UST-AB Finals (3CA1 2 3 4); PowerPoint Presentation Topics and Rules. Please read. Dr Abe V Rotor Living with Nature School on Blog
Paaralang Bayan sa Himpapawid (People's School-on-Air) with Ms Melly C Tenorio
738 DZRB AM Band, 8 to 9 evening class Monday to Friday
For the finals, prepare a 50-frame PowerPoint Presentation about a topic of your choice, with preference to the following: .
Successful UST Alumini in their respective fields of specialization, and community - at least five Thomasians. They must have finished a course at UST. They are looked upon as model, and practicing Thomasian values and principles.
UST in action - events on-campus and outside that projects UST image as an ideal institution of learning. Documentary in nature, your work must speak well and true about UST and its alumni.
UN campaign on reducing food waste which runs to billions of dollars a day. When computed in relation to present need, savings on food waste would suffice supply, proper nutrition, improved health, and alleviating poverty.
Restoring integrity of government, upholding people's right to be governed by sincere, honest, and qualified leaders. Restoring faith of people in their government, improving international image of the country.
True picture of the Filipino. Who is he today in the face of tradition on the one hand, and globalization on the other - his regard to religion, family, career, commitment to community, his outlook to the future. Does the Thomasian fit into the picture?
"The Filipino is first," "Only in the Philippines," "The Filipino can." "Where in the Philippines?" These and many more adages, motherhood statements, gimmicks, put the Philippines in the limelight. Behind all these are disturbing issues: high infant mortality, birthrate, corruption, crime, traffic, cost of electricity, water, transportation, low productivity etc. Can the Thomasian do something?
Environmental concerns, area- and event-specific.
University without Walls, Distance Education, E-Learning, on-line teaching
Topics of your choice must be first approved by the professor.
Presentation is one-on-one with the professor starting October 4, Friday (3CA3 and 3CA4), and October 7 for 3CA1 and 3CA 2. Sequence to be arranged by the class officers.
Holistic presentation, i.e., inter disciplinary, functional, experiential, contemporary.
Present objectively, with positive views and advocacy. Uphold values and Filipino culture, and code of journalism.
Follow standard format for PowerPoint, with modifications as may be necessary.
Work must be original and specific to the present course of Photography. Previously submitted work in other subjects not accepted.
Sign each photo you actually took at the right side, bottom.
Show your presence in action. Use photos not your own only when necessary. Avoid downloading from the Internet. Be aware of intellectual property rights, laws and rules in journalism and publication.
Label CD, including case (front and back) with your own original design.
Print CD content, portrait, 6 frames per page.
NOTE: Photo quality is a very important basis of grading. Edited work of others is Plagiarism. It does not remove legal rights of the owner.
Your work will be submitted to our Faculty of Arts and Letters as part of its reference materials and documentary, with signed endorsement by the author, noted by the professor. ~
WARNING: Plagiarism will be dealt with FAILURE grade. Photos and accompanying running story and captions must be the original work of the author (student). All photos must bear the hand signature of the author in permanent ink. Please read the case of Mark Solis of UP in today's news. September 25, 2013, and condemnation of his act of plagiarism by the university led by its president Dr. Pascual (September 27 2013).
Dr Abe V Rotor Living with Nature - School on Blog Paaralang Bayan sa Himpapawid with Ms Melly C Tenorio, 738 DZRB AM Band, 8 to 9 evening class, Monday to Friday
Many peoplemay not be aware that lack of Calcium is the main cause of poor bone and teeth condition, and may be the root cause of poor muscle tone and coordination of the nervous system.
It is because Calcium nourishes our bone, teeth, muscles, and the nervous system. It is also important in the proper functioning of our various organs and tissues, and responsible in clotting of blood when we are wounded.
Getting enough Calcium is the best way to prevent steoporosis, a condition prevalent in older people, characterized by the thinning of the bone. Patients are not only predisposed to brittleness of the bone, but find it difficult for broken bones to heal.
A research team headed by Professor Eduard Quinto of UST College of Science discovered a practical source of Calcium supplement extracted from the shell of table eggs which the group presented in the the last convention of the Biology Teachers Association (BIOTA) at UST.
Here are the step in extracting and preparing calcium from eggshell.
· 1. Collect egg shells and wash clean
· 2. Dissolve egg shells in dilute 10% Hydrochloric Acid. Take note of the carbon dioxide bubbling.· 3. Precipitate the calcium as calcium carbonate by adding 30% sodium carbonate solution until pH is 7.0.
· 4. Collect the cloudy liquid in a tall graduated cylinder.
· 5. Let the calcium carbonate precipitate to settle down which takes place in approximately in half an hour.
· 6. Decant the sodium chloride solution by product.
7. Collect the wet calcium carbonate suspension in a dish and dry in an oven at temperature of 80 C to 100 C.
· This is now the pure precipitated calcium carbonate powder.According to Prof. Quinto the purity of the product derived through this process is assured and that no bacterial contamination is possible. Unlike the conventional method. Which is by burning of calcium-rich materials like mollusk shell and corals, this method preserves the natural condition of the Calcium because there is no burning involved. Advantage of Powder Calcium Carbonate 1. It can exist as white, fine powder
2. Highly insoluble in water
3. Odorless and Tasteless in small amounts
4. Easily blends with water
Methods of Extracting CaCO from Egg Shell
1. Physical Process – Powdering of Egg Shell by Pounding as in a mortar and pestle.Problems: Impure Calcium Carbonate, High Probability of Bacterial specifically Salmonella contamination, maybe difficult to digest and absorb due to collagen binder.
