Distribution of total mercury in coastal sediments of Honda Bay, Palawan Island, the Philippines.

Honda Bay is considered as one of the mercury hotspots in the world due to its proximity to the abandoned Palawan Quicksilver Mine. In this study, a detailed sediment sampling conducted in between 2021 and 2022 where a total of 166 sediment samples were collected along the coast and analyzed for total mercury (THg) concentration. The study assessed mercury toxicity using the geoaccumulation index and compared Hg levels to sediment quality guidelines.

L-carnitine supplementation in conventional slow and ultra-rapid freezing media improves motility, membrane integrity, and fertilizing ability of dog epididymal sperm.

This study aimed to assess the impact of L-carnitine (LC) supplementation in conventional-slow (CS) and ultra-rapid (UR) freezing media on post-thaw quality and fertilizing ability of dog epididymal spermatozoa. Sperm samples were collected from 60 epididymides obtained from 30 adult orchiectomized dogs via retrograde flushing. Twenty pooled sperm samples were then created (3 epididymal samples/pool).

Maternity protection policies and the enabling environment for breastfeeding in the Philippines: a qualitative study.

Background: The Philippines has enacted maternity protection policies, such as the 105-Day Expanded Maternity Leave Law and the Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act of 2009, to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding. This study aimed to review the content and implementation of maternity protection policies in the Philippines and assess their role in enabling recommended breastfeeding practices. It also identified bottlenecks to successful implementation from the perspectives of mothers and their partners, employers, and authorities from the government and non-government organizations involved in developing, implementing, monitoring, and enforcing maternity protection policies.

Accuracy of ultrasound and visual inspection in antral follicular count in crossbred Holstein cows raised under grazing systems at high altitude.

The objective of this research was to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of post-mortem ultrasound in antral follicle count (AFC) determination and compare it with visual AFC in grazing crossbred Holstein cows, at high altitude in Ecuador. Pre-mortem blood from 80 cows was collected, and AFC and ovarian characteristics were analysed post-mortem by ultrasound and visual techniques. AFC counts were stratified as high, medium or low by terciles.