How Big is Illicit Cigarette Trade in the Philippines?

Illicit cigarette trade or the manufacture, distribution, and sale of cigarettes that evade taxes and violate trademarks, persists in the Philippines. Enhancing the affordability and availability of cigarettes undermines the effectiveness of the series of tax policy reforms meant to lower, if not eliminate, tobacco use in the country. Worse, it results in a loss in government tax revenues. This Policy Brief presents the estimates and recommends policy actions to address the problem. The results from residual methods provide a strong presence of illicit cigarette trade in the country. The magnitude ranges from 3.3% to 42.8% of total cigarette consumption, resulting in a loss in tax revenue from Ph11.96 billion to PhP40 billion

Measuring Illicit Cigarette Trade: The Case of the Philippines

Illicit cigarette trade, or the manufacture, distribution and sale of cigarettes that evade taxes and violate trademarks, persists in the Philippines. Using the residual methods, this study estimated the size of illicit cigarette trade in the country covering the period 2009-2017 and the corresponding tax revenue lost. The estimates show that illicit trade has flourished after the increase in excise tax; thus, undermining the effectiveness of the series of tax policy reforms meant to lower, if not eliminate, tobacco use in the country. The magnitude ranges from 3.3% to 42.8% of total cigarette consumption, depending on the threshold of under-reporting used. In 2017 alone, tax revenue lost ranges from a low Ph11.96 billion to a high of Ph40.0 billion using the underreporting threshold of 10 percent and 40 percent, respectively. However, illicit cigarette trade due to smuggling has decreased over the years. This implies that the source of illicit trade has shifted to domestic origin, or one that is sourced from within the country. The study recommends that the increase in illicit trade should not be an excuse not to increase the excise tax on cigarettes. Instead, the tax policy reforms should be accompanied by strengthening tax administration and strict enforcement of government measures to combat illicit cigarette trad

Evidence-Based Genetics and Identification of Key Human Alzheimer’s Disease Alleles with Co-morbidities

Advancements in biomedical research have contributed to increasing the life expectancy of humans, but we now observe an increase in age-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) and linkage studies have identified human genes associated with Alzheimer’s disease (referred to as AD genes). A previous study by Vahdati in 2017 has revealed the human AD genes and counterparts in model species [1]. Thus, we further investigate the co-morbidity genes and alleles. Using ontology analysis combined with cluster analysis, the study identified functional pathways enriched among the human AD genes, including 179 genes out of 695 human AD genes (26%) that were associated with one or more of the four neurological diseases including Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and Schizophrenia [1]. More importantly, the results indicate co-morbidities with Late-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease (LOAD) and other neurological conditions, implying the complexity of the phenotypes in the human AD. The co-morbidity genes may account for mixed symptoms for human AD as well as age-related risks of infections. Of them, the three genes are well conserved (Angiotensin I Converting Enzyme gene, ACE; Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase gene, MTHFR; and tumor necrosis factor gene, TNF). In this study, we confirmed the comorbidity of the three genes associated with AD. We further identified the comorbidity of two alleles in the MTHFR gene, C677T and A222V, significantly associated with Alzheimer’s disease. This study provides an example of evidencebased analysis that is cost-effective and may be an effective approach to develop cure-alls for multiple diseases

Modification ω-6/ω-3 ratio and increase of the shelf life of anchovy oil (Engraulis ringens) with addition of olive oil (Olea europaea)☆

In the food industry, oil blending represents a simple method for the generation of products with desired nutritional and technological properties. The objective of this work was to blend anchoveta oil (AO) with virgin olive oil (VOO) to modify the ω-6/ω-3 ratio of the product for nutritional purposes and to evaluate its oxidative stability index (OSI) for technological purposes. Four AO/VOO blends were formulated: 50/50, 40/60, 30/70 and 20/80 (w/w), generating a ω-6/ω-3 ratio between 0.610–2.129, nutritionally recommendable. The Rancimat method allowed determining the OSI of the formulations at temperatures of 100, 110 and 120 °C, finding OSI ranges between 0.963–3.410 h, 0.430–1.730 h and 0.183–0.813 h, respectively. The kinetic behavior of the formulations with respect to activation energy (89.622 to 93.414 kJ/mol), entropy (−13.248 to −17.657 kJ/mol), enthalpy (86.455 to 90.248 kJ/mol), Gibbs energy (91.928 to 96.348 kJ/mol) and Q10 (2.090 to 2.153) has been described. The formulations are proposed as an alternative to increase the shelf life of AO and increase the nutritional value of VOO