2. Chemical Treatmenta. Heating in a furnace causing decomposition of calcium carbonate
Egg Shell CaO + CO Heating Energy can come from combustion, CaO needs to be converted to
calcium carbonate
b. Precipitation as Pure Calcium Carbonate
Egg Shell + HCI CaCl + H CO
CaCl + Na CO CaCO + 2NaClProcess of Calcium Absorption in the Human Body
Calcium carbonate taken in is dissolved in the gastric juice which contains hydrochloric acid. Dissolved calcium exisst as calcium ions which are readily absorbed by the intestinal tract. Foods that can be fortified with calcium
Milk Powder
Pancit Canton and Soup Noodles
Rice and Rice Products
Bread and Cakes
Desserts like Leche Flan, Ice Cream, Candies etc.
Snacks like cereals, crackers
Milk and Chocolate Drinks
Remember always whenever we prepare and serve food, “Is Calcium sufficient to meet our body needs and our health?”
A painting could be as rough and daring as a waterfall,
... or as soft and delicate as an orchid
The Artist: Anna Rotor-Sta Maria
It's all in the inner eye of the artist, sanctuary of the real and the ideal, the ugly and the beautiful, of water rising into clouds and pouring down as rain in cadence with lightning and thunder, waking the summer stream, roaring through the river of no return
Time passes, forgetfulness reigns, how numbed, how lifeless ... then rises a new life, peeping into a world where once a waterfall was careless and supreme, where once a river flowed, where trees stood to reach the sky and nurture life under their wings unknown, unseen, until immaculate white petals open to greet the day - a new world, a new beginning. ~
Paaralang Bayan sa Himpapawid (People's School-on-Air) with Ms Melly C Tenorio
738 DZRB AM Band, 8 to 9 evening class Monday to Friday I took this photo of a ceiling decor in a restaurant along Mindanao Avenue QC. I later realized its uniqueness from ready made chandeliers. A blend of warm and bright colors exudes an ambient air. To the artist, he sees stained glass; to the decor expert, lampshades; the jeweler, strings of a gems in pabitin or trellis arrangement. The ceiling is kept in the dark so that focus is given to the centerpiece with secondary lighting lending to such emphasis.
Native ambiance by the sea or on the farm, ideal for a bahay kubo
Vinta lampshade sways with the wind, an optical illusion
Angel fish create a therapeutic atmosphere
These photographs were taken at Virac, Catanduanes, on the occasion of the First National Biodiversity Conference, October 21-22, 2010. Acknowledgment: Prof. Rico Masagca and Dr. Jimmy Masagca, conference convenors.
Paaralang Bayan sa Himpapawid (People's School-on-Air) with Ms Melly C Tenorio
738 DZRB AM Band, 8 to 9 evening class Monday to Friday
For the finals, prepare a 50-frame PowerPoint Presentation about a topic of your choice, with preference to the following: .
Successful UST Alumini in their respective fields of specialization, and community - at least five Thomasians. They must have finished a course at UST. They are looked upon as model, and practicing Thomasian values and principles.
UST in action - events on-campus and outside that projects UST image as an ideal institution of learning. Documentary in nature, your work must speak well and true about UST and its alumni.
UN campaign on reducing food waste which runs to billions of dollars a day. When computed in relation to present need, savings on food waste would suffice supply, proper nutrition, improved health, and alleviating poverty.
Restoring integrity of government, upholding people's right to be governed by sincere, honest, and qualified leaders. Restoring faith of people in their government, improving international image of the country.
True picture of the Filipino. Who is he today in the face of tradition on the one hand, and globalization on the other - his regard to religion, family, career, commitment to community, his outlook to the future. Does the Thomasian fit into the picture?
"The Filipino is first," "Only in the Philippines," "The Filipino can." "Where in the Philippines?" These and many more adages, motherhood statements, gimmicks, put the Philippines in the limelight. Behind all these are disturbing issues: high infant mortality, birthrate, corruption, crime, traffic, cost of electricity, water, transportation, low productivity etc. Can the Thomasian do something?
Environmental concerns, area- and event-specific.
University without Walls, Distance Education, E-Learning, on-line teaching
Topics of your choice must be first approved by the professor.
Presentation is one-on-one with the professor starting October 4, Friday (3CA3 and 3CA4), and October 7 for 3CA1 and 3CA 2. Sequence to be arranged by the class officers.
Holistic presentation, i.e., inter disciplinary, functional, experiential, contemporary.
Present objectively, with positive views and advocacy. Uphold values and Filipino culture, and code of journalism.
Follow standard format for PowerPoint, with modifications as may be necessary.
Work must be original and specific to the present course of Photography. Previously submitted work in other subjects not accepted.
Sign each photo you actually took at the right side, bottom.
Show your presence in action. Use photos not your own only when necessary. Avoid downloading from the Internet. Be aware of intellectual property rights, laws and rules in journalism and publication.
Label CD, including case (front and back) with your own original design.
Print CD content, portrait, 6 frames per page.
NOTE: Photo quality is a very important basis of grading. Edited work of others is Plagiarism. It does not remove legal rights of the owner.
