Assessment of the Capability of Hog Raisers’ Cooperatives as Conduits of Agricultural Loans in Laguna, Philippines

In view of the importance of credit to agriculture and rural development, it is the objective of this paper to provide an assessment of the capability of hog raisers’ cooperatives as conduits of agricultural loans in Laguna. To attain this objective, the analytical methods namely, (1) Standard Performance Rating Approach, and (2) Pearson and Spearman correlation were employed. The primary data was generated from nine hog raisers’ cooperatives from Laguna. Data from secondary sources was also obtained to further assess the capability of the subject cooperatives from the Cooperative Development Authority Regional Office and hog raisers’ cooperatives. The results of the analyses showed that one out nine cooperatives had a rating of Very Satisfactory, while three and four of them had attained Satisfactory and Fair performance rating, respectively. Only one cooperative had an adjectival rating of Needs Improvement. It is established that the capability of the cooperative as conduit of credit is dependent on its member-borrowers. The result of the correlation analysis revealed that the cooperative’s financial capability indicators namely, assets, profitability, operational strength, solvency, and net institutional capital were correlated with the capability of its member-borrowers to make timely payments. Only net institutional capital had negative association with the member-borrowers’ capability in making timely payments. Thus, the cooperatives are still viable conduits of credit as long as the capability of the member-borrowers is enhanced. This, in effect, led to higher profitability and financial sustainability among hog raisers’ cooperative in Laguna. With this, the study recommended that government should devise and implement a sound credit and technical assistance program that will benefit the hog raisers’ cooperatives. If possible, they should provide training and assistance to enhance cooperatives’ loan absorptive capacity as conduit of credit

Short-term heart rate variability in resting conditions: methodological considerations

Low values on heart rate variability (HRV) derived parameters at resting have been used to predict cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and mortality. In this regard, short-term HRV recordings (usually from 5 to 15 minutes) are increasing their popularity because data acquisition can be performed under more controlled conditions than long-term recordings (e.g., 24 hours). However, different methodological aspects before, during, and after the HRV assessment could affect the quantification and the clinical interpretations of the HRV-derived parameters, as well as hamper comparisons across different studies. In the present study, we summarize these methodological aspects that should be considered in both the research and the clinical settings. These are: (1) the validity and reproducibility of the device used to assess the HRV; (2) the influence of the software used to perform the artefact correction; (3) previous conditions before the testing day; (4) establishing the proper conditions during the HRV assessment (e.g., controlled respiratory frequency); (5) after assessing the HRV, considering the “best” data selection and statistical analysis approach; and (6) the role of the heart rate on the associations between the different CVD risk factors outcomes (e.g., cardiorespiratory fitness) and the HRV-derived parameters

PLANEACIÓN DIDÁCTICA GENERAL DE LA ASIGNATURA: ECONOMÍA

GUÍA DIDÁCTICA / PLANEACIÓN DIDÁCTICA (NMS

E-Learning Games Enjoyment to Pupils’ Learning Behaviors in Mathematics Classroom

One of the hardest courses for students to grasp is mathematics, yet it’s a crucial ability to have. In order to figure out why students behave in a certain way when studying mathematics, researchers must look for the factors that influence their behaviors. This study helped by presenting the Grade 6 students’ learning behaviors in mathematics and their enjoyment of e-learning games. With thirty (30) grade six students as respondents to the adapted-modified survey questionnaire, the study’s objectives for the academic year 2021–2022 were successfully met through the descriptive-correlational research design and purposive sampling technique. The findings demonstrate a positive significant relationship between interest, confidence, motivation, and usefulness that is consistent with students’ learning behavior in mathematics and the enjoyment of e-learning games in terms of concentration, goal clarity, feedback, challenge, autonomy, immersion, social interaction, and knowledge improvement. Findings showed that e-learning games were helpful at increasing students’ interest in the subject. This means that using e-learning games as a good teaching tool can help to enhance and enhance students’ learning behavior. Taking into account the limitations on a specific subject, the study suggests further scrutiny on the enjoyment of e-Learning games as applied in other disciplines

