OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to determine the motivating and hindering factors affecting the Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices of Muslim mothers in select municipalities of Maguindanao.

A pretested questionnaire was administered through face-to-face interviews conducted among 320 randomly selected Muslim mothers with a child aged 6-23 months.

Results revealed that prelacteal feeding was practiced by 16.6% of the Muslim mothers, giving mostly plain water. Solid/semi-solid foods were introduced at a mean age of 6.1 ± 1.4 months, with home-cooked lugao (porridge) (55.0%) and commercial baby food (31.3%) as the top foods introduced. The majority of Muslim mothers (82.5%) fed processed foods as complementary food to their children, including instant noodles (85.2%) and canned goods (51.5%). These processed foods were mostly obtained from sari-sari stores, with TV as the top source of information. More than 80% of the Muslim mothers cited food availability, economic reasons, and convenience in food preparation as the top three motivating factors in the practice of complementary feeding (CF). In addition, almost all the Muslim mothers (~97%) mentioned seeing their children grow healthy as the top reason for improving their food preparation practices, followed by positive feedback from their families. Meanwhile, household duties, low milk output, and a new pregnancy make it difficult to continue breastfeeding, while high complementary food costs, a limited budget, and a lack of food make it difficult to provide complementary food. The preparation of food for infants and young children is hindered by an increased workload and a lack of understanding.

The results revealed suboptimal practices in prelacteal feeding and the reliance on processed foods among Muslim mothers, with economic factors, availability, and convenience as motivating factors in complementary feeding practices. Challenges such as household duties, low milk output, and financial constraints hinder breastfeeding and nutritious food provision for infants and young children. The study reinforced the necessity for holistic strategies in IYCF promotion among Muslim mothers.

Purpose: The optimal reconstruction method following distal gastrectomy has not been elucidated. Since Billroth-II (B-II) reconstruction is commonly associated with increased bile reflux, Braun jejunojejunostomy has been proposed to reduce this complication. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 325 patients with gastric cancer who underwent distal gastrectomy with B-II reconstruction between January 2015 and December 2017, comprising 159 patients without Braun anastomosis and 166 with Braun anastomosis.Outcomes were assessed over three years using annual gastroscopy based on the residual food, gastritis, and bile reflux criteria and the Los Angeles classification for reflux esophagitis. Results: In the first postoperative year, the group with Braun anastomosis showed a significant reduction in bile reflux compared to the group without Braun anastomosis (75.9% vs. 86.2%; P=0.019). Moreover, multivariate analysis identified Braun anastomosis as the sole factor associated with this outcome. Additionally, the group with Braun anastomosis had a lower incidence of heartburn (12.0% vs. 20.1%; P=0.047) and reduced use of prokinetics (P<0.001) and acid reducers (P=0.002) compared to the group without Braun anastomosis.However, these benefits diminished in subsequent years, with no significant differences in residual food, gastritis, or reflux esophagitis between the groups. Both groups showed similar body mass index scores and nutritional outcomes over the 3-year follow-up period. Conclusions Although Braun anastomosis offers short-term benefits in reducing bile reflux after B-II reconstruction, these effects are not sustainable. The routine use of Braun anastomosis should be reconsidered, though either approach remains a viable option depending on the patient’s circumstances.

Purpose: The optimal reconstruction method following distal gastrectomy has not been elucidated. Since Billroth-II (B-II) reconstruction is commonly associated with increased bile reflux, Braun jejunojejunostomy has been proposed to reduce this complication. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 325 patients with gastric cancer who underwent distal gastrectomy with B-II reconstruction between January 2015 and December 2017, comprising 159 patients without Braun anastomosis and 166 with Braun anastomosis.Outcomes were assessed over three years using annual gastroscopy based on the residual food, gastritis, and bile reflux criteria and the Los Angeles classification for reflux esophagitis. Results: In the first postoperative year, the group with Braun anastomosis showed a significant reduction in bile reflux compared to the group without Braun anastomosis (75.9% vs. 86.2%; P=0.019). Moreover, multivariate analysis identified Braun anastomosis as the sole factor associated with this outcome. Additionally, the group with Braun anastomosis had a lower incidence of heartburn (12.0% vs. 20.1%; P=0.047) and reduced use of prokinetics (P<0.001) and acid reducers (P=0.002) compared to the group without Braun anastomosis.However, these benefits diminished in subsequent years, with no significant differences in residual food, gastritis, or reflux esophagitis between the groups. Both groups showed similar body mass index scores and nutritional outcomes over the 3-year follow-up period. Conclusions Although Braun anastomosis offers short-term benefits in reducing bile reflux after B-II reconstruction, these effects are not sustainable. The routine use of Braun anastomosis should be reconsidered, though either approach remains a viable option depending on the patient’s circumstances.