Arnis-based Exercise Program for Balance Control in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: Study Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Aging causes impairment in balance and increases the prevalence of falls in older adults. Martial arts are now incorporated into exercise programs to improve balance. Arnis, a Filipino Martial Art, can improve the balance control of older adults. Objectives: This study primarily aims to determine the effects of an Arnis-based exercise program on balance control of healthy community-dwelling older adults. This study also aims to describe its effect on older adults’ concerns about falling and lower limb functional strength. Methods:This will be a single-blind, pilot randomized controlled trial. Participants will be randomly allocated to either the intervention or control group. The intervention group will perform an Arnis-based exercise program for 40-60 minutes per session thrice a week for 12 weeks. The control group will continue to do their usual activities for the duration of the study. Participants will be measured at baseline and 12 weeks after for balance, concern for falling, and lower limb strength using the Berg Balance Scale, Timed-Up and Go Test, Falls Efficacy Scale-International Filipino, and the 30-second Chair Sit-to-stand Test, respectively. Data will be analysed through independent and paired t-tests. A p-value Expected Results: Significant improvements in the balance scores in the intervention group are expected after 12 weeks of the Arnis-based exercise program, along with its effects on concerns for falling and lower extremity strength. The pilot study will provide data on the effectiveness of Arnis as a reference for future larger experimental studies

The genetic architecture of the human cerebral cortex

The cerebral cortex underlies our complex cognitive capabilities, yet little is known about the specific genetic loci that influence human cortical structure. To identify genetic variants that affect cortical structure, we conducted a genome-wide association meta-analysis of brain magnetic resonance imaging data from 51,665 individuals. We analyzed the surface area and average thickness of the whole cortex and 34 regions with known functional specializations. We identified 199 significant loci and found significant enrichment for loci influencing total surface area within regulatory elements that are active during prenatal cortical development, supporting the radial unit hypothesis. Loci that affect regional surface area cluster near genes in Wnt signaling pathways, which influence progenitor expansion and areal identity. Variation in cortical structure is genetically correlated with cognitive function, Parkinson's disease, insomnia, depression, neuroticism, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Global burden of 288 causes of death and life expectancy decomposition in 204 countries and territories and 811 subnational locations, 1990–2021: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

BACKGROUND Regular, detailed reporting on population health by underlying cause of death is fundamental for public health decision making. Cause-specific estimates of mortality and the subsequent effects on life expectancy worldwide are valuable metrics to gauge progress in reducing mortality rates. These estimates are particularly important following large-scale mortality spikes, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. When systematically analysed, mortality rates and life expectancy allow comparisons of the consequences of causes of death globally and over time, providing a nuanced understanding of the effect of these causes on global populations. METHODS The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021 cause-of-death analysis estimated mortality and years of life lost (YLLs) from 288 causes of death by age-sex-location-year in 204 countries and territories and 811 subnational locations for each year from 1990 until 2021. The analysis used 56 604 data sources, including data from vital registration and verbal autopsy as well as surveys, censuses, surveillance systems, and cancer registries, among others. As with previous GBD rounds, cause-specific death rates for most causes were estimated using the Cause of Death Ensemble model-a modelling tool developed for GBD to assess the out-of-sample predictive validity of different statistical models and covariate permutations and combine those results to produce cause-specific mortality estimates-with alternative strategies adapted to model causes with insufficient data, substantial changes in reporting over the study period, or unusual epidemiology. YLLs were computed as the product of the number of deaths for each cause-age-sex-location-year and the standard life expectancy at each age. As part of the modelling process, uncertainty intervals (UIs) were generated using the 2·5th and 97·5th percentiles from a 1000-draw distribution for each metric. We decomposed life expectancy by cause of death, location, and year to show cause-specific effects on life expectancy from 1990 to 2021. We also used the coefficient of variation and the fraction of population affected by 90% of deaths to highlight concentrations of mortality. Findings are reported in counts and age-standardised rates. Methodological improvements for cause-of-death estimates in GBD 2021 include the expansion of under-5-years age group to include four new age groups, enhanced methods to account for stochastic variation of sparse data, and the inclusion of COVID-19 and other pandemic-related mortality-which includes excess mortality associated with the pandemic, excluding COVID-19, lower respiratory infections, measles, malaria, and pertussis. For this analysis, 199 new country-years of vital registration cause-of-death data, 5 country-years of surveillance data, 21 country-years of verbal autopsy data, and 94 country-years of other data types were added to those used in previous GBD rounds. FINDINGS The leading causes of age-standardised deaths globally were the same in 2019 as they were in 1990; in descending order, these were, ischaemic heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and lower respiratory infections. In 2021, however, COVID-19 replaced stroke as the second-leading age-standardised cause of death, with 94·0 deaths (95% UI 89·2-100·0) per 100 000 population. The COVID-19 pandemic shifted the rankings of the leading five causes, lowering stroke to the third-leading and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease to the fourth-leading position. In 2021, the highest age-standardised death rates from COVID-19 occurred in sub-Saharan Africa (271·0 deaths [250·1-290·7] per 100 000 population) and Latin America and the Caribbean (195·4 deaths [182·1-211·4] per 100 000 population). The lowest age-standardised death rates from COVID-19 were in the high-income super-region (48·1 deaths [47·4-48·8] per 100 000 population) and southeast Asia, east Asia, and Oceania (23·2 deaths [16·3-37·2] per 100 000 population). Globally, life expectancy steadily improved between 1990 and 2019 for 18 of the 22 investigated causes. Decomposition of global and regional life expectancy showed the positive effect that reductions in deaths from enteric infections, lower respiratory infections, stroke, and neonatal deaths, among others have contributed to improved survival over the study period. However, a net reduction of 1·6 years occurred in global life expectancy between 2019 and 2021, primarily due to increased death rates from COVID-19 and other pandemic-related mortality. Life expectancy was highly variable between super-regions over the study period, with southeast Asia, east Asia, and Oceania gaining 8·3 years (6·7-9·9) overall, while having the smallest reduction in life expectancy due to COVID-19 (0·4 years). The largest reduction in life expectancy due to COVID-19 occurred in Latin America and the Caribbean (3·6 years). Additionally, 53 of the 288 causes of death were highly concentrated in locations with less than 50% of the global population as of 2021, and these causes of death became progressively more concentrated since 1990, when only 44 causes showed this pattern. The concentration phenomenon is discussed heuristically with respect to enteric and lower respiratory infections, malaria, HIV/AIDS, neonatal disorders, tuberculosis, and measles. INTERPRETATION Long-standing gains in life expectancy and reductions in many of the leading causes of death have been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the adverse effects of which were spread unevenly among populations. Despite the pandemic, there has been continued progress in combatting several notable causes of death, leading to improved global life expectancy over the study period. Each of the seven GBD super-regions showed an overall improvement from 1990 and 2021, obscuring the negative effect in the years of the pandemic. Additionally, our findings regarding regional variation in causes of death driving increases in life expectancy hold clear policy utility. Analyses of shifting mortality trends reveal that several causes, once widespread globally, are now increasingly concentrated geographically. These changes in mortality concentration, alongside further investigation of changing risks, interventions, and relevant policy, present an important opportunity to deepen our understanding of mortality-reduction strategies. Examining patterns in mortality concentration might reveal areas where successful public health interventions have been implemented. Translating these successes to locations where certain causes of death remain entrenched can inform policies that work to improve life expectancy for people everywhere. FUNDING Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Sandalan a short feature on a grandfather who aims to be a good father figure to his grandson

