Divorce and separation in the Philippines: trends and correlates

Background: The Philippines is the only country in the world, aside from the Vatican, where divorce is not legal. Despite the lack of divorce law in the country and the high costs of obtaining an annulment, recent data shows that a growing number of Filipinos dissolve their marital unions, either legally or informally. Objective: I document the rise of union dissolution cases in the Philippines, and investigate the different factors associated with Filipino women’s experience of union dissolution. Methods: Data is drawn from the two most recent rounds of the Philippine National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), conducted in 2008 and 2013. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression models are used in the analysis. Results: Results reveal that education, type of first union, and childhood place of residence are significantly associated with being divorced or separated among women in the Philippines. Filipino women with higher levels of education, those who were cohabiting without ever marrying in their first union, and those who were raised in urban settings have higher risks of experiencing union dissolution than their counterparts. Religion and ethnicity are also associated with union breakdown among Filipino women. Contribution: This paper demonstrates that the rise in union dissolution in the Philippines has not happened in isolation. It has to some extent been influenced by the changing character of union formation in the country, the prevailing legal system, a growing acceptance of divorce, increasing education for women, and increasing urbanization

Developing a Scale to Measure Student Quality of Life in an Online Learning Set Up in the Pandemic Context

The COVID-19 pandemic brought many challenges to the student's quality of life. The University of Mindanao should develop an intervention program anchored to the new dimensions of students' quality of life. This study aims to create a scale on students' quality of life. Using a mixed-method research design, the researchers interviewed 13 students about students quality of life. The output of the interview, as well as the readings of related literature, became the basis of the Item Pool Statements (IPS). The IPS was evaluated by ten experts using Lawshe's method of Content Validation. The researchers collected 595 observations for Exploratory Factor Analysis and 3978 observations for Confirmatory Factor Analysis. The exploratory factor analysis extracted five factors: life vitality, emotional well-being, academic struggles, learning environment, financial well-being, and learning modality. A confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to confirm further the measures of students' quality of life in the pandemic context. It was found that there is a significant relationship with the construct (factors). There is a high internal consistency and convergent validity of each construct. In addition, the ?2/df= 2.087, CFI=.962, TLI = 0.970, and RMSEA= .048 (p close = 0.650) are fitted to the level of acceptance; thus the model is fit

Petrofábrica del cuarzo en tectónicas del Corredor Blastomilonítico de Badajoz -Córdoba (SW del Macizo Ibérico). Aplicación a la cinemática de desplazamientos

A study dealing with quartz microstructures and -C- axis fabrics within mylonite-series rocks from the Badajoz-Córdoba Ductile Shear Belt (SW Iberian Massif) is presented. Deformation regimes, geometries, temperatures, and kinematics are determined, as well as deformation histories responsible for the development of crystallographic preferred orientations (pan-african and variscan orogenic episodes). The geometry of variscan deformation (alternating areas with upright and horizontal mylonitic foliations containing ultramylonitic corridors) and mechanisms (complex deformation regimes characterized by the presence of neighbouring rock volumes affected by heterogeneous simple shear, flattening, heterogeneous simple shear plus flattening, buckling followed by flattening, etc.) are discussed from the perspective of deformation dynamics within ductile shear zones. Variscan, transcurrent, left-Iateral, tectonic displacements in the Badajoz-Córdoba Ductile Shear Belt have been estimated at ca. 200-300 km. Their regional implications in relation to the variscan emplacement of Allochthonous Complexes from NW Spain are discussed.Se presenta un estudio de las microestructuras y fábricas de ejes -C- del cuarzo en rocas miloníticas del Corredor Blastomilonítico de Badajoz-Córdoba (SW del Macizo Ibérico) a partir del cual se determinan el régimen, la geometría, la temperatura, y la cinemática e historia de las deformaciones responsables del desarrollo de orientaciones cristalográficas preferentes (episodios orogénicos pan-africano y hercínico). Se discuten la geometria interna (alternancia de áreas con foliaciones miloníticas horizontales y verticales surcadas por corredores ultramiloníticos) y la distribución de los mecanismos de la deformación hercínica (régimen de la deformación complejo caracterizado por la presencia de volúmenes rocosos afectados por cizalla simple heterogénea, aplastamiento, cizalla simple heterogénea más aplastamiento, buckling más aplastamiento, etc., unos alIado de otros) desde la perspectiva de la dinámica de la deformación en las zonas de cizalla dúctil. Se estima que los desplazamientos tectónicos transcurrentes sinistros en el seno del Corredor durante la evolución tectónica hercínica S.str. alcanzan entre 200-300 km. Finalmente, se analizan las implicaciones regionales en relación con el emplazamiento de los Complejos Alóctonos del NW peninsular

