Time trends of variability in disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objective: Disease activity both between and within patients with SLE is highly variable, yet factors driving this variability remain unclear. This study aimed to identify predictors of variability in SLE disease activity over time.

Methods: We analysed data from 2930 patients with SLE across 13 countries, collected over 38 754 clinic visits between 2013 and 2020.

Teacher-student relationships as a pathway to sustainable learning: Psychological insights on motivation and self-efficacy.

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of teacher-student developmental relationships on student academic motivation with a focus on English language learning among Chinese college students. Grounded in a psycho-pedagogical approach, the study explores how supportive relationships and instructional practices contribute to sustainable educational outcomes by enhancing student motivation and self-efficacy. A total of 387 self-administered questionnaires were used in the study to establish the relationship between these factors and their effect on student academic motivation.

Disentangling climate's dual role in dengue dynamics: A multiregion causal analysis study.

Dengue fever poses major public health challenges, with climate change complicating control efforts. Yet, the full extent of climate change's impact on dengue remains elusive. To investigate this, we used an advanced causal inference method to 16 diverse climatic regions in the Philippines.

International climate adaptation assistance: Assessing public support in Switzerland.

Lower-income countries account for a small share of accumulated greenhouse gas emissions but are highly vulnerable to climate-induced events. In response, industrialized higher-income countries, the major contributors to greenhouse gas stock, have pledged policy packages to support developing countries to adapt to climate change. Foreign aid and international migration often figure prominently in such packages.

Advanced technologies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from rice fields: Is hybrid rice the game changer?

Rice is a staple food for half of the world's population and the largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) from the agricultural sector, responsible for approximately 48% of GHG emissions from croplands. With the rapid growth of the human population, the increasing pressure on rice systems for extensive and intensive farming is associated with an increase in GHG emissions that is impeding global efforts to mitigate climate change. The complex rice environment, with its genotypic variability among rice cultivars, as well as emerging farming practices and global climatic changes, are important challenges for research and development initiatives that aim to lower GHG emissions and increase crop productivity.

Phylogeography Analysis Reveals Rabies Epidemiology, Evolution, and Transmission in the Philippines.

Rabies, caused by rabies virus, is a severe public health problem in the Philippines, where animal rabies epidemiology had been extensively investigated, but little is known about the national epidemiologic situations since 2010. Here, we report a 12-year nationwide animal rabies surveillance with systematic phylogenetic analysis, in which 353 whole genomes of rabies viruses collected from animal rabies cases between 2018 and 2022 were obtained. The phylogenetic and spatial-temporal evolutionary analyses showed that rabies viruses in the Philippines were exclusively classified into the SEA4 subclade within the Asian clade, but forming three major geographically specific lineages.

Assessing the impact of paternal emigration on children 'left-behind'-A cohort analysis.

Background: Previous work has shown that children 'left-behind' as a consequence of parental migration experience worse outcomes, although the majority of this evidence focuses on short- rather than long-term effects.

Methods: Using data from the Cebu Longitudinal Health and Nutrition Survey cohort (n = 1651), we assessed the association of paternal emigration (identified based on evidence of remittances sent back by mother's spouse) during childhood with the mental health and educational attainment at age 18 of Filipino children, adjusted for sex, socioeconomic position and paternal education. We explored whether timing of emigration, and household composition modified associations observed.

Lipidomics-based association study reveals genomic signatures of anti-cancer qualities of pigmented rice sprouts.

Introduction: The genetic wealth present in pigmented rice varieties offer abundant variation in different sources of antioxidants to meet nutritional security targets among rice-consuming communities. There is limited knowledge of the dynamic changes in the lipidome of rice during germination and the corresponding genes associated with the antioxidant and anti-cancerous properties of lipophilic fractions of pigmented rice sprouts (PRS).

Methods: In this study, we profiled the lipidome of diverse pigmented rice collections of germinated sprouts.

Climate change trauma and collective dissociation: Unraveling the impact on mental health and advocating for collective action.

The climate change crisis is a complex global challenge that has far- reaching implications for public health and well-being. Rising temperatures and more frequent extreme weather events are impacting physical health, mental well-being, and ecological balance. Vulnerable communities are disproportionately affected, especially in terms of food security.

Acquired Generalized Lipodystrophy as an Adverse Event of Combined Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy.

Acquired generalized lipodystrophy (AGL) is rarely associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). A few cases report associations with inhibitors to programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1 inhibitors); however, association with combined immunotherapies has not been reported. We present a 48-year-old female with recurrent malignant melanoma who underwent 23 cycles of nivolumab, a PD-1 inhibitor, and 11 cycles of combined cytotoxic T lymphocyte associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4) inhibitor and PD-1 inhibitor ipilimumab-nivolumab.

Building evidences in Public Health Emergency Preparedness ("BePHEP" Project)-a systematic review.

Introduction: Humanitarian crises exacerbate the vulnerability of already fragile healthcare systems and significantly increase the risk of infectious disease outbreaks in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This systematic review aims to evaluate strategies and interventions implemented in LMICs to prevent and manage infectious diseases outbreaks during humanitarian crises from 2018 to 2023.

Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted across Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science, adhering to the PRISMA guideline and the SPIDER framework to identify relevant studies.

Practice patterns and preferences in the management of age-related macular degeneration among vitreoretinal surgeons in the Philippines.

Purpose: To determine the practice patterns and preferences in the management of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) among vitreoretinal surgeons in the Philippines.

Methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study. A validated online survey regarding practices in AMD management was sent to the members of the Vitreo-Retina Society of the Philippines (VRSP).

Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome in the immediate postpartum period.

In the puerperal phase, streptococcal toxic shock syndrome is a relatively uncommon occurrence. However, there has been a rise in the prevalence of more aggressive strains of Group A Streptococcus (GAS), leading to significant maternal morbidity and mortality. In this report, we present a case of a postpartum patient who developed streptococcal toxic shock syndrome with substantial inflammation shortly after delivery.

A Review of the Recent Epidemiology of Zika Virus Infection.

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a flavivirus transmitted primarily by the bite of infected Aedes species mosquitoes. Although typically asymptomatic or causing mild symptoms and infrequent neurological disease in older children and adults, infection during pregnancy can result in severe congenital malformations and neurodevelopmental deficits. We conducted a review of published literature and official data sources to describe recent Zika epidemiological trends, building on WHO updates posted in 2019 and 2022.

Serratia marcescens Canaliculitis: A Case Report of Uncommon Etiology.

A 66-year-old female patient presented with chronic medial eyelid swelling and discharge of the right eye. She was initially treated with tobramycin eye drops and oral amoxicillin-clavulanic acid. However, the persistence of signs and symptoms accompanied by grainy punctal discharge on follow-up prompted a diagnosis of lacrimal canaliculitis.

Prevalence of Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA)-B*58:01 and Allopurinol-Induced Adverse Reactions in Filipino Patients in Hawai'i: Implications for Genotyping.

Introduction: Allopurinol, a first-line treatment for gout and hyperuricemia, is associated with severe cutaneous adverse reactions (SCAR) in individuals carrying the HLA-B*58:01 allele. Genotyping is conditionally recommended in Han Chinese, Korean, and Thai populations with an allele prevalence of 7.4%, and in African Americans at 3.

Modeling daily evapotranspiration time series based on Non-Linear Autoregressive Exogenous (NARX) method and climate variables for a data-deficient region.

For flood-prone, developing nations where hydrological data is scarce, an innovative methodological approach is essential. This study aims to explore the potentiality of modelling daily evapotranspiration time series by checking causal relationship among the available climate variables in a flood-prone, data-deficient region like Samar in the Philippines. First, to verify if the available variables (rainfall, air pressure and the four (4) Niño Sea Surface Temperature (SST) Indices) have direct effects to evapotranspiration, a causality test called Convergent Cross-Mapping (CCM) was used.

Genomic landscape and potential therapeutic targets in alpha-fetoprotein-producing gastric cancer.

Alpha-fetoprotein-producing gastric carcinoma (AFPGC) is a rare and aggressive subtype of gastric cancer (GC). A comprehensive analysis of clinicopathological features, immunophenotypes, molecular characteristics, and survival in AFPGC contributes to identifying potential therapeutic targets and developing new strategies to manage this disease. A retrospective cohort study was conducted at Shanxi Cancer Hospital from January 2018 to December 2020, involving patients diagnosed with GC and elevated AFP serum levels.

Digital Health Technology in Diabetes Management in the Asia-Pacific Region: A Narrative Review of the Current Scenario and Future Outlook.

Diabetes is a growing global health concern with a high prevalence in the Asian and Western Pacific regions. Effective diabetes management mainly relies on self-care practices. However, glycemic control remains poor, especially in developing nations where healthcare access is limited.

Exploring the Accessibility of Community-Based Telerehabilitation for Children with Disabilities from Low-Income Households.

Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) is a rights-based approach that aims to provide equitable health services and participation opportunities for people with disabilities. Telerehabilitation has emerged as a potential methodology for delivering health care within the CBR framework. However, the accessibility of telerehabilitation presents unique challenges for children with disabilities (CWD) in communities with low socioeconomic status.

An evaluation of financial losses due to lumpy skin disease outbreaks in dairy farms of northern Thailand.

Lumpy skin disease (LSD) poses a significant threat to the cattle industry, resulting in adverse economic consequences in affected countries. This study aims to estimate the financial losses due to LSD outbreaks in dairy farms in northern Thailand. Based on a retrospective study, data was collected using a standardized questionnaire from 100 farms affected by LSD outbreaks (outbreak farms) and 33 farms that did not experience LSD outbreaks (non-LSD outbreak farms) in two dairy farming areas that experienced LSD outbreaks between June and December 2021.

Efficacy and safety of various drug combinations in treating plaque Psoriasis: A meta-analysis.

Background: Psoriasis, a chronic inflammatory disease affecting the skin, joints, and nails (2-3% worldwide), significantly affects quality of life. Genetic and environmental factors also play key roles. Topical corticosteroids, calcineurin inhibitors, and oral corticosteroids help to manage plaque psoriasis symptoms, but combination therapies might offer greater effectiveness and improved safety profiles.

Understanding the distributional effects of recurrent floods in the Philippines.

Successful recovery from extreme weather events is key to avoid long-term poverty implications. Yet, in disaster prone regions, there may not always be enough time to recover between events. There is a common narrative that the resulting incomplete recoveries aggravate adverse impacts, but approaches allowing for a systematic quantitative assessment are missing.

Guided paths to understanding: can patient navigation improve health literacy among adults in the Philippines?

Patient navigation shows promise for improving healthcare access and health information, though its impact on health literacy among underserved populations in developing countries remains underinvestigated. This study evaluated the effectiveness of patient navigation services in improving health literacy in the Philippines. Using a quasi-experimental, one-group pretest-posttest design over 2 months, 105 participants were recruited through random sampling from a tertiary hospital.