Sources Of Efficiency And Productivity Growth In The Philippine State Universities And Colleges: A Non-Parametric Approach

This paper evaluates the efficiency and productivity growth of State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) in the Philippines.  The SUCs performance is determined on the changes in total factor productivity (TFP), technological, and technical efficiency.  We use two Data envelopment analysis (DEA) models for the first time in estimating the relative performance of SUCs. Firstly, the output-orientated DEA-Malmquist index is calculated from panel data of 59 SUCS over the period 1999-2003 or a total of 295 observations, and secondly, the DEA multi-stage model (input reduction) is estimated. The two DEA models are calculated using three educational outputs and three inputs. Using Malmquist Index model, findings reveal that 49 SUCs or 83 percent are efficient.  The technological index shows that six (6) SUCs or 10.16 percent only shows a technological progress.  In terms of total factor productivity, SUCs obtained an index score of 1.002, which implies a productivity growth.  This means that 27 SUCs or 45.76 percent shows a remarkable productivity growth. The main source of productivity growth is due to technical efficiency than innovation. In general, SUCs shows a 5.2 percent technological regression over the study period. Lack of innovation in the Philippine higher institutions has a policy implication: the Philippine government should exert more efforts to provide modern teaching and learning facilities in every state school to improve its deteriorating technological performance. Furthermore, using multi-stage method, technical efficiency has an average of 95.4 percent (Constant-returns-to scale DEA) compared with 96.6 percent (Variable-returns-to scale DEA). Finally, the scale efficiency has a 98.7 percent rating. This implies that, in general, SUCs obtained a below frontier efficiency score. The new findings in this paper may give impetus to Commission on Higher Education, lawmakers or legislators, and the university administrators to adopt measures that would be beneficial to the improvement of State Universities and Colleges in terms of inefficiency and unproductive growth

Core self-evaluations, job satisfaction, transformational and servant leadership model in the Roman Catholic education system / Ginavee F. Dapula and Mary Caroline N. Castano

Core self-evaluations, effective leadership styles and employee job satisfaction are essential factors for organizational success. This paper aims to determine the relationship of the leader’s core self-evaluations, transformational leadership and servant leadership styles to their follower’s job satisfaction in selected Parochial Schools in Manila, Philippines under the Roman Catholic Education System. The respondents were selected according to certain criteria. Descriptive correlational design was used. In total, 308 individuals from the teaching and non-teaching personnel participated. The data were collected using survey questionnaires. Data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Research findings revealed that a positive relationship exists between leader’s core self-evaluations and transformational leadership; core self-evaluations to servant leadership; transformational leadership to job satisfaction; and servant leadership to job satisfaction. These relationships are statistically significant. The relationship of the leader’s core self-evaluations to the follower’s job satisfaction indicated a direct effect but were statistically non-significant on the basis of its p-value. The major contribution of the current study is to extend the limited literature regarding the antecedents of the four (4) selected variables. The researcher recommends to the school leaders to create a motivating environment through a more transformational and servant leadership behavior that will enhance their follower’s work satisfaction

Magnetization reversal and exchange bias effects in hard/soft ferromagnetic bilayers with orthogonal anisotropies

The magnetization reversal processes are discussed for exchange-coupled ferromagnetic hard/soft bilayers made from Co[subscript 0.66]Cr[subscript 0.22]Pt[subscript 0.12] (10 and 20 nm)/Ni (from 0 to 40 nm) films with out-of-plane and in-plane magnetic easy axes respectively, based on room temperature hysteresis loops and first-order reversal curve analysis. On increasing the Ni layer thicknesses, the easy axis of the bilayer reorients from out-of-plane to in-plane. An exchange bias effect, consisting of a shift of the in-plane minor hysteresis loops along the field axis, was observed at room temperature after in-plane saturation. This effect was associated with specific ferromagnetic domain configurations experimentally determined by polarized neutron reflectivity. On the other hand, perpendicular exchange bias effect was revealed from the out-of-plane hysteresis loops and it was attributed to residual domains in the magnetically hard layer.National Science Foundation (U.S.)MIT-Spain/La Cambra de Barcelona Seed Fun