Purpose: The optimal reconstruction method following distal gastrectomy has not been elucidated. Since Billroth-II (B-II) reconstruction is commonly associated with increased bile reflux, Braun jejunojejunostomy has been proposed to reduce this complication. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 325 patients with gastric cancer who underwent distal gastrectomy with B-II reconstruction between January 2015 and December 2017, comprising 159 patients without Braun anastomosis and 166 with Braun anastomosis.Outcomes were assessed over three years using annual gastroscopy based on the residual food, gastritis, and bile reflux criteria and the Los Angeles classification for reflux esophagitis. Results: In the first postoperative year, the group with Braun anastomosis showed a significant reduction in bile reflux compared to the group without Braun anastomosis (75.9% vs. 86.2%; P=0.019). Moreover, multivariate analysis identified Braun anastomosis as the sole factor associated with this outcome. Additionally, the group with Braun anastomosis had a lower incidence of heartburn (12.0% vs. 20.1%; P=0.047) and reduced use of prokinetics (P<0.001) and acid reducers (P=0.002) compared to the group without Braun anastomosis.However, these benefits diminished in subsequent years, with no significant differences in residual food, gastritis, or reflux esophagitis between the groups. Both groups showed similar body mass index scores and nutritional outcomes over the 3-year follow-up period. Conclusions Although Braun anastomosis offers short-term benefits in reducing bile reflux after B-II reconstruction, these effects are not sustainable. The routine use of Braun anastomosis should be reconsidered, though either approach remains a viable option depending on the patient’s circumstances.

Background: Consumption and abuse of alcohol remains a significant cause of concern worldwide. Furthermore, there is evidence of the association between chronic alcohol use and reduced life expectancy. Objectives: To study the effects of Garcinia binucao extract (GBE) supplementation on lifespan of Drosophila melanogaster, in the presence or absence of chronic alcohol exposure. Methods: D. melanogaster was mass cultured and given GBE supplementation in high (1 mg/mL) and low (200 µg/mL) sublethal doses. D. melanogaster flies were divided into groups - with and without chronic alcohol exposure, and their respective lifespans were monitored. Results: In D. melanogaster without alcohol exposure, mean lifespan was highest in the control flies (38.15 days), followed by high-dose GBE (34.42 days), low-dose GBE (33.24 days), and DMSO (22.29 days). In D. melanogaster chronically exposed to alcohol, the longest mean lifespan was observed in flies treated with high-dose GBE (33.80 days), followed by low-dose GBE (33.63 days), the DMSO group (30.30), and the control group (29.65 days), but the differences were not statistically significant. Comparing groups with and without chronic alcohol exposure, the mean lifespan of the control group chronically exposed to alcohol significantly decreased by 9.51 days (p < 0.05). In GBE treatment groups, mean lifespan significantly decreased by 0.82 days in high-dose set-up (p < 0.05), and significantly increased by 0.39 days in the low-dose set-up (p < 0.05) upon chronic alcohol exposure. Conclusion Garcinia binucao extract supplementation ameliorated the observed reduction in lifespan of Drosophila melanogaster chronically exposed to alcohol.
Drosophila melanogaster ; Longevity

Pediatric intracerebral hemorrhage is a rare condition among children. We discuss the case of a 7-year-old Filipino male with generalized tonic seizures and diagnosed to have both SARS-CoV-2 infection and hypertension secondary to renal arterial stenosis. The occurrence of intracerebral hemorrhage in children, though commonly caused by arteriovenous malformations, may be secondary to an acute hypertensive episode. In this case, the presence of COVID-19 in the patient may have been contributory to the development of spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage due to its direct endothelial effects, as well as its dysregulatory action on the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system.
COVID-19 ; Hypertensive Crisis ; Renal Artery Obstruction

Objectives: This study examined the changes in the characteristics of high-risk suicide groups in South Korea before and after the COVID-19 pandemic using the Korean Cohort for the Model Predicting a Suicide and Suicide-related Behavior (K-COMPASS) cohort. Methods: The K-COMPASS is a longitudinal cohort study that started in 2015. The participants included suicide attempters and individuals with suicidal ideation from various hospitals and mental health centers in South Korea. This study compared the sociodemographic and psychiatric characteristics of 800 participants from the first cohort (2015–2019) with 511 participants from the second and third cohorts (2019–2024). Data were collected through structured interviews and validated scales. Results: The second and third cohort participants were younger, had a higher proportion of females, and exhibited more severe psychiatric symptoms and higher suicidal risk than the first cohort. The prevalence of physical illnesses decreased, while the use of psychiatric medications and the severity of mental health issues increased. In addition, significant sociodemographic changes were observed, such as higher educational levels and urban residency. Conclusion Significant shifts in the characteristics of high-risk suicide groups were observed during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the need for targeted mental health interventions focusing on younger individuals and females to prevent suicide in high-risk groups.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the motivating and hindering factors affecting the Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices of Muslim mothers in select municipalities of Maguindanao. Methods: A pretested questionnaire was administered through face-to-face interviews conducted among 320 randomly selected Muslim mothers with a child aged 6-23 months. Results : Results revealed that prelacteal feeding was practiced by 16.6% of the Muslim mothers, giving mostly plain water. Solid/semi-solid foods were introduced at a mean age of 6.1 ± 1.4 months, with home-cooked lugao (porridge) (55.0%) and commercial baby food (31.3%) as the top foods introduced. The majority of Muslim mothers (82.5%) fed processed foods as complementary food to their children, including instant noodles (85.2%) and canned goods (51.5%). Conclusion The results revealed suboptimal practices in prelacteal feeding and the reliance on processed foods among Muslim mothers, with economic factors, availability, and convenience as motivating factors in complementary feeding practices. Challenges such as household duties, low milk output, and financial constraints hinder breastfeeding and nutritious food provision for infants and young children. The study reinforced the necessity for holistic strategies in IYCF promotion among Muslim mothers.
breast feeding, Islam, malnutrition

