An assessment of education and the worst forms of child labour: How do education policies and programmes work (or not work) for children?

The report is divided into several parts. Part I outlines the research objectives, design and methodology of the study. Part II describes the structure, policies and programmes of the Philippine educational system. Part III describes the socio-demographic and economic characteristics of working children/child labourers. Part IV describes the school policies and practices that undermine and/or support the schooling of working children/child labourers while Part V links the macro education policies and micro education practices, highlighting the barriers to implementation of education policies

Presentación histopatológica atípica en médula ósea de mieloma múltiple

Objetive: To describe the atypical histopathologic presentation in bone marrow of multiple myeloma. Case Report: We present the case of a 75-year-old male who manifested low back pain of variable intensity associated with decreased urinary flow, for which he went to the emergency room. On physical examination, vital functions were within normal parameters with generalized decrease in adipose tissue and earthy pallor, the rest of the examination being non-contributory. Bone marrow studies showed 13% of plasma cells with tetranucleated neoplastic cells with 1 and 2 nucleoli, basophilic cytoplasm with presence of vacuoles, which was corroborated in flow cytometry with pathological phenotype in relation to plasma cell neoplasia. The patient receives a therapeutic regimen with cyclophosphamide, dexamethasone and thalidomide. Conclusion: Tetranucleated presentation is a rare histopathologic variant of multiple myeloma, so this peculiar finding should be appreciated in the microscopic diagnosis of this clinical entity.Objetivo: Describir la presentación histopatológica atípica en médula ósea de mieloma múltiple. Reporte de Caso: Presentamos el caso de un varón de 75 años, quien manifiesta lumbalgia de intensidad variable asociada a disminución del flujo urinario, por lo que acude a emergencia. Al examen físico se encuentran funciones vitales dentro de parámetros normales, disminución generalizada del tejido adiposo y palidez terrosa, el resto del examen no contributorio. En estudios de médula ósea se reporta 13% de células plasmáticas, observándose células neoplásicas tetranucleadas con 1 y 2 nucleolos, citoplasma basófilo con presencia de vacuolas; es corroborado en citometría de flujo con fenotipo patológico en relación a neoplasia de células plasmáticas. Paciente recibe esquema terapéutico con ciclofosfamida, dexametasona y talidomida. Conclusión: La presentación tetranucleada es una variante histopatológica del mieloma múltiple poco frecuente; por lo que este hallazgo peculiar, debe ser valorado en el diagnóstico microscópico de la entidad clínica

Hybrid rice and insect herbivores in Asia

Since the late 1970s, the area of agricultural land dedicated to hybrid rice has rapidly increased throughout Asia, particularly in China, India, and Vietnam. The pace of hybrid adoption, a generally low genetic diversity of hybrid varieties, and higher agrochemical inputs with hybrid rice compared to conventional varieties has significantly changed the rice landscape. Some authors have associated these changes with an increasing incidence of damage to rice by herbivorous insects. This review examines trends in hybrid adoption in Asia, the associated problems with insect herbivores, and possible solutions to these problems. A series of hypotheses are presented to explain the increased incidence of damage as related to issues of crop susceptibility (hybrid physiology and genetics) and crop vulnerability (management-related issues). Evidence suggests that hybrid rice has been highly vulnerable to damage from a range of insects. Inadequate attention to issues of planthopper resistance, linked with high agrochemical inputs and a new, vigorous rice type, likely contributed to high levels of planthopper damage in some hybrid rice varieties. Furthermore, hybrid susceptibility to the whitebacked planthopper, Sogatella furcifera (Horváth) (Hemiptera: Delphacidae), has been linked to the female (wild abortive-cytoplasmic male sterile) parent of some hybrid lines. Meanwhile, a high incidence of stem borer damage to hybrids has likely resulted from the interaction of several plant traits with normal hybrid management, and particularly with the higher fertilizer applications associated with hybrid rice. Despite apparently low levels of resistance, hybrid varieties have high tolerance to herbivore damage; however, aspects of hybrid tolerance have been largely neglected in the literature, in breeding programs, and during development of pest management actions. This review suggests that research into the entomology of hybrid rice needs updating as hybrid varieties and management options continue to change over time. Pest management areas that require further research (including strategies for deployment of resistant varieties) are highlighted and a call is made for increased attention to issues of hybrid tolerance for sustainable herbivore management. © 2013 The Netherlands Entomological Society

Property rights, security of tenure and the urban poor in Metro Manila

A restrictive formal property rights and tenure system leaves many urban poor households in Metro Manila without security of tenure. The meaning and consequences of tenure vary by tenure status and contextual characteristics of the urban poor settlements. Although security of tenure is equated with ownership and formal titles of house plots, those without tenure perceived law and order, basic services and job opportunities in the settlement to be more important elements of security. Different sub-groups of the urban poor also perceive and respond differently to tenure security issues. Innovative housing programmes had a limited impact in providing security of tenure because of their orientation towards ownership and mortgage recovery. To improve security of tenure, the study recommends utilising intermediate instruments of tenure such as land proclamations and occupancy leases. Tenure assistance programmes should also be oriented towards poverty reduction rather than simply housing or plot ownership

Children Involved in Drugs: Excerpts from Qualitative Research in the Early 2000s

