Viral diseases are considered as a major problem in shrimp aquaculture industry in the Philippines and have caused severe losses to the shrimp farmers. Among the economically important shrimp viral pathogens is monodon baculovirus (MBV). MBV should be eliminated in the culture system because its infection can slow the growth, especially in intensive culture systems thereby decreasing productivity. [Read More]

Immunofluorescence techniques and other immunopathologic diagnostic techniques in dermatology involve the detection and localization of specific autoantibodies against various antigens within the skin. Since the 1960s when the lupus band test was utilized to diagnose lupus erythematosus, diagnostic immunopathologic techniques, when interpreted alongside clinical and histopathologic findings, have become a part of the diagnostic criteria in the diagnosis of many skin diseases. [Read More]

A collaborative research venture between the Philippines and Japan has shown that a single laser can be used to manipulate and perform microsurgery on cells. They manipulate cells using the principle of optical trapping where gradient forces of light attracts the cells towards the focus. [Read More]

In aquaculture or the farming of fish in a controlled environment like in fishponds, in land-based tanks, and in net cages in the sea, growth is highly dependent on food availability. Whether the culture system used is extensive, where the fish stocks rely mainly on the presence of natural food, or intensive, where the stocks are largely dependent on artificial feeds, the food factor is a major determinant of success. [Read More]

In the transition from one culture to another, the value systems of a culture of origin could be challenged by the cultural values of the host society. However, immigrants try to adapt to their environment as a coping strategy in spite of the multiplicity and complexity of challenges in cross cultural transition (Ward, Bochner & Furnham, 2001). [Read More]

The terahertz (THz) frequency region, spanning the 100 GHz to 10 THz range, bridges the gap between electronics (millimeter and sub millimeter waves) and photonics (far infrared). At present, interest in THz research has grown because of the wealth of promising applications in the fields of fingerprint spectroscopy of biomolecules, environment monitoring, semiconductor and medical imaging, and even law enforcement. [Read More]

The mobility of aqueous inorganic arsenic in the geothermal environment is influenced by the (1) aqueous arsenic speciation, (2) affinity of arsenic aqueous species to minerals, and (3) stability of mineral host. These factors also dictate arsenic contamination susceptibility in areas with naturally high arsenic concentrations such as in geothermal fields. [Read More]

Processed satellite imagery and digital elevation models are initially used to define a suite of seven elastic tectonic blocks. Block velocities inferred from GPS observations as well as earthquake slip vectors are then combined in an inversion process to constrain tectonic block velocities and rotations as well as to obtain estimates of slip and locking strain along major faults. [Read More]

Understanding the kinetics of the biodiesel reaction can provide important insights into its behaviour when subjected to different conditions which can then serve as a basis for designing a more efficient and cost-effect production system. [Read More]

Differentiating eel species based on morphology encounters difficulty because of similarity in external features. Hence, species identification and evolutionary relationship based on molecular genetics are relatively reliable. [Read More]