DETECTION of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli IN BEEF SOLD IN DASMARIñAS CITY MARKETS
Arizaldo E. Castro, Thessa Marie L. Urquia, and Norbel A. Tabo
Biological Sciences Department, College of Science and Computer Studies,
De La Salle University-Dasmariñas
ABSTRACT
Animal meat is one primary source of edible tissue that can serve as substrate for the growth of pathogenic bacteria. One of the emerging pathogenic bacterial strains that thrive in retail meat is Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC), a causative agent of bloody diarrhea. This study was undertaken to detect the presence of STEC in beef sold in the three major public markets of Dasmariñas City and associate its presence with type of meat and season of collection. Thirty beef samples collected over the periods of dry and wet seasons were processed for bacterial enrichment, colony isolation, DNA extraction, and polymerase chain reaction of two STEC indicative genes, stx1 and rfbO157. Out of 20 isolates, three were identified as STEC and from which two turned out to be positive for the rfbO157 gene and are classified as E.coli O157. Data show that the prevalence of STEC was 10% and that there is a significant association between the presence of STEC and the season of collection (p=0.05) as well as the type of meat sampled (p=0.05) suggesting possible health risks to the consuming public of Dasmariñas City, Cavite.
Keywords: Shiga-toxin, Escherichia coli, PCR, stx1, rfbO157, E.coli O157
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COMPARING THE MELANOMACROPHAGE CENTERS (MMCS) IN HATCHERY REARED AND PEN-REARED FISH FROM PAETE, LAGUNA, TO LAGUNA DE BAY
Maryjoie A. Lituañas
Sanitary Engineering Department, College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology,
De La Salle University-Dasmariñas
ABSTRACT
The economic significance of Laguna de Bay necessitates regular monitoring of its environmental quality. Aside from water quality tests, there should also be a focus on the impact of existing conditions on aquatic biota. Hence, this study aimed to determine the number and the composition of MMC (Melanomacrophage Center) proliferation in the liver and spleen of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L.) collected from the lake waters within the jurisdiction of the municipality of Paete, Laguna, both during the dry and the wet seasons as a biomarker of pesticides loading. The samples collected from Paete revealed that there were significant differences in the number of splenic MMCs for the dry season (P<0.05) while there were no significant differences during the wet season (P>0.05). Further, the study revealed that there were significant differences in the average pigment composition among the different MMC pigment structures during the dry season (X2=9.42, P<0.05) and the wet season (X2= 10.22, P<0.05). It was also found that hepatic MMCs were scarce in both sampling seasons. The study, therefore, suggests that MMCs can serve as reliable biomarkers for water quality in terms of environmental stress due to insecticide loading.
Keywords: Melano-macrophage centers, Laguna de Bay, Insecticides, O.niloticus L., Spleen, Paete, Liver
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COHESION AND COHERENCE IN NEWS ARTICLES ACROSS CULTURES
Jaime Zeus C. Agustin
University Research Office
De La Salle University- Dasmariñas
ABSTRACT
The study focused on the preferred cohesive devices, topical progressions and intercultural features of articles from the news portals of China Daily (CD), Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI) and Wall Street Journal (WSJ). Halliday and Hasan’s concept of cohesion, Lautamatii’s topical structure analysis, and Mohamed and Omer’s framework on texture and culture were used to examine the articles. The frequency of cohesive devices and of topical progressions was determined and analyzed. The study found that the articles’ cohesion was primarily anchored on reference, conjunction and lexical cohesion. Also, their coherence was built on sequential and extended parallel progressions. Lastly, the three news portals manifested the naturally perceived western cultures of being writer-responsible and literate; however, WSJ was found individualist and CD and PDI as collectivists. It was concluded in the study that the rules in the news writing genre could have dictated the cultures manifested in the CD, PDI and WSJ articles. Also, TSA was proven to be a useful tool in analyzing coherence in texts. The study recommends the combined use of cohesive devices and of topical progression techniques in improving the teaching of writing among students and professionals. The reinvention or creation of new structures in writing news with focus on cohesion and coherence is, likewise, recommended. Also, the use of the study’s framework is recommended to be applied by other researchers in investigating other writing genres, especially those with unique structures being followed like news articles.
Keywords: cohesion, coherence, culture, linguistics, news
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OCCURRENCE OF Salmonella Typhi IN DRINKING WATER IN DASMARIÑAS CITY, CAVITE AND ITS DRUG-RESISTANCE
Norbel Tabo
Biological Sciences Department, College of Science and Computer Studies,
De La Salle University-Dasmariñas
ABSTRACT
Accurate monitoring of microbiological parameter in drinking water is essential to safeguard consumers and improve the understanding of water treatment and distribution systems. The current study aims to determine the occurrence of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi in drinking water sources and its drug-resistance. Two hundred water samples from source water (40 samples), finished drinking water (40 samples) and residential tap water (120 samples) were subjected to HPC and viaB PCR in determining their water quality and detecting Salmonella Typhi. The results show that none of the water samples rendered positive to HPC. Howeveistrictr, is of good quality.12 (6%) samples have colonies ranging from 15 to 25. Of the colonies recovered from the samples, 26 isolates conformed to the colonial characteristics of Salmonella. These isolates were observed in two tap water samples. However, one tap water samples had eight isolates confirmed by viaB PCR as Salmonella Typhi. No significant difference (p>0.05) was observed among the water sources with regard to the culturable Salmonella spp. and S. Typhi. In the susceptibility tests of the 26 isolates, 38.5% were resistant to ampicillin, 19.2% to chloramphenicol, 15.4% to co-trimoxazole, 7.7% to streptomycin and 19.2% to tetracycline. The eight S. Typhi isolates confirmed by viaB PCR were all sensitive to the antibiotics used. The presence of these bacteria in drinking water sources and the emergence of antibiotic-resistant non-typhoidal Salmonella can provide information and awareness for the local water utilities to review the water treatment methods and check the water distribution systems. Further, the PCR method presents an alternative way to assess the general microbial quality of drinking water.
Keywords: drinking water sources, heterotrophic plate count method, drug-resistance, polymerase chain reaction, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi
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