Recent Developments in Employment Relations in the Philippines

We seek to describe recent developments in employment relations in the Philippines, placing these developments in the contexts of the distinctive elements of the Philippine social/political/industrial relations systems as well as the ongoing trade-based and functional integration of international markets and the recent regional economic crisis. We find that, while some firms are pursuing functional flexibility and more cooperative employment relations, the logic of competition has primarily induced firms to adopt practices that promote numerical flexibility such that a core-periphery workforce is created. We argue that the labor movement in the Philippines has been hampered in its efforts to effectively counter employer strategies by its low density, its fragmentation, and an unfavorable public policy environment; Philippine labor unions have, however, made some recent gains in organizing and inter-union coordination. We also argue that governments, both national and regional, have not done enough to counteract the negative effects of market integration on workers nor to evolve the Philippines into a higher value-added exporter

Hypertension in the Parsi community of Bombay: a study on prevalence, awareness and compliance to treatment

BACKGROUND: Uncontrolled hypertension (HT) is an established risk factor for the development of vascular diseases. Prevalence varies in different communities and no such study has been conducted in the Parsi community living in Bombay, India. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence, awareness, compliance to medication and control of HT in this community. METHOD: We used a 1 in 4 random selection of subjects who were ≥ 20 years of age. A questionnaire was administered and the blood pressure (BP) was measured by a doctor. HT was defined as diastolic blood pressure (DBP) ≥ 90 mm Hg ± systolic pressure (SBP) ≥ 140 mm Hg. Isolated systolic hypertension (ISH) was defined as SBP ≥ 160 mm Hg with DBP < 90 mm Hg. Subsequently, we reanalysed the data using current definition of ISH as SBP ≥ 140 mm Hg with DBP < 90 mm Hg. RESULTS: 2879 subjects ≥ 20 years of age were randomly selected of which 2415 (84%) participated in the study. The overall prevalence of HT in the community was 36.4%, of whom 48.5% were unaware of their hypertensive status. Of those aware of having HT, 36.4% were non-compliant with their anti-hypertensive drugs and only 13.6% had optimally controlled HT. Prevalence of ISH using the present criteria was 19.5% and 73% of hypertensives ≥ 60 years had ISH. CONCLUSION: This study shows that prevalence of HT in the Parsi community is high and nearly half are unaware of their hypertensive status. ISH is the dominant form of HT in the elderly. Compliance to treatment is poor and optimal BP control is achieved in only a small minority. The study highlights the need for regular screening coupled with educational programs to detect and optimally treat HT in the community

Nociceptive Polycationic Peptides Are Chemorepellents in \u3ci\u3eTetrahymena thermophila\u3c/i\u3e

Chemorepellents are compounds which cause a cell to move away from the source of the repellent, or down a concentration gradient of the compound. In ciliates such as Tetrahymena thermophila and Paramecium tetraurelia, this reorientation is accomplished by ciliary reversal, resulting in jerky or backward swimming which is known as an “avoidance reaction”. This reaction can easily be seen under a simple dissection microscope, allowing for easy characterization of ciliate behavior in different compounds. A number of compounds are known chemorepellents in Tetrahymena thermophila, including ATP and GTP which have a negative overall charge, and polycations such as lysozyme and pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) which have multiple positive charges. The physiological significance of these chemorepellents is uncertain. Nucleotide triphosphates, such as ATP and GTP, have been postulated to serve as a warning signal to other cells that cellular lysis has occurred, analogous to “blood in the water”. Polycations such as lysozyme are thought to be similar to naturally occurring secretions of the organisms’ predators, allowing some organisms to escape by sensing the polycation gradient. Since we have previously found that polycationic peptides such as lysozyme and PACAP are chemorepellents in Tetrahymena which appear to signal through a G-protein linked receptor, we decided to explore whether human nociceptive peptides would also cause Tetrahymena to exhibit avoidance through a similar mechanism. The peptides we tested: ACTH 1-24, PTH, substance P, and bradykinin all carry a net positive charge at a pH of 7.0 and are associated with G-protein linked receptors in humans. Our hypothesis was that the efficacy of the compound in terms of causing avoidance would be linked to its charge. In addition, we hypothesized that these compounds would all work through a single receptor, the previously characterized lysozyme/PACAP receptor (Mace et al., 2000; Hassenzahl et al., 2001)

Requiring Undergraduate Research for a BS Degree in Biology: Does It Do Any Good?