Your work will be submitted to our Faculty of Arts and Letters as part of its reference materials and documentary, with signed endorsement by the author, noted by the professor. ~ WARNING: Plagiarism will be dealt with FAILURE grade. Photos and accompanying running story and captions must be the original work of the author (student). All photos must bear the hand signature of the author in permanent ink. Please read the case of Mark Solis of UP in today's news. September 25, 2013
Dr Abe V Rotor Living with Nature School on Blog Paaralang Bayan sa Himpapawid with My Melly C Tenorio 738 DZRB AM Band 8 to 9 evening class, Monday to Friday Acknowledgement: Cuevas Family, Amadeo Cavite Ginard's Medicina Domestica (literary, domestic medicine, is a very rare book on medicinal plants written in Spanish. The plants described in this book are as valid today as they were used during the Spanish colonization of the Philippines. It precedes over a century the works of WH Brown (Useful Plants of the Philippines, 3 volumes), Merrill's (Plants of the Philippines), Eduardo Quisumbing (Mediciinal Plants of the Philippines ), among other works. It inspired many well known botanists and pharmacologists like Dr Romualdo M del Rosario (ethnobotanist) , Dr Nemesio Mendiola (geneticist), Dr Fernando de Peralta (Plant Physiologist), et al. With the revival of safer medicine which plants offer in lieu of synthetic drugs, expensive medicine, and the resurgence of illnesses thought to have been eliminated (e.g. tubercolosis) people all over the globe are yearning for alternative solutions. A return to herbal m,medicine is one of them. It is in this field that Filipinos excel and are well known worldwide.
Biographical sketch of Ginard and Foreword of his book
List of pharmacological formulations
Table of Contents
Handwriting of the D Rafael Ginard y Mas
The book and samples pages as photographed, unedited, by Matthew Marlo R Rotor
UST Graduate School students with their professor, Dr Rotor, in a field trip on Economic Botany, 2010.
Part 2: A Tribute to Filipino biologists This article was written soon after the completion of the Human Genome Project (HGP) was announced by then US President Bill Clinton. Which in part, I said "While the world celebrates the greatest discovery of the new millennium - the cracking of the genetic code - let us turn our thoughts to our own biologists. May their pioneering spirit in the development of biology in the Philippines be brought closer to our youth for them to look into the great potentials of biology as a career." Updating this article will come a long way, and may not suffice, much less complete. Nonetheless it is a humble effort to give our due respects and honor for the achievements of great Filipinos. More so today that we are facing a crisis in food, among other problems worldwide and locally, mainly the result of runaway population, environmental degradation exacerbated by climate change, and rising affluence of living. Governance is changing its face and conduct as shown in the current Arab Spring, worldwide low employment, global warming, increasing incidents of natural and man-made disasters. To remember these great men and women of our own race - were they alive today - we would not hesitate to ask how they can possibly help? We ask the same to the living, and we pose it as a challenge to our youth today. Our situation in the Philippines is a lament. It is irony because we have the resources - physical and human, yet we lag behind in food production on one hand, and the preservation of the environment, on the long term. Maybe the next thing we ask is when will we be able to keep up with our neighbors, and with the world. Originally these are the scientists mentioned in the original article posted in this Blog in 2009.
Eduardo Quisumbing is author of Medicinal Plants of the Philippines, still the most popular reference in this field. It is dubbed the “bible of medicinal plants.” It is used in schools, barangay and at home. Leon Ma. Guerrero (1853-1935), the father of botany in the Philippines and one of the first Filipino pharmacists, formulated medicine and drugs from 174 plants in place of synthetic drugs which were not available then. When President Emilio Aguinaldo ran out of ammunition, he formulated an explosive derived from plants. It proved to be a good substitute of gunpowder. It was later named Guerrero Powder. One of the ingredients the author discovered is the hard seed coat of cashew (Canarium luzonicum). Maria Y Orosa (1893- 1945) is well known in the field of food preservation. She introduced innovations in salting, marinating, and pickling, and the like, and made home economics and food technology household terms. So simple are her techniques that they can be adopted at the grassroots. They are also friendly to health and the environment. Hilarion Lara (1994-1987), an epidemiologist, advocated environmental sanitation in the control of cholera, typhoid, measles, dysentery and diphtheria, and was awarded the title of National Scientist. His fame , but his fame gained international acclaim. Manuel Ma. Guerrero (1877-1919) succeeded in controlling infantile beri-beri together with Dr. Juan Salcedo (1904-1988), then chairman of the National Science Development Board, who formulated a special vitamin against beri-beri for all ages. Their works contributed to saving millions of children all over the world down especially at the village level from this scourge. Alfredo Santos (1900-1979), one of the founders of the National Academy of Science, and national scientist, discovered paheantharine from plants as treatment of high blood pressure. Candido M. Africa (1895-1945) succeeded in determining the causes of heart failure and how it can be prevented. Arturo B. Rotor (1908-1993), is the first Filipino allergist. He served as Executive Secretary of President Manuel L. Quezon, and President Sergio Osmena. Dr. Rotor discovered a rare disease of the renal system which was named Rotor Syndrome, now recognized in all medical schools and hospitals here and abroad. Dr. Rotor also wrote a column, “Confidentially Yours, Doctor,” written in simple and plain English for people to understand the doctor’s lingo. A number of orchids he discovered were named after him. Antonio Ejercito spearheaded malaria control, while Sixto A. Francisco (1890-1959) fought tuberculosis with a method he developed with the use of BCG vaccine.
Anastacia Giron Tupas (1890-1972) upgraded the nursing profession. She is our own Florence Nightingale, the founder of the nursing profession.
