Concordance of Acid-Fast Stain Result and Histopathologic vs Clinical Diagnosis of Leprosy: A Three-year Retrospective Study in a Tertiary Government Hospital and Sanitarium in the Philippines.

Objectives: In the Philippines, there has been a lack of information on the concordance between classifications of Hansen's disease or leprosy clinically, histopathologically, and with AFS results. The study ultimately aimed to determine the concordance between the clinical diagnosis, histopathological results, and AFS results of patients with leprosy seen at the Dr. Jose N.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices on Four Medicinal Plants for Oral Health of Oral Medicine Patients from a Dental College in Manila.

Background: Medicinal plants are widely used for healthcare needs, including oral health. In the Philippines, garlic, guava, tsaang-gubat, and hierba buena, although primarily recognized as plants used for the treatment of systemic diseases, are indicated as analgesics for dental pain, treatment of gingival inflammation, and oral health maintenance. Despite studies focusing on the effectiveness of these plants for oral health, there is little to no research on the populace's knowledge, attitude, and practices on these medicinal plants.

Awareness, Availment, and Satisfaction on various Health Services among Residents of a Rural Community in Samar, Philippines: A Mixed Methods Study.

Objectives: This study sought to investigate citizens' awareness, availment, satisfaction, and perceived need for action with health services offered by a rural municipality in Samar, Philippines.

Methods: This study utilized an explanatory-sequential research design, involving 150 participants selected through the Kish Grid Method via a multi-stage sampling approach within the community. The Citizen Satisfaction Index System was employed to assess the levels of awareness, utilization, and satisfaction with health services in the municipality.

De novo and inherited dominant variants in U4 and U6 snRNAs cause retinitis pigmentosa.

The U4 small nuclear RNA (snRNA) forms a duplex with the U6 snRNA and, together with U5 and ~30 proteins, is part of the U4/U6.U5 tri-snRNP complex, located at the core of the major spliceosome. Recently, recurrent variants in the U4 RNA, transcribed from the gene, and in at least two other genes were discovered to cause neurodevelopmental disorder.

Gene-by-environment interactions involving maternal exposures with orofacial cleft risk in Filipinos.

Maternal exposures are known to influence the risk of isolated cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL/P) - a common and highly heritable birth defect with a multifactorial etiology. To identify new CL/P risk loci, we conducted a genome-wide gene-environment interaction (GEI) analysis of CL/P on a sample of 540 cases and 260 controls recruited from the Philippines, incorporating the interaction effects of genetic variants with maternal smoking and vitamin use. As GEI analyses are typically low in power and the results can be difficult to interpret, we used multiple testing frameworks to evaluate potential GEI effects: 1 degree-of-freedom (1df) GxE test, the 3df joint test, and the two-step EDGE approach.

Clinical profile and outcomes of ocular surface squamous neoplasia at the Philippine General Hospital: a retrospective study.

Aim: To evaluate the demographics, clinical characteristics, treatments, and outcomes of patients with ocular surface squamous neoplasia (OSSN) at the Philippine General Hospital.

Methods: This was a single-center, 11-year retrospective, cross sectional case series on 18 cases of OSSN seen between January 2012 to June 2023. The patient's demographics, presenting symptoms, tumor characteristics, histopathologic diagnosis, treatment, outcomes, and duration of follow-up were reviewed.

Mesenteric fibromatosis as an irreducible inguinal hernia.

We present the case of a man in his 60s with hypertension, who had a 3-year history of an irreducible mass in the left inguinal area. The patient presented at the emergency room with left lower quadrant pain and scrotal pain. The clinical examination was not suggestive of an acute abdomen.

Exploring the availability and accessibility of menstrual friendly public toilets (MFPTs) in urban spaces: A global multi-city audit study.

Background: Public toilets enable populations, including those who menstruate, to move through public spaces. Menstrual Friendly Public Toilets (MFPT) are accessible, safe, and clean public toilets that provide those who menstruate the space and resources to navigate cities with dignity and comfort. However, there is little evidence on the status of MFPTs in urban centers.

Assessment of Outcomes & Anatomical Changes in the Upper Urinary Tract following Flexible Ureteroscopy with a Flexible and Navigable Suction Ureteral Access Sheath (FANS): 3-Month Results from a Multicenter Study.

Objectives: To study the long-term outcomes of the flexible and navigable suction ureteral access sheath (FANS) in flexible ureteroscopy (FURS). FANS has well-established efficiency and 30-day perioperative safety; however, its influence on pelvicalyceal and ureteric anatomy remains to be investigated.

Methods: This was a prospective study of patients with normal renal anatomy who underwent FURS with FANS for renal stones from April 2023 to August 2024 in 16 centers worldwide.

Manipulating Mg/Ca ratios in MgO-CaO-SiO bioactive glass for achieving accelerated osteogenic differentiation of human adipose-derived stem cells.

Cell-containing biomaterial is a promising material for treating nonunion or critical bone defect. Human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs) are suitable for bone repair due to their abundance in the abdomen, thighs, and buttocks. However, the low osteogenic capacities of hADSCs hinder their extended development for bone regeneration application.

Magnetic resonance imaging safety in Asia-Oceania: call for action.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) safety is a critical concern in the Asia-Oceania region, as it is elsewhere in the world, due to the unique and complex MRI environment that demands attention. This call-for-action outlines ten critical steps to enhance MRI safety and promote a culture of responsibility and accountability in the Asia-Oceania region. Key focus areas include strengthening education and expertise, improving quality assurance, fostering collaboration, increasing public awareness, and establishing national safety boards.

Clinical Relevancies of Sarcopenic Obesity in Patients with Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MASLD).

