Students and Faculty Experiences, Perceptions and Knowledge on Distress during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study.

Background And Objective: The University of the Philippines Manila (UPM) subcommittee on students in distress was convened during the COVID-19 pandemic to develop "plans, programs and mechanisms" to deal with students experiencing distress and mental health concerns. This study was conducted as one of the activities of the Subcommittee to inform policy to address the following research objective: to describe the experiences, perceptions, and knowledge of both students and faculty members of UP Manila regarding distress.

Methods: An online survey tool was created using the results from seven online focus group discussions among 20 faculty of UP Manila.

Student Evaluation of a Learning Enhancement in Anatomy Program (LEAP) during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Retrospective Study.

Background And Objective: The pandemic acted as an accelerator for the development of online teaching formats in anatomy and histology worldwide. The authors introduce a bridging program that reinforces the knowledge and understanding of gross and correlative anatomy and histology acquired in a virtual environment in preparation for its future clinical application. The study aims to evaluate the Learning Enhancement in Anatomy Program (LEAP) conducted among first-year medical students at the College of Medicine, University of the Philippines Manila.

Ethics in the provision of obstetric and gynecologic health care for non-binary and transgender individuals.

Transgender and non-binary individuals often face bias and a lack of awareness, knowledge, and sensitivity from healthcare professionals. This article aims to raise awareness of the concepts of medical ethics among OBGYNs, so they will be better able to approach complex ethical situations in a clear and structured way when providing obstetric and gynecologic health care for transgender and gender-diverse patients.

Search for the Exclusive W Boson Hadronic Decays W^{±}→π^{±}γ, W^{±}→K^{±}γ and W^{±}→ρ^{±}γ with the ATLAS Detector.

A search for the exclusive hadronic decays W^{±}→π^{±}γ, W^{±}→K^{±}γ, and W^{±}→ρ^{±}γ is performed using up to 140  fb^{-1} of proton-proton collisions recorded with the ATLAS detector at a center-of-mass energy of sqrt[s]=13  TeV. If observed, these rare processes would provide a unique test bench for the quantum chromodynamics factorization formalism used to calculate cross sections at colliders. Additionally, at future colliders, these decays could offer a new way to measure the W boson mass through fully reconstructed decay products.

An antimicrobial resistance gene situationer in the backyard swine industry of a Philippine City.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as a result of antimicrobial overuse and misuse in agriculture is a growing concern, especially in the predominant but poorly regulated backyard or smallholder swine farms of the Philippines. A city-scale surveillance of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) was conducted through selected backyard swine farms to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the AMR situation in the backyard sector of Davao City, Philippines. The ARGs encoding resistance to four antimicrobial classes (β-lactams: bla, bla, bla, bla, mecA; quinolones: qnrS and qnr-A2; macrolides: ermA and ermB; tetracycline: tetM) were quantified in swine feces via real-time PCR, and point maps were generated to visualize the ARG geographic distribution.

Asia Oceania Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecology (AOFOG)'s efforts in the cervical cancer elimination program in the Asia-Pacific.

Cervical cancer poses a significant health burden, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, where access to screening and treatment remains limited. Asia Oceania Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecology (AOFOG)'s response, guided by the World Health Organization's global strategy, emphasizes three key targets: achieving high HPV vaccination coverage among girls, ensuring widespread screening with high-performance tests, and guaranteeing timely treatment for precancerous and cancerous lesions. AOFOG supports member countries through initiatives such as educational campaigns, guidelines development, and collaboration with local and international partners.

Legal changes and evidence on unmet need for contraception, Philippines.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Law in the Philippines and women's unmet needs for contraception.

Methods: The study involved data on women aged 18 to 49 years from the 2013 ( = 14 053), 2017 ( = 21 835) and 2022 ( = 24 253) Philippine Demographic and Health Surveys. The Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Law was enacted in 2012, but not fully implemented until 2017.

Insights into Metabolic Reprogramming in Tumor Evolution and Therapy.

Cancer remains a global health challenge, characterized not just by uncontrolled cell proliferation but also by the complex metabolic reprogramming that underlies its development and progression. This review delves into the intricate relationship between cancer and its metabolic alterations, drawing an innovative comparison with the cosmological concepts of dark matter and dark energy to highlight the pivotal yet often overlooked role of metabolic reprogramming in tumor evolution. It scrutinizes the Warburg effect and other metabolic adaptations, such as shifts in lipid synthesis, amino acid turnover, and mitochondrial function, driven by mutations in key regulatory genes.

Molecular Characterization of a Clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza Virus from a 2022 Outbreak in Layer Chickens in the Philippines.

H5 subtype high-pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) viruses continue to devastate the poultry industry and threaten food security and public health. The first outbreak of H5 HPAI in the Philippines was reported in 2017. Since then, H5 HPAI outbreaks have been reported in 2020, 2022, and 2023.