Fe del Mundo (1907- ) institutionalized the treatment of children. Among her inventions are an incubator for babies, and a devise in relieving jaundice. Nemesio Mendiola (1890-1983) is the country’s counterpart of the American “plant wizzard,” Luther Burbank. He was responsible in breeding high yielding rice, corn, sugar cane, and a host of horticultural crops, including fancy plants. Have you seen kamote (sweet potato) varieties with yellow, violet and blue tubers? He bred the spineless kenaf from the wild thorny native variety and became the source of fiber for commercial jute sacks. Deogracias Villadolid was professor in zoology and served as critic of the author’s masteral thesis in freshwater ecology. Dr. Villadolid, a marine and fresh water biologist, is best remembered for introducing tilapia (Tilapia mozambica and T. nilotica) into the Philippines in the fifties. The fish became adapted to local conditions and is now the most popular fish, surpassing bangus, our national fish. Julian A. Banzon (1908-1988) developed alternative fuel from coconut and sugarcane. With millions of cars running on alcogas in other countries, we have yet to tap Dr. Banzon’s formula for our local cars. Felix D. Maramba Sr (1898- 1990?) harnessed biogas from animal waste. His project, Maya Farms in Rizal, is the most popular model in the country for small and medium size biogas generator. Like LPG, the gas collected and processed from piggery waste is used for the kitchen and in generating electricity. It became a model of its kind in the world. Angel S. Arguelles (1888-1988?) developed fertilizers and pesticides to increase plant yield. These alternative farm inputs can save the country of precious dollars that is otherwise spent on imported farm chemicals, which by the way, are deleterious to health and the environment. His formulations set the foundation of organic farming. Gregorio Velasquez is the father of phycology, the study of algae, which include the seaweeds. Today the culture of certain seaweeds, like Eucheuma, Gracillaria and Caulerpa, constitutes a multi-million industry. Seaweeds are used as food and raw materials in medicine and industries. Micro-algae like Spirulina and Chlorella are among today’s growing health food. Gerardo Ocfemia is the father of plant pathology in the Philippines. He is best known for discovering the cause of cadang-cadang, a pandemic viral disease of coconut. He was responsible in the identification and control of many other plant diseases in the Philippines. Dioscoro L. Umali (1922-1992) was dean of then UP College of Agriculture, before he assumed one of the highest posts occupied by a Filipino in the UN as regional head of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for Asia and Pacific. His works in plant breeding, education and research won him the National Scientist award. Salvador M. Africa, a chemist, made glass from sugarcane bagasse. Anacleto del Rosario discovered natural mineral water, better than the manufactured mineral water we use today. Of course, we recognize the greatest Filipino who ever lived, the hero of our race, Jose P. Rizal. Rizal was a biologist, agriculturist and wildlife conservationist, even while he was in exile in Dapitan. Among his discoveries is a winged tree lizard, which was later named after him, Draco rizali. Here is a list from the Internet our National Scientists affiliated with UPLB. • Eduardo Quisumbing published the first ever book on medicinal plants in the Philippines and authored more than 129 scientific articles published here and abroad. While director of the National Museum, Quisumbing undertook restoration of the Herbarium which was completely destroyed during World War II. • Dioscoro Umali specialized in rice, corn, abaca and mussaenda breeding. His research paved the way for the launching of programs of rainfed and upland agriculture, social forestry, environment conservation and rural poverty. He was appointed dean of the College of Agriculture in 1959. National Scientist. • Francisco Fronda helped develop Asia's poultry industry, devoting over six decades of his life to teaching, research and extension. In recognition of his pioneering contributions, he was cited as the "Father of Poultry Science in the Philippines" by the Philippine Association of Animal Science in 1980 and "Father of Thai Poultry Industry" by the Crown Princess of Thailand in 1982. • Julian Banzon was among the first to do research on coconut as a renewable source of fuel and chemicals. He also devised novel processes, noteworthy among these is the extraction of residual coconut oil by chemical, rather than by physical processes. • Clare Baltazar discovered eight types and one subgenus of Hymenoptera. She also published the first authoritative book on Philippine insects which laid the groundwork for future biological control in the country. • Benito Vergara is a rice scientist and author of "Farmer's Primer on Growing Rice" which has been translated in over 40 languages. He also developed IRRI’s Rice World Museum during his term as director for Administration. • Bienvenido Juliano authored or co-authored over 370 scientific papers on rice chemistry and quality and edited and contributed to several chapters of the 2nd edition of the American Association of Cereal Chemists (AACC) monograph "Rice Chemistry and Technology" in 1985, wrote "Rice Chemistry and Quality" for PhilRice in 2003, "Rice in Human Nutrition" for FAO in 1993, and compiled IRRI quality data on world rice. He is the only Filipino on Thomson/ISI's list of highly cited researchers. • Carmen Velasquez discovered thirty-two new species and one new genus of digenetic trematodes from Philippine food fishes, two from birds and five from mammals; nine life cycles of trematodes of the family Transversotrematidae, Echinostromatidae, Notocotylidae (2), Plagiorchidae, Heterophyidae (2), Microphallidae and Philophtalmidae. She also discovered two new species of nematodes from Philippine fishes and a new species of Capillaria from the intestine of man, as well as a new species of parasitic copepod in Glossogobius giurus (Goby). Her works are archived at the College of Veterinary Medicine. • Dolores Ramirez is known for her work on the genetic systems controlling the makapuno endosperm of coconut, the genetics of chemical resistance factors against Cercospora kex leaf spot and the cytogenetics of the hybrids of rice with related wild species. • Jose Velasco did research on various areas of plant physiology such as mineral nutrition, photoperiodism, chemical weed control and plant growth in general, which served as the basis of crop production management practices and has set the direction for future research. He is also known for his research on cadang-cadang disease of coconuts. • Pedro Escuro helped develop, isolate and release nine Seed Board rice varieties: Milpal 4, HBD-2, Azmil 26 and C-22 (upland) and C-18, C4-63, C4-137, C-168 and C-12 (lowland). • Gregorio Velasquez, known as the "father of Philippine phycology", made the first intensive study of the local Myxophyceae or the bluegreen algae and devoted at least 30 years of productive work in the study of Philippine algae. • Ricardo Lantican's research on southern leaf blight saved the American corn industry in 1969. He also helped develop a new plant architecture in mungbean combined with resistance to Cercospora leaf spot, which increased yield levels in Asian farming systems and initiated varietal improvement of legumes in the Philippines in the 1960s, producing more than 20 varieties of mungbean (CES and Pag-asa series), soybean and peanut, some of which are commercially planted and used as parental types in international breeding programs. • Asuncion Raymundo conducted studies on microbial genetics and implemented numerous research projects or studies funded by the Rockefeller Foundation, UNIDO and the Australian Centre for International Agriculture. She has published over a hundred technical articles in refereed journals and proceedings, both local and international. She is currently dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. • Teodulo Topacio, Jr. did research on leptospiral disease of domesticated animals, which may provide the foundation for institutional control measures for these ailments. His studies on the transmission of the disease from pigs to humans have enabled veterinarians to produce antibiotic therapy that also reduced spontaneous abortion caused by the disease among pregnant pigs. The author had the opportunity working or knowing the following scientists who belong to the "old school." It is indeed a rare and distinct privelege.