Sandalan is a short film that gives importance to family development by depicting how a grandfather tries to become a good father figure to his grandson. It presents the importance of family, since it is considered to be the basic unit of society. The film follows the story of Rolando, a retired pilot who, after a tragic accident that leads to the death of his son, was forced to shelter and become the acting parent for Luis, his grandson. Set years this said accident, Rolando recognizes this as a second chance. He spends his time together with Luis trying to make up for the time lost with his own son. Luis experiencing his first crush becomes the unifying factor between the two, despite the initial cold treatment between the two characters. The short film tackles the value of family, hope, and forgiveness. It also explores the idea of second chances and the strength of a Filipino family

On some solution concepts and star coalitions of bicooperative games

This paper contains an introduction to the concept of bicooperative games as discussed in [2]. It focuses on the study of two solution concepts- core and Weber set and their properties. Moreover, we include the discussion of star coalitions and dictator which is analogous to the notion of clan games and dictator from the classic cooperative game theory

A Cross-Content Validation: SOSI-M & BOT-SF

This thesis paper examines a new assessment, Structured Observations of Sensory Integration- Motor (SOSI-M), and it’s concurrent validity against the well-validated Bruininks- Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency Second Edition (BOT-2). This research study answers the question of “Do the scores from SOSI-M correlate with scores from the BOT-2 in a sample of children 5 to 14 years of age?”. The participants for this study are school-aged children between the ages of five to fourteen years old, all genders, English-speaking, ambulate without assistance or use of orthotic devices, and have motor and sensory abilities sufficient in order to complete both motor assessments. Participants will be excluded if they have been administered the BOT-2 assessment within six months of the administration date for research study, or have significant impairments. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the restrictions that were set, the original project was modified to adhere to the safety precautions and recommendations determined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As a result, researchers were unable to participate in any in-person or direct-contact interactions with study participants. The modified version of this project aims to compare content of the new SOSI-M against the BOT-SF to further inform practitioners’ knowledge of this tool and allow occupational therapists to provide more comprehensive, evidence-based & client-centered care in the form of a cross-sectional activity analysis