Atypical Exon 2/3 Mutants G48C, Q43K, and E37K Present Oncogenic Phenotypes Distinct from Characterized NRAS Variants.

NRAS belongs to the RAS family of GTPases. In colorectal cancer (CRC), NRAS mutations are rare compared to KRAS, but may lead to worse outcomes. We report the functional characterization of the novel NRAS mutants-G48C, Q43K, and E37K-identified in Filipino young-onset CRC patients.

Complete genome sequence of strain E-37 reveals a plasmid-encoded type six secretion system.

We announce the complete genome sequence of strain E-37. The hybrid assembly of long and short reads revealed one chromosome and four plasmids. Furthermore, the genome analysis showed that the plasmid-encoded type six secretion system is linked to plasmid replication genes that may be common to Roseobacters.

The economic burden of ventriculoperitoneal shunt insertion and its complications: findings from a cohort in the Philippines.

Purpose: Ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) insertion is the gold standard treatment for congenital hydrocephalus, but there is little data about the cost of this procedure in developing countries. We aimed to determine the in-hospitalization cost of initial VPS insertion and its complications (malfunction and infection) and identify predictors of increased cost.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study by reviewing the medical and financial records of pediatric patients with congenital hydrocephalus and underwent shunt surgery at our institution between 2015 and 2019.

A Peculiar Pattern: Nodular Secondary Syphilis with Granulomatous Dermatitis.

Nodular syphilis with a granulomatous inflammatory histopathologic pattern is an uncommon cutaneous presentation of secondary syphilis which could pose a diagnostic challenge for clinicians and pathologists alike. A 33-year-old male diagnosed with HIV presented with a 5-week history of asymptomatic generalized erythematous papules and nodules with overlying scales, with involvement of the palms and soles. Histopathologic examination of a nodule from the forearm revealed non-caseating granulomas in a background of a mixed cell inflammatory infiltrate composed of lymphocytes, epithelioid and foamy histiocytes, plasma cells, neutrophils, and multinucleated giant cells.

5% Simvastatin Ointment as Treatment for Congenital Hemidysplasia with Ichthyosiform Erythroderma and Limb Defects (CHILD) Syndrome in a 4-year-old Female: A Case Report.

A 4-year-old female with Congenital Hemidysplasia with Ichthyosiform erythroderma and Limb Defects (CHILD) syndrome, with a pathogenic variant of the NSDHL gene, c.130G>A (p.Gly44Ser), and unilateral right-sided erythematous verrucous plaques with scaling and ipsilateral limb defects, was started on 5% simvastatin ointment.

Combination Doxycycline and Topical Corticosteroids in the Treatment of Ulcerative Pyoderma Gangrenosum: A Case Report.

Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a chronic inflammatory neutrophilic dermatosis often presenting as a solitary enlarging painful ulcer with red to violaceous undermined borders. This report delves into the role of doxycycline in the treatment of PG in a 44-year-old male COVID-19 positive patient who has concomitant active tuberculosis infection and end-stage kidney disease, for which both first-line treatments (systemic corticosteroid and cyclosporine) are contraindicated. After three months on doxycycline and topical corticosteroids, there was resolution of the ulcers and no note of recurrence up to three months from completion of the treatment regimen.

Hemosiderotic Dermatofibroma in a Filipino Male.

Dermatofibroma (DF) is a common, benign fibrohistiocytic tumor with unknown pathogenesis. There are multiple uncommon histologic variants of DF reported in literature, one of which is hemosiderotic DF. It can variably present as a pigmented papule or nodule commonly located on the lower extremities.

Olmsted Syndrome in a 12-year-old Filipino Male: A Case Report and Future Directions.

We report a case of a Filipino child who presented with yellowish hyperkeratotic plaques on the palms and soles with palmar transgredient extension to the wrists, a yellowish hyperkeratotic plaque over the coccygeal area, and brownish-black hyperkeratotic perianal plaques. Patient had delayed physical development and short stature, but no intellectual disability. Histopathologic examination showed palmoplantar keratoderma.

Clinicodemographic and Dermoscopic Features of Basal Cell Carcinoma among Filipino Patients Seen in a Tertiary Care Clinic.

Background: Dermoscopy enhances detection of basal cell carcinoma (BCC), especially for the pigmented subtype common among Asians. However, there is limited data on dermoscopic features of BCC in Filipinos.

Objectives: The objective of this study is to describe the clinicopathologic profile and dermoscopic features of BCC in Filipinos seen in a tertiary care clinic.

Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Multiple Basal Cell Carcinomas in Xeroderma Pigmentosum-Variant Type Treated with Imiquimod 5% Cream and Radiotherapy: A Case Report.

Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) is a rare DNA repair disorder characterized by sensitivity to sunlight and predisposition to cutaneous malignancies. There are various types, including the Variant type, which does not manifest with acute sunburn reactions. This results to the development of multiple malignancies that are often discovered at late stages, making management more challenging.