Fernando de Peralta – Botany
Fortunato T. Basilio – Animal Science
Juan P. Torres - Agriculture
Santiago R. Cruz – Agriculture
Jose Capinpin - Agriculture
Juan Aquino – Soil Science
Domingo B. Paguirigan - Agriculture
Fortunato T. Basilio – Animal Science
Romeo Rejesus – Entomology
Ricardo P. Sevilla – Veterinary Medicine
Eulalio P. Baltazar - Agronomy
Romeo Alicbusan – Mycology
Francisco Fronda – Animal Science
Martin S. Celino – Agronomy
Francisco B. Claridad – Genetics
Alfredo D. Dean – Entomology
Vito F. Del Fierro, Jr – Animal Science
Leopoldo T. Karganilla - Entomology
Emiliano Roldan – Plant Pathology
Rufino Gapuz – Animal Science
Emil Javier – Genetics
Clare Baltazar - Entomology
Ramon Valmayor – Agriculture
Gavino Trono - Agriculture and Phycology
Juanito Reyes - Agronomy
Fortunato Basilio - Veterinary Science
Vicente Villegas- Animal nutrition
The author also expresses his gratitude to the following Filipino scientists in the academe, research institutions and in the field. Together with other scientists, they belong to the “contemporary school of biology.” Among them are Reynaldo A. Tabbada (botany), Paciente Cordero (marine biology), Romualdo M. del Rosario (Botany), Ruben Umaly (Genetics), Crisanto Escaño (agriculture), Carmen Kanapi (Genetics), Mamerta R. Rocero (ethnobotany), Alice Claustro (Botany), Anselmo S. Cabigan (Biology), Irineo Dogma (Microbiology) and Lydia Joson (microbiology), Delia Ontengco (microbiologist) Lilian J Sison (chemistry), Peter Ng (medical doctor and biologist), Carlos Garcia (chemistry). The author likewise expresses recognition to scientists in the other fields of natural science, particularly in chemistry and physics. These ten major biological research areas pose a challenge to the youth of today who may take interest in becoming scientists mainly in the field of biology. 1. Biotechnology 2. Marine biology 3. Climatology 4. Human longevity 5. Effects of pollution 6. Endangered ecosystems and species 7. Exobiology and Space biology 8. Natural food and medicine 9. Pandemic human diseases 10. Gene therapy Now that the genetic code has been broken, we are embarking into new fields of science and technology heretofore unknown to man - and into the mystery of life itself, a subject that has long defied man’s knowledge. The mapping of the 46 chromosomes of the human species and the 50,000 or so genes that they hold may have taken us a leap forward into knowing the key to life. But even if we shall have finally identified the specific role of each gene in relation to health, behavior and intrinsic qualities, we would still be in quandary whether this discovery will make life any better, happier and well-lived. As we look back, our pioneer biologists may not have cracked the gene, but definitely they have in their own quiet and humble ways brought honors to their race and profession. Most important of all, they have improved the lives of millions of not only Filipinos but other people around the world through their genius, efforts, dedication – and selflessness. May this article serve as a simple expression of our respect and gratitude to these and many other great Filipinos who equally deserve recognition. x x x NOTE: We'll be happy to receive more names of famous Filipino biologists. AVR
A short list of Filipino Botanists Some names have already been mentioned in this article)
Baldomero Olivera, Jr.
Filomena F Campos
Romualdo M Del Rosario
Edwin Tadiosa
Francisco Claridad
Eduardo Quisumbing
Anselmo S Cabigan
Reynaldo Tabbada
Gregorio Velasquez
Dolores Hernandez
Gavino Trono Jr
Consuelo V Asis
Benito S Vergara
Jose V Santos
Julie Barcelona
Wilfredo Vendivil
Leonardo Co
Pedro Escuro
Ignacio de Mercado
Asuncion Raymundo
Alfredo Santo
Jose Velasco
Hermes Gutierez
Marcos Vega
Ramon Valmayor
Prescillano M. Zamora
Angel C. Alcala
Quirino O. Navarro
Evelyn Mae T. Mendoza
Jose O. Juliano
Bienvinido O. Juliano
Edgardo Gomez
Mario O San Juan
I take this privilege to acknowledge our own Filipino scientists particularly in the wide field of botany . This is a random list and therefore cannot account for many more in a single article. The same recognition is however given to them, as well as the countless unknown practicing botanists - herbolarios, farmers and gardeners. May this article serve as inspiration to the young to take up a career in this field. AVR
Paaralang Bayan sa Himpapawid (People's School-on-Air) with Ms Melly C Tenorio
738 KHz DZRB AM Band, 8-9 evening class, Monday to Friday
Waterfall mural, AVR 2009
How do you see yourself as a waterfall? This exercise leads us to differentiate reality from imagination. Second, how can we combine reality and idealism to express ourselves?