Cedarville University is a primarily undergraduate institution located in Southwest Ohio. Cedarville has always been committed to excellence in teaching, and our focus is on mentoring undergraduate students in order to ensure their future success. However, we realize that the research experience is a critical part of “learning science”. Several years ago, the biology faculty at Cedarville University decided to make a one-semester course in undergraduate research a mandatory component of the BS degree in biology. Research remains a popular elective choice for the BA degree in biology, as well as the biology education degree. Our aim in requiring research was twofold: 1. To help students learn the scientific method by putting it into practice while solving an original research problem. 2. To help students gain necessary marketable skills which would facilitate entry into either graduate/professional school or the industry position of their choice. Additional goals we had in mind included the following: • Inquiry-based learning • Learning new techniques • Learning the value of perseverance in research • Falsifying hypotheses • Working as a member of a tea

Knowledge of late-life depression : an empirical investigation of aged care staff

Objectives: This study examined knowledge of late-life depression among staff working in residential and community aged care settings, as well as their previous training in caring for older people with depression. Method: A sample of 320 aged care staff (mean age = 42 years) completed a survey questionnaire. Participants included direct care staff, registered nurses and Care Managers from nursing and residential homes and community aged care services. Results: Less than half of the participating aged care staff had received any training in depression, with particularly low rates in residential care. Although aware of the importance of engaging with depressed care recipients and demonstrating moderate knowledge of the symptoms of depression, a substantial proportion of staff members saw depression as a natural consequence of bereavement, aging or relocation to aged care. Conclusion: Experience in aged care appears to be insufficient for staff to develop high levels of knowledge of depression. Specific training in depression is recommended for staff working in aged care settings in order to improve the detection and management of late-life depression, particularly among direct carers, who demonstrated least knowledge of this common disorder. <br /

Changes in Home Versus Clinic Blood Pressure With Antihypertensive Treatments: A Meta-Analysis

Home blood pressure (HBP) monitoring is recommended for assessing the effects of antihypertensive treatment, but it is not clear how the treatment-induced changes in HBP compare with the changes in clinic blood pressure (CBP). We searched PubMed using the terms “home or self-measured blood pressure,” and selected articles in which the changes in CBP and HBP (using the upper arm oscillometric method) induced by antihypertensive drugs were presented. We performed a systematic review of 30 articles published before March 2008 that included a total of 6794 subjects. As there was significant heterogeneity in most of the outcomes, a random effects model was used for the meta-analyses. The mean changes (±SE) in CBP and HBP (systolic/diastolic) were −15.2±0.03/−10.3±0.03 mm Hg and −12.2±0.04/−8.0±0.04 mm Hg respectively, although there were wide varieties of differences in the reduction between HBP and CBP. The reductions in CBP were correlated with those of HBP (systolic BP; r=0.66, B=0.48, diastolic BP; r=0.71, B=0.52, P<0.001). In 7 studies that also included 24-hour BP monitoring, the reduction of HBP was greater than that of 24-hour BP in systolic (HBP; −12.6±0.06 mm Hg, 24-hour BP; −11.9±0.04 mm Hg, P<0.001). In 5 studies that included daytime and nighttime systolic BP separately, HBP decreased 15% more than daytime ambulatory BP and 30% more than nighttime ambulatory BP. In conclusion, HBP falls ≈20% less than CBP with antihypertensive treatments. Daytime systolic BP falls 15% less and nighttime systolic BP falls 30% less than home systolic BP

Preventing misdiagnosis of ambulatory hypertension: algorithm using office and home blood pressures

Objectives—An algorithm for making a differential diagnosis between sustained and white coat hypertension (SH and WCH) has been proposed–patients with office hypertension undergo home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM) and those with normal HBP levels undergo ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM). We tested whether incorporating an upper office blood pressure (OBP) cutoff in the algorithm, higher than the traditional 140/90 mmHg, reduces the need for HBPM and ABPM. Methods—229 normotensive and untreated mildly hypertensive participants (mean age 52.5 ± 14.6, 54% female) underwent OBP measurements, HBPM, and 24-hour ABPM. Using the algorithm, sensitivity (SN), specificity (SP), and positive and negative predictive values (PPV, NPV) for SH and WCH were assessed. We then modified the algorithm utilizing a systolic and diastolic OBP cutoff at a SP of 95% for ambulatory hypertension –those with office hypertension but OBP levels below the upper cutoff undergo HBPM and subsequent ABPM if appropriate. Results—Using the original algorithm, SN and PPV for SH were 100% and 93.8%. Despite a SP of 44.4%, NPV was 100%. These values correspond to SP, NPV, SN, and PPV for WCH respectively. Using the modified algorithm, the diagnostic accuracy for SH and WCH did not change. However, far fewer participants needed HBPM (29 vs. 84) and ABPM (8 vs. 15). Conclusions—In this sample, the original and modified algorithms are excellent at diagnosing SH and WCH. However, the latter requires far fewer subjects to undergo HBPM and ABPM. These findings have important implications for the cost-effective diagnosis of SH and WCH

What is the optimal interval between successive home blood pressure readings using an automated oscillometric device?

