The University of San Agustin, also referred to by its acronym USA or as San Ag, is a private, Roman Catholic, research, coeducational, non-profit basic and higher education institution run by the Augustinian Province of Santo Niño de Cebu, Philippines of the Order of Saint Augustine in Iloilo City, Philippines. It was founded by the Augustinians in July 1904.The Spanish Augustinians with the help of their American confreres established in 1904 a school for boys. It had initially an enrollment of 40 students. In 1917, it was incorporated and became Colegio de San Agustin de Iloilo. In March 1953, San Agustin attained university status making it as the first university in Western Visayas. San Agustin is likewise the first Augustinian university in the Asia-Pacific region.University of San Agustin now provides academic programs from Basic Education up to post graduate studies in the areas of Law, Business, Education, Computer Studies, Arts and Sciences, Performing Arts, Music, Engineering, Medical Technology, Nursing and Pharmacy. In 2013, the university celebrated its 60th year as an institution of higher learning. The University is a Center of Development in Teacher Education as recognized by the Commission on Higher Education.
The high market value of certain essential oils (EOs), such as lemon essential oil (LEO), makes them particularly susceptible to adulteration. Such adulteration typically involves the intentional addition of low-value EOs. In this study, we mixed LEO and sweet orange essential oil (SOEO), lime essential oil (LiEO), and grapefruit essential oil (GEO) at varying concentrations. We then used Attenuated Total Reflectance - Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), and principal component regression (PCR), partial least squares regression (PLS), and artificial neural network (ANN) chemometrics to quantify adulteration in the samples. The ANN models produce the best accuracy, however it is computationally expensive and not practical. We further demonstrate that PLS using the 2000-1000 cm-1, ATR-FTIR spectral region produces good accuracy in predicting % v/v LEO, SOEO, LiEO, and GEO in the samples.
Background/Objectives: The global rise in multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MDR-SA) threatens the efficacy of existing antibiotics and necessitates alternative antibacterial strategies. Plant-derived isoflavones represent a promising but underexplored source of novel antimicrobials. Biochanin A, isolated from Cajanus cajan seeds, exhibits antibacterial activity and may act via noncanonical mechanisms. This study elucidates the mechanism of action and safety profile of Biochanin A against MDR-SA using integrated experimental and computational approaches. Methods: Antibacterial activity was assessed by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) testing. Membrane integrity and morphological alterations were evaluated using flow cytometry and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. Target gene modulation was analyzed by qRT-PCR, while molecular interactions were examined through in silico docking. Cytotoxicity was evaluated in normal mammalian kidney, liver, and cardiac cells. Results: Biochanin A inhibited MDR-SA with an MIC80 of 64 µg/mL. Flow cytometry showed membrane disruption in 74.46 ± 13.19% of treated cells, and SEM revealed a 20% reduction in cell size (561.95 ± 21.99 nm). Biochanin A markedly downregulated femA (94%) and femB (67%), with minimal effect on femX (10%). Docking analyses supported preferential binding to FemA (-7.7 kcal/mol) and FemB (-7.5 kcal/mol) proteins. No cytotoxic effects were observed in normal mammalian cells. Conclusions: Biochanin A is a promising plant-derived antibacterial candidate against MDR-SA, targeting key cell wall biosynthesis genes while maintaining mammalian safety. These findings position Biochanin A as a viable lead for further biochemical, structural, and in vivo pharmacological validation, highlighting the translational potential of plant-derived isoflavones in combating antibiotic resistance.
Concrete is commonly used in construction because of its high compressive strength and durability. However, its brittle nature makes it vulnerable to microcracks that can decrease long-term performance. This study evaluates coconut coir fiber (CCF) as a sustainable additive for self-healing concrete. CCF was incorporated as a partial cement replacement (1%, 3%, and 5% by weight), in both its natural form and as a carrier for a silica-based self-healing material (SHM). Physical and mechanical properties, including density, water absorption, compressive strength, and flexural strength, were examined together with crack-healing efficiency. The results showed that CCF exhibited high tensile strength (similar to 115.5 MPa). Specimens with SHM-CCF at 3% and 5% showed significant reductions in crack width after 28 days (about 75-80%), indicating enhanced self-healing ability. Although water absorption slightly increased with higher fiber content, concrete densities stayed within the normal range (2230-2290 kg m(-3)). The highest flexural strength (similar to 5.15 MPa) was reached at 1% SHM-CCF, while higher amounts caused reduced strength due to fiber agglomeration. Overall, SHM-CCF shows potential as a sustainable cementitious additive that improves crack healing and mechanical performance while utilizing agricultural waste.
The utilization of alternative and sustainable desalination methods geared towards geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas is gaining attention. The Passive Solar Driven Membrane (PSDM) desalination system, which relies on thermal and membrane processes, possesses key advantages to delivering safe water in rural and remote areas of an archipelagic location. This study explores the PSDM system using 1, 2, 4, 7, and 10 stages to determine the productivity, yield and salinity using simulated seawater, providing valuable insights regarding the system’s performance under Philippine atmospheric conditions. Desalination of 3.5% salt solution was conducted on a rooftop setting with PSDM multi-stages. Results show the average productivity of the 1, 2, 4, 7, and 10 stages are 93.84, 328.57, 401.47, 203.701, and 258.15 g/kWh respectively. The number of stages shows no correlation to the final salinity, showing a 94% - 96% reduction in the salinity of the distilled water at all stages. Such quality water can be used for irrigation for crops, livestock, household use, and potable water. Furthermore, membrane characterizations using SEM and WCA showed how the morphology and hydrophobicity of membranes influence the desalination process. The decreasing salt deposits and increasing distance from the heat source correlate with the effectiveness of the membrane design.
Families raising autistic children in rural Philippine communities often provide care with limited access to diagnosis, therapy, and specialized schooling, yet their own accounts remain thinly represented in research. This phenomenologically oriented qualitative study explored how five primary caregivers (three mothers, one father, and one aunt serving as legal guardian) of children with autism in a rural municipality of Iloilo, Philippines, experienced and made sense of caregiving. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted in Kinaray-a and English in March–April 2025, transcribed and translated into English by the first author, and analyzed through a phenomenological thematic analysis informed by Moustakas, in which significant statements were horizonalized, clustered into meaning units, and developed into themes with Dedoose support. Field observations and available medical records were used only to contextualize interview accounts. Six themes were developed: living through the rhythms of rural caregiving; parenting under the public eye; making do and making sense; threads of hope in patchwork systems; the heart’s weight of burnout, grief, and acceptance; and strength forged in love, with relationships stretched and rewoven. Caregivers described constant vigilance, guesswork in communication, and growing physical strain; blame and exclusion alongside neighborhood familiarity and acceptance; and reliance on patience, prayer, routines, and regulated phone use. Public assistance and special education were valued but short, irregular, or hard to reach. Accounts differed in important ways: one mother rarely voiced her exhaustion, a father reframed hardship as opportunity while admitting thoughts of giving up, and one mother reported little judgment at all. Rather than an inexhaustible devotion, the culturally situated phrase dunâ nga gugma is read here as love that caregivers described as growing, practised daily, and strained by unmet needs. The findings point to sustained school–family contact, clearer referral pathways, and caregiver respite as priorities for local consultation.