Intra-seasonal variability of extreme boreal stratospheric polar vortex events and their precursors

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Springer Verlag via the DOI in this record.The dynamical variability of the boreal stratospheric polar vortex has been usually analysed considering the extended winter as a whole or only focusing on December, January and February. Yet recent studies have found intra-seasonal differences in the boreal stratospheric dynamics. In this study, the intra-seasonal variability of anomalous wave activity preceding polar vortex extremes in the Northern Hemisphere is examined using ERA-Interim reanalysis data. Weak (WPV) and strong (SPV) polar vortex events are grouped into early, mid- or late winter sub-periods depending on the onset date. Overall, the strongest (weakest) wave- activity anomalies preceding polar vortex extremes are found in mid- (early) winter. Most of WPV (SPV) events in early winter occur under the influence of east (west) phase of the Quasi-Biennial Oscillation 20 (QBO) and an enhancement (inhibition) of wavenumber-1 wave activity (WN1). Mid- and late winter WPV 21 events are preceded by a strong vortex and an enhancement of WN1 and WN2, but the spatial structure of the anomalous wave activity and the phase of the QBO are different. Prior to mid-winter WPVs the enhancement of WN2 is related to the predominance of La Niña and linked to blockings over Siberia. Mid-winter SPV events show a negative phase of the Pacific-North America pattern that inhibits WN1 injected into the stratosphere. This study suggests that dynamical features preceding extreme polar vortex events in mid-winter should not be generalized to other winter sub-periods.This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (grant number CGL2012- 34997). BA is supported by the Natural Environment Research Council (grant number NE/M006123/1). MA acknowledges funding from the NASA ACMAP program

Plant traits of grass and legume species for flood resilience and N 2 O mitigation

peer-reviewed1. Flooding threatens the functioning of managed grasslands by decreasing primary productivity and increasing nitrogen losses, notably as the potent greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N2O). Sowing species with traits that promote flood resilience and mitigate flood-induced N2O emissions within these grasslands could safeguard their productivity while mitigating nitrogen losses. 2. We tested how plant traits and resource acquisition strategies could predict flood resilience and N2O emissions of 12 common grassland species (eight grasses and four legumes) grown in field soil in monocultures in a 14-week greenhouse experiment. 3. We found that grasses were more resistant to flooding while legumes recovered better. Resource-conservative grass species had higher resistance while resource-acquisitive grasses species recovered better. Resilient grass and legume species lowered cumulative N2O emissions. Grasses with lower inherent leaf and root δ13C (and legumes with lower root δ13C) lowered cumulative N2O emissions during and after the flood. 4. Our results highlight the differing responses of grasses with contrasting resource acquisition strategies, and of legumes to flooding. Combining grasses and legumes based on their traits and resource acquisition strategies could increase the flood resilience of managed grasslands, and their capability to mitigate flood-induced N2O emissions

Maternal and Newborn Health in Karnataka State, India: The Community Level Interventions for Pre-Eclampsia (CLIP) Trial's Baseline Study Results.