Long term expression of bicistronic vector driven by the FGF-1 IRES in mouse muscle

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Electrotransfer of plasmid DNA into skeletal muscle is a promising strategy for the delivery of therapeutic molecules targeting various muscular diseases, cancer and lower-limb ischemia. Internal Ribosome Entry Sites (IRESs) allow co-expression of proteins of interest from a single transcriptional unit. IRESs are RNA elements that have been found in viral RNAs as well as a variety of cellular mRNAs with long 5' untranslated regions. While the encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) IRES is often used in expression vectors, we have shown that the FGF-1 IRES is equally active to drive short term transgene expression in mouse muscle. To compare the ability of the FGF-1 IRES to drive long term expression against the EMCV and FGF-2 IRESs, we performed analyses of expression kinetics using bicistronic vectors that express the bioluminescent <it>renilla </it>and firefly luciferase reporter genes. Long term expression of bicistronic vectors was also compared to that of monocistronic vectors. Bioluminescence was quantified <it>ex vivo </it>using a luminometer and <it>in vivo </it>using a CCD camera that monitors luminescence within live animals.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Our data demonstrate that the efficiency of the FGF-1 IRES is comparable to that of the EMCV IRES for long term expression of bicistronic transgenes in mouse muscle, whereas the FGF-2 IRES has a very poor activity. Interestingly, we show that despite the global decrease of vector expression over time, the ratio of firefly to <it>renilla </it>luciferase remains stable with bicistronic vectors containing the FGF-1 or FGF-2 IRES and is slightly affected with the EMCV IRES, whereas it is clearly unstable for mixed monocistronic vectors. In addition, long term expression more drastically decreases with monocistronic vectors, and is different for single or mixed vector injection.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These data validate the use of bicistronic vectors rather than mixed monocistronic vectors for long term expression, and support the use of the FGF-1 IRES. The use of a cellular IRES over one of viral origin is of particular interest in the goal of eliminating viral sequences from transgenic vectors. In addition, the FGF-1 IRES, compared to the EMCV IRES, has a more stable activity, is shorter in length and more flexible in terms of downstream cloning of second cistrons. Finally, the FGF-1 IRES is very attractive to develop multicistronic expression cassettes for gene transfer in mouse muscle.</p

SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility and COVID-19 disease severity are associated with genetic variants affecting gene expression in a variety of tissues

Variability in SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility and COVID-19 disease severity between individuals is partly due to genetic factors. Here, we identify 4 genomic loci with suggestive associations for SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility and 19 for COVID-19 disease severity. Four of these 23 loci likely have an ethnicity-specific component. Genome-wide association study (GWAS) signals in 11 loci colocalize with expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) associated with the expression of 20 genes in 62 tissues/cell types (range: 1:43 tissues/gene), including lung, brain, heart, muscle, and skin as well as the digestive system and immune system. We perform genetic fine mapping to compute 99% credible SNP sets, which identify 10 GWAS loci that have eight or fewer SNPs in the credible set, including three loci with one single likely causal SNP. Our study suggests that the diverse symptoms and disease severity of COVID-19 observed between individuals is associated with variants across the genome, affecting gene expression levels in a wide variety of tissue types

New genetic loci link adipose and insulin biology to body fat distribution.

Body fat distribution is a heritable trait and a well-established predictor of adverse metabolic outcomes, independent of overall adiposity. To increase our understanding of the genetic basis of body fat distribution and its molecular links to cardiometabolic traits, here we conduct genome-wide association meta-analyses of traits related to waist and hip circumferences in up to 224,459 individuals. We identify 49 loci (33 new) associated with waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for body mass index (BMI), and an additional 19 loci newly associated with related waist and hip circumference measures (P < 5 × 10(-8)). In total, 20 of the 49 waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for BMI loci show significant sexual dimorphism, 19 of which display a stronger effect in women. The identified loci were enriched for genes expressed in adipose tissue and for putative regulatory elements in adipocytes. Pathway analyses implicated adipogenesis, angiogenesis, transcriptional regulation and insulin resistance as processes affecting fat distribution, providing insight into potential pathophysiological mechanisms

