48.63-335.28 µmol/g) were shown to contain a greater glucosinolate concentration than malunggay leaves (03.06-76.41 µmol/g), with steamed malunggay seeds and raw malunggay leaves having the most GSL retention, respectively. This can be attributed to the outer protective cover of a malunggay seed that prevents the GSL from leaching or being affected by heat. Additionally, boiling and blanching exhibited a significant decrease in glucosinolate concentration. Myrosinase inhibition could have aided the retention of the compounds, especially in seeds. Using the Bradford Assay, the protein concentration of malunggay seeds was evaluated to be 1.631 mg/mL, which could verify the presence of the myrosinase enzyme in the sample. Similar to glucosinolates, the isothiocyanate concentration of samples that underwent cyclocondensation was quantified through HPLC. It was identified that initializing hydrolysis can increase the detection of ITCs in the instrument. Hence, the presence of ITC was significantly higher in hydrolyzed leaves (0.7548-1.5646 µM) and seeds (0.7075-1.3571 µM) than in the unhydrolyzed leaves (0.7075-1.0242 µM) and seeds (0.7075-0.9545 µM). It was hydrolyzed microwaved leaves and unhydrolyzed blanched leaves, as well as hydrolyzed and unhydrolyzed fried seeds with the highest ITC concentration. Factors that could have affected the hydrolysis product include myrosinase inactivation, thermal degradation of GSLs and ITCs, and the presence of specifier proteins. The isothiocyanate was qualitatively analyzed further through GC-MS; however, limitations in the instrument hindered the identification of ITC. Lastly, the antioxidant activity of M. oleifera was determined using the DPPH assay. Stronger antioxidant activity was observed in malunggay leaves as opposed to malunggay seeds. Moreover, boiled and stir-fried leaves, as well as blanched seeds, exhibited a greater response than their raw counterparts

Synthesis and characterization of the precursor compounds of a phenolic and pyrazinamide derivative of imidazo[2,1-b][1,3,4]thiadiazole and the evaluation of its predicted absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) properties

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease that has continued to plague society and has caused the mortality of 1.3 million people worldwide in 2022. Among the various approved anti-TB drugs, pyrazinamide (PZA) possesses the unique ability to kill certain semi-dormant TB bacteria that other drugs fail to kill. However, with the continuous development of drug-resistant TB strains, modern TB treatment becomes difficult as conventional anti-TB drugs are left ineffective against these strains. Consequently, new therapeutics are warranted to overcome these resistant strains and to improve therapeutic efficacy. Thus, imidazothiadiazole derivatives have been widely explored due to the vast biological properties that it possesses, including anti-TB properties. Meanwhile, phenolic compounds have also been found to have antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. Their coupling with anti-TB drugs could present promising effects in treating TB. Hence, this study focused on the synthesis and characterization of the precursor compounds towards a new phenolic and pyrazinamide derivative of imidazo[2,1-b][1,3,4]thiadiazole. The final compound was evaluated on its potential as an orally bioavailable tuberculosis drug via its absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) properties. Optimization methods were explored for the synthesis of the target compound, (E/Z)-N\u27-((6-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)imidazo[2,1-b]- [1,3,4]thiadiazol-5-yl)methylene)pyrazine-2-carbohydrazide, involving a five-step process, with a phenolic group attached at the C-2 position, a PZA moiety at the C-5 position, and a 4-chlorophenyl group at the C-6 position of the imidazo[2,1- b][1,3,4]thiadiazole core. These optimizations led to the generation of the precursors to the target compound: 1. (E/Z)-2-(4-hydroxybenzylidene)hydrazine-1-carbothioamide (89.13%), 2. 4-(5-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)phenol (83.83%), 3. [6-(4-chlorophenyl)imidazo[2,1-b]-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl]phenol (43.21%), 4. [6-(4-chlorophenyl)imidazo[2,1-b]-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl]phenol (68.08%). The ADME properties of the target compound exhibited a satisfactory pharmacokinetic profile fit for oral bioavailability. Thus, further investigations must be done for the viable synthesis method for the generation of the target compound. Moreover, biological assays may be conducted to further assess the potential synergistic effect of its antioxidant and anti-TB properties