Aim: Sarcopenic obesity (SO) is associated with adverse outcomes in diseased patients. This study aimed to examine the prevalence and risks associated with SO, with a focus on the impact of SO on cardiovascular risk in patients with MASLD.

Materials And Methods: In this cross-sectional study, patients with MASLD were prospectively enrolled.

Uptake, growth, and oxidative stress responses of Rhizophora mucronata (Poir. in Lam.) propagules exposed to high-density polyethylene microplastics.

The plastic revolution's contribution to global pollution gives rise to microplastics (MPs), bearing a toll on the marine environment. Knowledge of mangrove exposure to MPs causing adverse effects has yet to be elucidated. Hence, the physiological responses of R.

The clinical course and outcomes following arthroscopic frozen shoulder 360° release.

Background: Frozen shoulder (FS) is a debilitating inflammatory condition affecting the shoulder capsule that causes significant pain and stiffness. Its etiology, pathophysiology, and treatment remain poorly understood. Although regarded as self-limiting, FS can have profound implications on the activities of daily living and usually takes 1-4 years to resolve on its own accord.

Burden of undernutrition and its associated factors among children aged 6-59 months: findings from 2016 Ethiopian demographic health survey (EDHS) data.

Background: Despite numerous government nutrition-specific and sensitive interventions, undernutrition (e.g., underweight) remains the major public health concern among under-five-year-old children in Ethiopia.

Multicentric Cross-Sectional Survey to Assess the Variation of Fractionation Strategies Used in the Management of Head and Neck Cancers in the Asian Region (INNOCENCE-ASIA).

Purpose: Head and neck cancers (HNCs) are in general treated with conventional fractionation regimen of 1.8-2 Gy per fraction. Altered fractionation (ALFT) strategies such as hypofractionation radiotherapy (HYPO-RT), accelerated fractionation radiotherapy (AFRT), and hyperfractionation radiotherapy (HFRT) have not been practiced uniformly across centers in different parts of the world.

Revision of the Oriental and Australasian diving beetle genus Sharp, 1882 (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae, Dytiscinae).

A comprehensive revision is presented of the Oriental and Australasian diving beetle genus Sharp, 1882 (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae: Dytiscinae: Aciliini) and seven junior subjective synonyms are proposed. Balfour-Browne, 1939, is a junior subjective synonym of Heller, 1934; Vazirani, 1969, of (Crotch, 1872); Blanchard, 1843, of (Aubé, 1838); and Heller, 1934, , Sharp, 1882, , and Satô, 1978, of (Wehncke, 1876). Finally, Anand et al.

A Community Prevalence Study of Psychiatric Disorders in Barangay Tenejero, City of Balanga, Bataan.

Objectives: This study aims to determine the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in the sample population in a barangay in the City of Balanga, Bataan using the MINI International and Neuropsychiatric Interview and to describe the profile of those with psychiatric disorders based on sociodemographic and health characteristics.

Methods: This is a cross sectional study from Barangay Tenejero, City of Balanga, Bataan done in 2019. Systematic random sampling was done where all zones were included.

Understanding Adoption of Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) during a Health Emergency: An Analysis of EMR Usage Logs from Rural Health Facilities in the Philippines.

Background And Objective: The adoption of electronic medical records (EMRs) in the Philippines has been initiated and adjusted since the last decade through the Philippine eHealth Agenda framework. EMRs are known to improve clinical management and have been widely adopted in advanced economies. However, empirical research on EMR implementation remains limited.

A Systematic Review of Epidemiologic Studies on Scabies in the Philippines.

Background And Objective: Scabies is the second most common cause of disability due to skin disease in the Philippines. However, there were no cited studies in Global Burden of Disease 2019 and the disability-adjusted life years (DALY) computations were most likely based on statistical modelling. The Philippine Department of Health has embarked on a program to estimate the disease burden of priority diseases in the country, which include scabies.

Development and Validation of a Stressor-Coping Style Scale for Students in a Public Medical School.

Background: The medical curriculum is one of the most stressful academic curricula worldwide. Studies indicate that great levels of stress, that encompass academics to personal life, may be connected to a number of worrying statistics for the mental health of Philippine medical students.

Objectives: To develop a validated stressor-coping style scale for students in a public medical school.

Predictors of Mortality among End-Stage Renal Disease Patients with COVID-19 Admitted in a Philippine Tertiary Government Hospital: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background And Objective: Several studies have examined the predictors of mortality among COVID-19-infected patients; however, to date, few published studies focused on end-stage renal disease patients. The present study, therefore, aims to determine the predictors of in-hospital mortality among end-stage renal disease patients with COVID-19 admitted to a Philippine tertiary hospital.

Methods: The researcher utilized a retrospective cohort design.

Postoperative Pulmonary Complications following Adenotonsillectomy in Pediatric Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea in a Tertiary Government Hospital.

Objective: Our study aimed to identify and describe pulmonary complications and its associated risk factors in children with suspected or confirmed obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) who underwent tonsillectomy or adenotonsillectomy in a tertiary government hospital.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study. Medical charts of pediatric patients with suspected or confirmed OSA who were admitted for tonsillectomy or adenotonsillectomy from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2020 were retrieved and reviewed.

A Qualitative Exploration on the Role of Occupational Therapy in Mental Health and Psychosocial Support for Students in the University Setting in the Philippines.

Background: Occupational therapy (OT) can be part of mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) in the university setting. Numerous studies worldwide have highlighted the negative impact of COVID-19 on mental health due to isolation and restrictions. In the Philippines, these issues were exacerbated among students, whose abrupt shift to remote learning negatively affected their mental well-being.