Variation in general supportive and preventive intensive care management of traumatic brain injury: a survey in 66 neurotrauma centers participating in the Collaborative European NeuroTrauma Effectiveness Research in Traumatic Brain Injury (CENTER-TBI) study

Abstract Background General supportive and preventive measures in the intensive care management of traumatic brain injury (TBI) aim to prevent or limit secondary brain injury and optimize recovery. The aim of this survey was to assess and quantify variation in perceptions on intensive care unit (ICU) management of patients with TBI in European neurotrauma centers. Methods We performed a survey as part of the Collaborative European NeuroTrauma Effectiveness Research in Traumatic Brain Injury (CENTER-TBI) study. We analyzed 23 questions focused on: 1) circulatory and respiratory management; 2) fever control; 3) use of corticosteroids; 4) nutrition and glucose management; and 5) seizure prophylaxis and treatment. Results The survey was completed predominantly by intensivists (n = 33, 50%) and neurosurgeons (n = 23, 35%) from 66 centers (97% response rate). The most common cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) target was > 60 mmHg (n = 39, 60%) and/or an individualized target (n = 25, 38%). To support CPP, crystalloid fluid loading (n = 60, 91%) was generally preferred over albumin (n = 15, 23%), and vasopressors (n = 63, 96%) over inotropes (n = 29, 44%). The most commonly reported target of partial pressure of carbon dioxide in arterial blood (PaCO2) was 36–40 mmHg (4.8–5.3 kPa) in case of controlled intracranial pressure (ICP) < 20 mmHg (n = 45, 69%) and PaCO2 target of 30–35 mmHg (4–4.7 kPa) in case of raised ICP (n = 40, 62%). Almost all respondents indicated to generally treat fever (n = 65, 98%) with paracetamol (n = 61, 92%) and/or external cooling (n = 49, 74%). Conventional glucose management (n = 43, 66%) was preferred over tight glycemic control (n = 18, 28%). More than half of the respondents indicated to aim for full caloric replacement within 7 days (n = 43, 66%) using enteral nutrition (n = 60, 92%). Indications for and duration of seizure prophylaxis varied, and levetiracetam was mostly reported as the agent of choice for both seizure prophylaxis (n = 32, 49%) and treatment (n = 40, 61%). Conclusions Practice preferences vary substantially regarding general supportive and preventive measures in TBI patients at ICUs of European neurotrauma centers. These results provide an opportunity for future comparative effectiveness research, since a more evidence-based uniformity in good practices in general ICU management could have a major impact on TBI outcome

CORE SELF-EVALUATIONS, JOB SATISFACTION, TRANSFORMATIONAL AND SERVANT LEADERSHIP MODEL IN THE ROMAN CATHOLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM

Core self-evaluations, effective leadership styles and employee job satisfaction are essential factors for organizational success. This paper aims to determine the relationship of the leader’s core self-evaluations, transformational leadership and servant leadership styles to their follower’s job satisfaction in selected Parochial Schools in Manila, Philippines under the Roman Catholic Education System. The respondents were selected according to certain criteria. Descriptive correlational design was used. In total, 308 individuals from the teaching and non-teaching personnel participated. The data were collected using survey questionnaires. Data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Research findings revealed that a positive relationship exists between leader’s core self-evaluations and transformational leadership; core self-evaluations to servant leadership; transformational leadership to job satisfaction; and servant leadership to job satisfaction. These relationships are statistically significant. The relationship of the leader’s core self-evaluations to the follower’s job satisfaction indicated a direct effect but were statistically non-significant on the basis of its p-value. The major contribution of the current study is to extend the limited literature regarding the antecedents of the four (4) selected variables. The researcher recommends to the school leaders to create a motivating environment through a more transformational and servant leadership behavior that will enhance their follower’s work satisfaction