Here is a drawing exercise suitable to both young and old, class or workshop.
As a participant draw a waterfall from your own experience and imagination. You have ten minutes to finish it on a one-fourth bond paper using pencil or pen.
A background music is provided while you work. Nature’s sound: water cascading or flowing accompanied by songs of birds and other creatures, and occasional breeze. The theme of a song is Somewhere Over a Rainbow. Other appropriate pieces are The Blue Danube, Flow Gently Sweet Afton, and Antonio Vivaldi's Four Seasons.
If you are ready to start the exercise, at this juncture, please pause.
You will come to know the basis of judging your work after you are through. It takes some twenty minutes to finish. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTE: Do not read these criteria until you have completed your drawing.
Exchange your paper with your seatmate's. The instructor will now guide you in checking the papers with the criteria below. Use a scale of 1 to 10, starting with 1=Very Poor to 5=Average, and to 10=Outstanding. It's now your discretion to grade the paper given you.
Height of the waterfall
Fullness of its water
Lushness of its watershed
Abundance of its source, river or lake
Force and power of the fall
Strength and firmness of the rock face
Downstream flow and direction
Creatures in their natural habitat
No wasteland, no space left out
Naturalness and artistic presentation
Add the points obtained from each of the 10 factors. The perfect score is 100. Return paper to the owner.
The second part of the exercise is sharing. What is the significance of this exercise? How does it relate to life?
Relate each criterion with your personal life, your dealings with people, Nature, and the Creator. This takes about half an hour or so.
This exercise leads you to know yourself better - your strength and weakness - and most important - your potentials. ~
Paaralang Bayan sa Himpapawid (People's School-on-Air) with Ms Melly C Tenorio
738 KHz DZRB AM Band, 8-9 evening class, Monday to Friday
Dengue mosquito (Aedes egypti). Photo taken by Mohammed Mahdi Karim
Anopheles mosquito aims its needle sharp probosis to get through its host's clothing. Mosquitoes can live as long as 3 months, and two to three times longer under hibernation.
Virtually no one escapes this cosmopolitan uncanny vampire, that hardly a day passes without sustaining a surreptitious bite from it.
The mosquito follows wherever man goes, and oftentimes is even ahead in the frontiers. Its is there in the polar regions of Siberia, marshes of tropical America and Asia, at the Dead Sea basin, 1,300 feet below sea level, and on the Andes and Himalayas.
They come in armies or swarms but are not true colonies like those of the bees and ants. Swarming is just an accident of enormous population buildup concentrated in a local breeding area.
The mosquito changed the course of history. When irrigation canals built by the Babylonians joined the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, a vast swamp developed and became infested with malaria. It was here Alexander the Great and his powerful army lost - to malaria.
The mosquito has successfully defended the wildlife bastions such as the Amazon, the jungles of India and Africa, and the forest islands of the Pacific. The development of the tropics - the mosquito belt - was retarded for centuries, and mosquitoes almost prevented the building of the Panama and Suez Canals.
The mosquito occupies a vital link in the food chain, being a major food source for fish and amphibians. Fishes feed upon its larvae, the wrigglers, while the adults are frog's favorite. Man's dependence on fish, - which are dependent on mosquitoes in turn - places him at the apex of the food pyramid. There is only one guarantee that man continues to occupy this position - if he is willing to shed blood for it. Without blood, mosquito eggs fail to hatch and without a sip once in every 25 generations, its particular generation dies out, thus breaking the food chain and toppling the food pyramid.
In today's modern living, with technological breakthroughs in pests and disease control, human encounters with the once dreaded mosquito have been reduced mainly to physical annoyance and "pesky" problems. This is not however, entirely true as we shall see later.
Here are some questions commonly raised about the mosquito, and their scientific answers to update our acquaintance with our old enemy and friend.
Q. Do mosquitoes bite only warm-blooded animals?
A. In general yes, but there are also species of mosquitoes that bite turtles and snakes.
Q. Do all mosquitoes bite?
A. Only the female mosquito does. The regular food of adult, male mosquitoes is plant sap and nectar.
Q. How are mosquitoes able to locate their suitable hosts?
A. They have chemoreceptors - a combination of smell and touch - located at the plumose antennae and hairy legs. These are sensitive to heat waves and odor emitted by the hosts.
Q. Do mosquitoes invade places far from their breeding grounds?
A. Yes, although they seldom travel farther than 1000 feet from their birthplace. Mass raids have been monitored to as far as 50 to 75 miles away, the swarm usually riding on air currents.
The British named their bombers and reconnaissance planes in World War II, Mosquito, so with the Italians for their anti-tank rockets – a tribute to the superb agility of this pesky minutia.
A. Actually it is a sheath bundle of modified mouthparts, the equivalent of teeth, lips and whiskers elongated to form a drill, siphon, probe and guide and rolled into a needle or proboscis.
Left: Anopheles and Culex wrigglers; Culex pupa. Note: oil film clogs the breathing apparatus of the wriggler which causes asphyxiation.