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

The technical review process involves an evaluation of the scientific merits of the research proposal and is a necessary part of the ethics review but can be done separately and ahead of the formal ethics evaluation. The aim of this paper is to determine the efficiency and quality of the technical review process of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) Department of Medicine Research Office.

This is a cross-sectional study which involved retrieval of the technical review forms of protocols evaluated in the PGH Department of Medicine from the years 2018-2019, and then an evaluation of these metrics: timelines of the review process indicating efficiency, including time from (1) receipt of submission to receipt of reviewer (secretariat efficiency); (2) receipt of reviewer to first decision (reviewer metric); (3) initial receipt to final decision (total review time); and (4) number of re-submissions. To evaluate the quality of the reviews, the specific review findings in each part or section of the protocol were also extracted.

In the years 2018-2019, a total of 199 protocols underwent technical review, with one protocol having no further data after the submission so only 198 proposals were analyzed. Majority of the protocols or 139/198 (70.2%) were submitted only once and were approved without comments, while the remaining 59/198 (29.8%) were submitted twice for technical review (mode of 1, mean of 1.32). The protocols were sent to the reviewers within the same day of receipt 100% of the time. The time from receipt of submission to receipt of reviewer was within the same day and the time from receipt of reviewer to first decision (mean, standard deviation working days) was 10.52, 8.54 days, range 0-51 days. Around one-fourth (21.51%) of the protocols were returned to the secretariat beyond the 14-working day deadline. The time from second review of technical reviewer to return to secretariat was a mean, SD of 6.72, 6.45 days, with a range of 1 day to 36 days, and time from initial receipt to final decision was a mean of 16.16 days, SD 18.3 days, range 0-111 days. The most common reason for the delay was the failure of the author to resubmit the paper for the second review in 17/23 (74%), while the other reason was the long duration of the initial review by the reviewer in 6/23 (26%). Half of the protocols (49.5%) were returned without comments. Majority of the comments were on the methodology.

The technical review process is generally efficient with each step within the acceptable timelines. However, for 12% of the protocols, the over-all review process was still prolonged (>28 working days) because of the failure of the author to submit the paper for the second review in 74% of cases, and the long duration of the initial review in 26% of papers.

Background: Ardisia serrata (Aunasin) is an endemic Philippine plant of the family Primulaceae, with several studiesshowing the genus Ardisia as having potential antibacterial, antiangiogenic, cytotoxic, and antipyretic properties. Objective: This study aims to determine the antibacterial and antibiofilm-forming activity of Ardisia serrata ethanolic and aqueous extracts on Escherichia coli, Methicillin-Sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA), and Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Methods: This is an experimental study testing the activity against bacterial strains of E. coli, MSSA, and MRSA using ethanolic and aqueous extracts of A. serrata leaves. Microtiter susceptibility and biofilm inhibition assays were done with two-fold dilutions of the extract against the selected strains using spectrophotometry with optical density (OD) at 600 nm and 595 nm, respectively, to quantify bacterial growth and biofilm inhibition. The bacterial susceptibility and biofilm inhibition activity was reported as percent inhibition (PI). Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and minimum biofilm inhibition concentration (MBIC) values were obtained using logarithmic regression of the PI values. Results: A. serrata ethanolic extracts showed weak growth inhibitory activity against MSSA and MRSA with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of 2.6192 and 3.2988 mg/mL, respectively, but no biofilm inhibition activity was noted, while the aqueous extracts exhibited negligible biofilm inhibition activity against MSSA and MRSA with minimum biofilm inhibition concentration (MBIC) values of 13.5972 and 8964.82 mg/mL, respectively, and with no growth inhibition activity. Both ethanolic and aqueous extracts showed no growth inhibition and biofilm inhibition activities against E. coli. Conclusion Staphylococcus aureus is susceptible to the bioactivity of the leaf extracts of A. serrata and has potential to be used as an antibacterial in the treatment of infectious diseases.
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; Escherichia coli ; natural product ; biological products