Existing vital health statistics registries in India have been unable to provide reliable estimates of maternal and newborn mortality and morbidity, and region-specific health estimates are essential to the planning and monitoring of health interventions. This study was designed to assess baseline rates as the precursor to a community-based cluster randomized control trial (cRCT)-Community Level Interventions for Pre-eclampsia (CLIP) Trial (NCT01911494; CTRI/2014/01/004352). The objective was to describe baseline demographics and health outcomes prior to initiation of the CLIP trial and to improve knowledge of population-level health, in particular of maternal and neonatal outcomes related to hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, in northern districts the state of Karnataka, India. The prospective population-based survey was conducted in eight clusters in Belgaum and Bagalkot districts in Karnataka State from 2013-2014. Data collection was undertaken by adapting the Maternal and Newborn Health registry platform, developed by the Global Network for Women's and Child Health Studies. Descriptive statistics were completed using SAS and R. During the period of 2013-2014, prospective data was collected on 5,469 pregnant women with an average age of 23.2 (+/-3.3) years. Delivery outcomes were collected from 5,448 completed pregnancies. A majority of the women reported institutional deliveries (96.0%), largely attended by skilled birth attendants. The maternal mortality ratio of 103 (per 100,000 livebirths) was observed during this study, neonatal mortality ratio was 25 per 1,000 livebirths, and perinatal mortality ratio was 50 per 1,000 livebirths. Despite a high number of institutional deliveries, rates of stillbirth were 2.86%. Early enrollment and close follow-up and monitoring procedures established by the Maternal and Newborn Health registry allowed for negligible lost to follow-up. This population-level study provides regional rates of maternal and newborn health in Belgaum and Bagalkot in Karnataka over 2013-14. The mortality ratios and morbidity information can be used in planning interventions and monitoring indicators of effectiveness to inform policy and practice. Comprehensive regional epidemiologic data, such as that provided here, is essential to gauge improvements and challenges in maternal health, as well as track disparities found in rural areas

Increased placental expression of cannabinoid receptor 1 in preeclampsia

BackgroundThe endocannabinoid system plays a key role in female reproduction, including implantation, decidualization and placentation. In the present study, we aimed to analyze cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1), CB2 and fatty acid amid hydrolase (FAAH) expressions and localization in normal and preeclamptic placenta, in order to determine whether placental endocannabinoid expression pattern differs between normal pregnancy and preeclampsia.MethodsEighteen preeclamptic patients and 18 normotensive, healthy pregnant women with uncomplicated pregnancies were involved in our case inverted question markcontrol study. We determined CB1, CB2 and FAAH expressions by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry in placental samples collected directly after Cesarean section.ResultsCB1 expression semi-quantified by Western blotting was significantly higher in preeclamptic placenta, and these findings were confirmed by immunohistochemistry. CB1 immunoreactivity was markedly stronger in syncytiotrophoblasts, the mesenchymal core, decidua, villous capillary endothelial and smooth muscle cells, as well as in the amnion in preeclamptic samples compared to normal pregnancies. However, we did not find significant differences between preeclamptic and normal placenta in terms of CB2 and FAAH expressions and immunoreactivity.ConclusionsWe observed markedly higher expression of CB1 protein in preeclamptic placental tissue. Increased CB1 expression might cause abnormal decidualization and impair trophoblast invasion, thus being involved in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. Nevertheless, we did not find significant differences between preeclamptic and normal placental tissue regarding CB2 and FAAH expressions. While the detailed pathogenesis of preeclampsia is still unclear, the endocannabinoid system could play a role in the development of the disease

Strategies for GHG mitigation in Mediterranean cropping systems. A review

In this review we aimed to synthetize and analyze the most promising GHGs mitigation strategies for Mediterranean cropping systems. A description of most relevant measures, based on the best crop choice and management by farmers (i.e., agronomical practices), was firstly carried out. Many of these measures can be also efficient in other climatic regions, but here we provide particular results and discussion of their efficiencies for Mediterranean cropping systems. An integrated assessment of management practices on mitigating each component of the global warming potential (N2O and CH4 emissions and C sequestration) of production systems considering potential side-effects of their implementation allowed us to propose the best strategies to abate GHG emissions, while sustaining crop yields and mitigating other sources of environmental pollution (e.g. nitrate leaching and ammonia volatilization)