Q. How can this tiny needle penetrate tough skin and clothing?
A. It works on the principle of jackhammer with high frequency.
Q. What prevents blood from clotting in the body of the mosquito?
A. The blood, before it is sucked, is first thinned by the mosquito's saliva, which contains an anti-coagulant substance. It has also an anesthesia effect on the host.
Q. Is this the reason why we do not feel a mosquito bite at once?
A. Yes, and probably the location of the bite is away from a nerve.
Q. Why do mosquitoes make their presence known by buzzing near the ear?
A. This is not true. They simply whine and emit short wave buzzing which is picked up when passing near the ear. (Wing beat is 600 per second, and the cymbal sound-producing membrane vibrates nearly 7000 cycles per second.).
Q. How do you recognize disease-carrying species from one another?
A. Anopheles, the malaria carrier has its head, body, and proboscis in straight line to each other but at an angle to the resting surface. It has spotted colorings on the wings. Its wrigglers lie parallel to the water surface.
Culex, the carrier of viral encephalitis and filariasis holds its body parallel to the resting surface. Its scaly proboscis is bent and uniform in color. Its wrigglers are slender and long with breathing tubes covered with hair tufts.
Aedes, the carrier of yellow fever, dengue and encephalitis, holds body parallel to the resting surface with proboscis bent down, thorax silvery with white markings. Its wrigglers are short and stout with breathing tubes containing a pair of tufts. They hang from the water surface at 45 degrees angle.
When you see a mosquito resting, or wrigglers hanging down from the surface of a pond, use the above reference.
Q. How serious is Dengue fever? How can it be controlled?
A. The disease threatens two billion people in 100 countries. In 1998 alone, 514 died of Dengue in the Philippines with one death for every 100 patients who were mostly children. Metro Manila had the highest incidence with more than six thousand cases. Since the disease is specifically transmitted by Aedes egpypti, the key to the control of the disease is the extermination of the breeding places of the mosquito vector.
Q. Do mosquitoes follow certain feeding hours?
A. Yes. For example, the Anopholes or malarial mosquito bites chiefly in the evening and early morning, while the Aedes bites during the day.
Q. How fast do mosquitoes multiply?
A. In a year's time there may be from 15 to 20 generations produced. At the normal rate of 100 eggs laid per generation, a common mosquito could spawn 31 billion descendants in six generations.
Q. What attracts mosquitoes?
A. They are attracted by the regular breathing, color and texture of clothing, and odor. Dr. A. Brown of the University of Ontario reported that the rate of breathing is the principal factor in attracting mosquitoes. He also found that only one-tenth landed on white clothing than on dark or black material. The texture most avoided is luminescent satin. A person who has not taken a bath gets more mosquito bites. Try it.
Q. What is the best insecticide to make our homes "mosquito- proof?"
A. When DDT was not yet banned, 200 milligrams of the powder could give effective proofing from 6 to 12 months. Dieldrin at 50 milligrams gives a three-month proofing. Carbamates, like Sevin, are preferred. Even if they have shorter residual effect, they are safer to health and the environment. Eucalyptus trees in the surroundings repel mosquitoes. Now and then smudge the area by burning dried leaves of Eucalyptus specially in the afternoon.
Q. Do mosquitoes develop resistance to chemicals?
A. Yes, through biological specialization, survivors from previous sprayings tend to carry on a certain degree of resistance, which could be passed on to the next generation. Chemical control should be judiciously practiced to cushion this phenomenon. Return to plant derivative insecticide like pyrethrum,rotenone, nicotine and derris is highly recommended.
Q. How does a film of oil on water kill mosquito wrigglers?
A. When they stick their tails out of the water to breath, the oil slick clogs the breathing tube, thus resulting to asphyxiation.
Q. If it is impractical to drain the breeding ground of mosquitoes, how do we get rid of wrigglers and pupae?
A. Keep the water free from organic matter and scum which are food of wrigglers. Better still, put some fish, like kataba (Poecilia) and Gambusia, to feed on them.
Q. Do mosquitoes fight each other?
A. They seldom engage in combat, but there are species, which have preying habits. These are Toxorphynchites nornatus, T. splendens, and T. brevipalpis which were introduced into Hawaii, Fiji, Australia and Southeast Asia to control pest mosquitoes. Their wrigglers are larger and larvivorous, feeding on the smaller wrigglers of other mosquito species.
Next time a mosquito comes buzzing around your ears, take the message seriously because it is the world’s deadliest creature. More people have died because of its bite than all who perished in all wars combined.
________________________________________________ The British named their bombers and reconnaissance planes in World War II,Mosquito, so with the Italians for their anti-tank rockets – a tribute to the superb agility of this pesky minutia. __________________________________________________
Mosquito repellant from bottle brush (Salix sp)
There is a way to get rid of mosquitoes without mosquito net and other paraphernalia. That is, to apply skin repellant. This simple extract preparation can be made - and used - at home. ~
Direct crude extract (ground fresh leaves) repels mosquitoes and flies. It also serves as fresh deodorant in the bathroom and kitchen. Dilute with tap water at 1:4, filter with ordinary cloth, and spray (atomizer) on garden plants and in dark corners. Another preparation is by dissolving the fresh extract with ethyl alcohol 1:2 ratio, air dry, and add Vaseline or Petroleum Jelly to the powder residue. This also serves as ointment for minor wounds
The mosquito repellant that is advertised is made of synthetic compounds and there are reports that it is carcinogenic, affecting not only the skin but internal organs as well, since poison can be absorbed by the skin and goes into the blood stream which circulates throughout the body.