The drug problem in the Philippines assumed a transnational character in the 1990s with the introduction of shabu. In the early 1990s; shabu was a drug mainly used by the upper and middle classes. By mid-1990s; the proliferation of cheaply processed shabu made it the poor man’s cocaine. Drug users are estimated to be in the nine million; 94 percent of which are addicted to shabu. Since its introduction; majority of Filipino drug users shifted from poly- to mono-users (i.e.; shabu only); but users are slowly shifting back to poly-use because the aggressive antidrug campaign of the government has driven shabu prices up and made it less accessible. Statistics by the Philippine National Police show that 65–75 percent of heinous crimes are drug-related. In terms of illegal drugs seized; the Philippines ranks sixth among Asian nations

Birds and bats as biological control agents in macadamia: How distant we are? Implications of the shift in arthropod communities across a spatial gradient

Agriculture affects and depends on all other life support systems. It is becoming essential to achieve the global food demand without compromising ecological integrity. However, little is known about important ecological interactions in agroecosystems. Such systems represent particular reserves for biodiversity with associated ecosystem services. One of the key ecosystem services in agriculture is the top-down control of crop pests exerted by predators. A large number of insectivorous bird and bat species have been found to efficiently decrease pest pressure in several crops worldwide. Scarce information is found on how the distance from forested areas impacts such ecosystem services. To our knowledge, no information is available for macadamia crops. Our study is the first of a series that attempt to explore the potential of regional bird and bat species as biological control agents in macadamia. The results describe the arthropod communities in these systems across a spatial gradient between the forest and the orchard. The study was conducted in 31 sites around Bundaberg (Australia). Arthropods were collected in macadamia orchards using sweep-net and light-traps at fixed distances from forest patches at each site. Results showed that the abundance and richness of arthropods decreased in points further away from forests. Points closer to forested areas had more balanced communities with higher percentages of predators and parasitoids and lower percentages of herbivores than points further away. Further research is being conducted to understand whether differences in spatial composition of arthropod communities are associated with the foraging activity of birds and microbats. An opportunity exists to integrate wildlife in macadamia production, and to benefit both the farmers and the environment

Birds and bats as biological control agents in macadamia: How distant we are? Implications of the shift in arthropod communities across a spatial gradient

Agriculture affects and depends on all other life support systems. It is becoming essential to achieve the global food demand without compromising ecological integrity. However, little is known about important ecological interactions in agroecosystems. Such systems represent particular reserves for biodiversity with associated ecosystem services. One of the key ecosystem services in agriculture is the top-down control of crop pests exerted by predators. A large number of insectivorous bird and bat species have been found to efficiently decrease pest pressure in several crops worldwide. Scarce information is found on how the distance from forested areas impacts such ecosystem services. To our knowledge, no information is available for macadamia crops. Our study is the first of a series that attempt to explore the potential of regional bird and bat species as biological control agents in macadamia. The results describe the arthropod communities in these systems across a spatial gradient between the forest and the orchard. The study was conducted in 31 sites around Bundaberg (Australia). Arthropods were collected in macadamia orchards using sweep-net and light-traps at fixed distances from forest patches at each site. Results showed that the abundance and richness of arthropods decreased in points further away from forests. Points closer to forested areas had more balanced communities with higher percentages of predators and parasitoids and lower percentages of herbivores than points further away. Further research is being conducted to understand whether differences in spatial composition of arthropod communities are associated with the foraging activity of birds and microbats. An opportunity exists to integrate wildlife in macadamia production, and to benefit both the farmers and the environment

Understanding the mechanisms of zinc bacitracin and avilamycin on animal production: linking gut microbiota and growth performance in chickens

Unravelling the mechanisms of how antibiotics influence growth performance through changes in gut microbiota can lead to the identification of highly productive microbiota in animal production. Here we investigated the effect of zinc bacitracin and avilamycin on growth performance and caecal microbiota in chickens and analysed associations between individual bacteria and growth performance. Two trials were undertaken; each used 96 individually caged 15-day-old Cobb broilers. Trial 1 had a control group (n = 48) and a zinc bacitracin (50 ppm) treatment group (n = 48). Trial 2 had a control group (n = 48) and an avilamycin (15 ppm) treatment group (n = 48). Chicken growth performance was evaluated over a 10-day period, and caecal microbiota was characterised by sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA gene amplicons. Avilamycin produced no effect on growth performance and exhibited little significant disturbance of the microbiota structure. However, zinc bacitracin reduced the feed conversion ratio (FCR) in treated birds, changed the composition and increased the diversity of their caecal microbiota by reducing dominant species. Avilamycin only produced minor reductions in the abundance of two microbial taxa, whereas zinc bacitracin produced relatively large shifts in a number of taxa, primarily Lactobacillus species. Also, a number of phylotypes closely related to lactobacilli species were positively or negatively correlated with FCR values, suggesting contrasting effects of Lactobacillus spp. on chicken growth performance. By harnessing such bacteria, it may be possible to develop high-productivity strategies in poultry that rely on the use of probiotics and less on in-feed antibiotics.Eduardo Crisol-Martínez, Dragana Stanley, Mark S. Geier, Robert J. Hughes, Robert J. Moor