Quantifying stratospheric biases and identifying their potential sources in subseasonal forecast systems

The stratosphere can be a source of predictability for surface weather on timescales of several weeks to months. However, the potential predictive skill gained from stratospheric variability can be limited by biases in the representation of stratospheric processes and the coupling of the stratosphere with surface climate in forecast systems. This study provides a first systematic identification of model biases in the stratosphere across a wide range of subseasonal forecast systems. It is found that many of the forecast systems considered exhibit warm global-mean temperature biases from the lower to middle stratosphere, too strong/cold wintertime polar vortices, and too cold extratropical upper-troposphere/lowerstratosphere regions. Furthermore, tropical stratospheric anomalies associated with the Quasi-Biennial Oscillation tend to decay toward each system¿s climatology with lead time. In the Northern Hemisphere (NH), most systems do not capture the seasonal cycle of extreme-vortex-event probabilities, with an underestimation of sudden stratospheric warming events and an overestimation of strong vortex events in January. In the Southern Hemisphere (SH), springtime interannual variability in the polar vortex is generally underestimated, but the timing of the final breakdown of the polar vortex often happens too early in many of the prediction systems. These stratospheric biases tend to be considerably worse in systems with lower model lid heights. In both hemispheres, most systems with low-top atmospheric models also consistently underestimate the upward wave driving that affects the strength of the stratospheric polar vortex. We expect that the biases identified here will help guide model development for subseasonal-to-seasonal forecast systems and further our understanding of the role of the stratosphere in predictive skill in the troposphere.This work uses S2S Project data. S2S is a joint initiative of the World Weather Research Programme (WWRP) and the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP). This work was initiated by the Stratospheric Network for the Assessment of Predictability (SNAP), a joint activity of SPARC (WCRP) and the S2S Project (WWRP–WCRP). The work of Rachel W.-Y. Wu is funded through ETH grant ETH-05 19-1. Support from the Swiss National Science Foundation through projects PP00P2_170523 and PP00P2_198896 to Daniela I. V. Domeisen is gratefully acknowledged. Chaim I. Garfinkel and Chen Schwartz are supported by the ISF–NSFC joint research program (grant no. 3259/19). The work of Marisol Osman was supported by UBACyT20020170100428BA and PICT-2018-03046 projects. The work of Alvaro de la Cámara is funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation through project PID2019-109107GB-I00. Blanca Ayarzagüena and Natalia Calvo acknowledge the support of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation through the JeDiS (RTI2018-096402-B-I00) project. Froila M. Palmeiro and Javier García-Serrano have been partially supported by the Spanish ATLANTE project (PID2019-110234RB-C21) and Ramón y Cajal program (RYC-2016-21181), respectively. Neil P. Hindley and Corwin J. Wright are supported by UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), grant number NE/S00985X/1. Corwin J. Wright is also supported by a Royal Society University Research Fellowship UF160545. Seok-Woo Son and Hera Kim are supported by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (2017R1E1A1A01074889). This material is based upon work supported by the US Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Biological and Environmental Research (BER), Regional and Global Model Analysis (RGMA) component of the Earth and Environmental System Modeling program under award no. DE-SC0022070 and National Science Foundation (NSF) IA 1947282. This work was also supported by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), which is a major facility sponsored by the NSF under cooperative agreement no. 1852977. Pu Lin is supported by award NA18OAR4320123 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Department of Commerce. Zachary D. Lawrence was partially supported under NOAA award NA20NWS4680051; Zachary D. Lawrence and Judith Perlwitz also acknowledge support from US federally appropriated funds