What then is a safer alternative? Researchers from the University of Santo Tomas found out that the volatile oil of the weeping willow, also known as bottle brush (named after the form and shape of the leaves) is an effective mosquito repellant. The oil is extracted by dissolving the ground dried leaves with ethyl alcohol as solvent. Results of the experiment showed that the extract is effective in repelling house mosquitoes (Culex pipens) with the same efficacy as the advertised commercial product. The result also validates the old practice of using weeping willow to ward mosquitoes by simply rubbing crushed fresh leaves on the skin. (Clemente R, Landan RP Luquinario MI and P Padua, UST 2002)
Poeciliids – Mosquito Fish Dell H. Grecia, Columnist Women’ Journal Raising poeciliids, or nature’s soldiers, in your backyard can help eradicate dengue- and malaria- causing mosquitoes.Aside from garden, you can also build a mini-pond in your backyard. Then you can fill the mini-pond with tilapia, catfish (hito), even carp and pangasius. The fishes are good predators of mosquito wrigglers. But there is another highly recommended fish, the kataba or poeciliid, a large family of small fishes known for being predatory as well as omnivorous. Residents along esteros can live without window and door screens and mosquito nets due to the presence of this biological friend and nemesis of the kiti-kiti or mosquito wrigglers. The importance of insectivorous fish cannot be underestimated, says my friend, the biologist Dr. Abe V. Rotor. He mentions China, whose government mandated the raising of mosquito-eating fishes during the dengue outbreak in 1981. The Chinese raised fishes like the poeciliids (kataba or bubuntis), tilapia and catfish (hito) in canals, ponds, fields, and even household water containers. Indeed, the community project prospered and in no time the epidemic was contained.
Characteristics of the Kataba
The kataba fish is around three centimeters, form shout to tail tip. It is laterally compressed but stocky and fat-belied, hence its name bubuntis or kataba which means fat. Although brown or black in color, it exudes a dainty prism on its belly and sides- earning for it the name “rainbow fish”.
They are found almost everywhere as long as there is water- in fields, irrigation and drainage canals. For this reason, they are also called canal fish,” explains Abe.
If you see bubbling ripples in Manila’s esteros, you know the katabas are around- the fish can adapt to a wide range of environments, from canals to estuaries.Imagine schools of poeciliids inhabiting the esteros, the tributaries of the Pasig River. They live around the bends, in coves, rock pools and in mudflats. When it rains, they go up stream. Poeciliids are found in Laguna Bay down Pasig River, reaching as far as the estuarine area.
Biological Control If there is a single program that warrants full attention, Abe stresses, it is the control of malaria and dengue, the most dreaded pandemic diseases which have killed coutless people in this country. Deep concern has been demonstrated by governments. For example, in South Korea, a local fish Aphyocypris chinensis was found very effective in controlling mosquito vectors. Papua New Guinea and French Polynesia used Gambusia affinis and Aphanaus affinis in mosquito control. It was in Florida, Mississippi, Central America and Mexico where where Gambusia became popular, and soon this fish found its way to many countries. But it is the poeciliids, according to Abe, which has adapted in this country, along with other insect-eating fish species which include liwalo, spotted gourami, tilapia, mudfish (dalag) and hito. Poeciliid Poeciliids are also prey to many bigger fishes. Surprisingly, because of their number and rapid rate of reproduction, poeciliids have managed to maintain a stable populations even in open waters. Besides, the poeciliid prefers shallow areas and the edges of water where it is relatively safer. Poeciliids swallow their food whole like a boa, except that their mouths are wide open. We call this luxury feeding. Poeciliids speak during the rainy season, Abe explains, reaching 81 percent in June, then declines in the cool months and toward summer. In January, only one out of two poeciliids are positive of insect prey, which means that they rely on plankton, like algae which are abundant in rivers and lakes at this time of the year. These facts were observed by Dr. Grace M. Cruz of the University of Santo Tomas in her 1998 dissertation.
Origin of Poeciliids Abe adds that poeciliids were introduced into the country from Mexico by “accident”. It must have been during the Galleon Trade between Acapulco and Manila. But certainly the colonizers knew of the value of this fish and it was possible that it was purposely introduced for biological control.
Today, poeciliids are found in many countries. With little encouragement, the fish multiplies very fast. Instead of laying eggs, it gives birth to numerous young viviparous. And being non-seasonal and highly adaptable, population levels are safely established in a short time.
Abe describes the fish as having a barrel-shaped body, particularly in the case of the female which appears pregnant. Weight and length ratio shows that the female is more plump than the male of the same size.
The distinguishing mark of the male is the presence of gonopodium, which is the equivalent of a penis. Another is that the male’s dorsal fin is comparatively longer. The anal fin of the female originates beneath the dorsal fin, opposite the eleventh scale of the tail. The male’s anal fin, however, originates from beneath the anterior part of the dorsal fin opposite the eighth scale.
Practical way to clean jars and plastic containers Abe, who makes basi wine (an Ilocano drink) and vinegar, uses poeciliids to clean the earthen jars used for aging the wine. He says: “After harvesting the wine after a year of aging, the most difficult part of the job begins: cleaning the jar. It has to be washed at least three times in one-week intervals, allowing the water to stand every washing. Its tedious work and the danger of breeding mosquitoes is inevitable. “By culturing two to three pairs of poeciliids in the jar, you only need to change the water once. And it takes half the time to obtain a clean, odorless jar. The secret is that the poeciliids eat the wrigglers, algae and plankton, as well as other organic materials, converting them into stable organic residues. ~