Objectives: To clarify whether a shorter interval between three successive home blood pressure (HBP) readings (10 s vs. 1 min) taken twice a day gives a better prediction of the average 24-h BP and better patient compliance. Design: We enrolled 56 patients from a hypertension clinic (mean age: 60 ± 14 years; 54% female patients). The study consisted of three clinic visits, with two 4-week periods of self-monitoring of HBP between them, and a 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring at the second visit. Using a crossover design, with order randomized, the oscillometric HBP device (HEM-5001) could be programmed to take three consecutive readings at either 10-s or 1-min intervals, each of which was done for 4 weeks. Patients were asked to measure three HBP readings in the morning and evening. All the readings were stored in the memory of the monitors. Results: The analyses were performed using the second–third HBP readings. The average systolic BP/diastolic BP for the 10-s and 1-min intervals at home were 136.1 ± 15.8/77.5 ± 9.5 and 133.2 ± 15.5/76.9 ± 9.3 mmHg (P = 0.001/0.19 for the differences in systolic BP and diastolic BP), respectively. The 1-min BP readings were significantly closer to the average of awake ambulatory BP (131 ± 14/79 ± 10 mmHg) than the 10-s interval readings. There was no significant difference in patients' compliance in taking adequate numbers of readings at the different time intervals. Conclusion: The 1-min interval between HBP readings gave a closer agreement with the daytime average BP than the 10-s interval

Netrin-3: Tracking the Elusive Antimitotic Signal on the Western Frontier

Netrin-3 is a guidance protein expressed throughout the animal kingdom, and involved in the development of branched structures such as the nervous system, lung, and mammary gland. We have previously shown that peptides derived from this protein serve as chemorepellents and mitotic inhibitors in Tetrahymena thermophila. Our previous work shows that Tetrahymena synthesize and secrete a netrin-3-like protein, as detected by ELISA. In this study, we find that a netrin-3-like protein is present in whole cell extract and secreted protein, as detected by Western blotting. A protein of approximately 48 kD is consistently detected in our Western blots. In addition, we often detect a protein of 52 kD, which may be the netrin-1-like protein of Tetrahymena that we have previously described. Further studies will enable us to determine whether the 52-kD protein is indeed the netrin-1 like protein of Tetrahymena

The Chemorepellent, Netrin-1, Appears to Signal Through a Tyrosine Kinase in Tetrahymena thermophila

Netrin-1 is a pleiotropic peptide signaling molecule. Its most well-known role in vertebrate development is neuronal guidance. Depending upon the cell type and signal concentration gradient, netrin-1 may serve either as a chemoattractant, causing formation of axonal growth cones, or as a chemorepellent, causing growth cone collapse within the axon. Netrin-1 can bind to at least two types of receptors, and uses a variety of signaling proteins to convey its message. In some vertebrate cell types, the netrin-1 signal is G-protein mediated, while in other cell types, netrin signaling requires a tyrosine kinase or some other combination of kinases in order to signal. Tetrahymena thermophila are free-living, eukaryotic cells that can respond to chemoattractants and chemorepellents by moving toward attractants and away from repellents. By studying the behavior of these organisms, we have found that netrin-1 acts as a chemorepellent in T. thermophila. Response to netrin-1 is concentration dependent, with an EC100 of approximately 1 micromolar, and an EC50 of approximately 10 pM. Netrin-1 avoidance may be effectively eliminated by the addition of the broad-spectrum tyrosine kinase inhibitor, genistein, to the behavioral assay. The IC100 of genistein was approximately 75 micrograms/ml, while the IC50 of this compound was near 50 micrograms/ml. G-protein inhibitors, calcium chelators, and a number of other pharmacological inhibitors had no effect on netrin-1 signaling in this organism. These data show that netrin-1 is a chemorepellent in Tetrahymena thermophila and that netrin signaling appears to implicate a tyrosine kinase in this organism. Further studies will help us to determine whether genistein is specifically acting upon a tyrosine kinase pathway or whether the inhibition is occurring via some other genistein-mediated effect