Laboratory diagnosis and susceptibility profile of Helicobacter pylori infection in the Philippines

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori diagnosis and susceptibility profile directs the applicability of recommended treatment regimens in our setting. To our knowledge, there is no published data on the culture and local susceptibility pattern of Helicobacter pylori in the Philippines. METHODS: 52 dyspeptic adult patients undergoing endoscopy from the Outpatient Gastroenterology clinic of the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital underwent multiple gastric biopsy and specimens were submitted for gram stain, culture, antimicrobial sensitivity testing, rapid urease test and histology. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was done by Epsilometer testing (Etest) method against metronidazole, clarithromycin, amoxicillin, and tetracycline. RESULTS: Sixty percent (60%) of the study population was positive for H. pylori infection (mean age of 44 years ± 13), 70% were males. H. pylori culture showed a sensitivity of 45% (95% CI [29.5–62.1]), specificity of 98% (95%CI [81.5–100%]), positive likelihood ratio of 19.93 (95% CI [1.254–317.04]) and a negative likelihood ratio of 0.56 (95% CI [0.406–0.772]). All H. pylori strains isolated were sensitive to metronidazole, clarithromycin, amoxicillin and tetracycline. CONCLUSION: Knowledge of the antibiotic susceptibility patterns in our setting allows us to be more cautious in the choice of first-line agents. Information on antibiotic susceptibility profile plays an important role in empiric antibiotic treatment and management of refractive cases

Non-equilibrium relaxation and interface energy of the Ising model

{}From the non-equilibrium critical relaxation study of the two-dimensional Ising model, the dynamical critical exponent $z$ is estimated to be $2.165 \pm 0.010$ for this model. The relaxation in the ordered phase of this model is consistent with $\exp (-\sqrt{t/\tau })$ behavior. The interface energy of the three-dimensional Ising model is studied and the critical exponent of the correlation length $\nu$ and the critical amplitude of the surface tension $\sigma_0$ are estimated to be $0.6250\pm 0.025$ and $1.42\pm 0.04$, respectively. A dynamic Monte Carlo renormalization group method is applied to the equilibrium properties of the three-dimensional Ising model successfully.Comment: 32pages( 15 figures are not included. Their Postscript file is available. Request the author directly. ), LaTe

New Dynamic Monte Carlo Renormalization Group Method

The dynamical critical exponent of the two-dimensional spin-flip Ising model is evaluated by a Monte Carlo renormalization group method involving a transformation in time. The results agree very well with a finite-size scaling analysis performed on the same data. The value of $z = 2.13 \pm 0.01$ is obtained, which is consistent with most recent estimates

Drosophila Neurotrophins Reveal a Common Mechanism for Nervous System Formation

Neurotrophic interactions occur in Drosophila, but to date, no neurotrophic factor had been found. Neurotrophins are the main vertebrate secreted signalling molecules that link nervous system structure and function: they regulate neuronal survival, targeting, synaptic plasticity, memory and cognition. We have identified a neurotrophic factor in flies, Drosophila Neurotrophin (DNT1), structurally related to all known neurotrophins and highly conserved in insects.By investigating with genetics the consequences of removing DNT1 or adding it in excess, we show that DNT1 maintains neuronal survival, as more neurons die in DNT1 mutants and expression of DNT1 rescues naturally occurring cell death, and it enables targeting by motor neurons. We show that Spa¨ tzle and a further fly neurotrophin superfamily member, DNT2, also have neurotrophic functions in flies. Our findings imply that most likely a neurotrophin was present in the common ancestor of all bilateral organisms, giving rise to invertebrate and vertebrate neurotrophins through gene or whole-genome duplications. This work provides a missing link between aspects of neuronal function in flies and vertebrates, and it opens the opportunity to use Drosophila to investigate further aspects of neurotrophin function and to model related diseases