Docu.Siyensiya 2012

science digest for students

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table of contents Writing a Scientific Research Paper............................................................................................................................3 The Water Rocket.......................................................................................................................................................8 A Fair Tale.................................................................................................................................................................12 National Science Fair 2012 • Selected Student Research Science Projects Go Sago! Cheaper Enzyme Production With Sago Starch..............................................................................17 Gang Green: Students Promote Mahogany Biodiesel for Cleaner Environment...............................................20 Efficiency You Can ‘Count’ On: Bill Segregator Software Takes the Trouble Out of Sorting Money.................23 SCIENCE MYSTERIES — Mayan Calendar & 2012.......................................................................................26 Muzzle Up and Game On! Physics Lessons at a Click of a Button.................................................................28 There’s An App For That: Access Road Quality Information Using Your Android™ Phone..............................31 SCIENCE MYSTERIES — Déjà vu.................................................................................................................34 In a Heartbeat: Building a Portable Android™-based ECG System.................................................................36 Plants That Give Life: Cultivating the Industrial Value of the Century Plant and Coconut Coir........................39 SCIENCE MYSTERIES — Vestigial structures..............................................................................................43 Shirt, Anyone?............................................................................................................................................. 44 A Spark of Ingenuity: Building an Improvised Dielectric Tester......................................................................47 SCIENCE MYSTERIES — Parallel universes................................................................................................50 Water and Life: Monitoring the Health of Lanao del Norte’s Water Reservoir.................................................52 Curiouser and Curiouser...............................................................................................................................55 SCIENCE MYSTERIES — Riding bicycles.....................................................................................................58 A Tree for a Life........................................................................................................................................... 60 Inked: Bioprospecting Bioactive Compounds from Sea Hare Ink................................................................... 63 SCIENCE MYSTERIES — Last Song Syndrome............................................................................................66 ‘Mooooo’: Beefing Up the Blood with BSA.................................................................................................... 68 Voracious Bacteria: Synthetic Plastic from Waste-Fed Microorganisms.......................................................71 SCIENCE MYSTERIES — Yawning................................................................................................................74 Soothe Your Skin With Siling Labuyo: Healing Fungal Infections With Capsaicin’s Signature Kick................76 Rice and Shine: Ridding Palay of Pesky Green Leafhoppers..........................................................................79 SCIENCE MYSTERIES — Gravity..................................................................................................................82 Beat Out that Stinking Bug with Bitaog........................................................................................................ 84 Reaching Stars with the Aromatic Pandan................................................................................................................87 PSHS student-scientists with their technical posters................................................................................................93 2012 PSHS–MERALCO National Science Fair Stories Thru The Lens......................................................................104

Writing a

Scientific Research Paper

N

by Edward C. Albaracin

o one will be obligated to read your paper, so you have to persuade them to start reading, and you have to write clearly enough that they keep reading. – Bruce Railsback

Writing a scientific research paper or a research article can be quite challenging, more so for those who are just starting to learn to write their first one, for it requires a certain writing style unlike that of creative and feature writing which we are commonly exposed to. This article is meant as a general guide for those who are just starting to learn how to write scientific papers. The guidelines used

are patterned after from research papers that are meant to be published in a science journal or other similar print and on line publications. However, the general principles are the same even if you are writing your first high school science research.

In matters of format, don’t argue with anyone as there can be different formats depending on who is requiring a research paper. As this article is also not

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Writing a Scientific Research Paper

A well-written research explains the motivation for the experiment, the experimental design and the methods, the results and the interpretation of the results. An author presents his work in an orderly and logical manner with the help of a standard format that is quite similar across the different fields of science research.

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meant to argue about formats, as long as you follow the proper spirit and intent of writing scientific research papers, you won’t be in bad company.

Now, on to writing.

There is a helpful guiding principle about how to write your research paper, and that is to assume that “your paper will be read by a person who knows about the field in general but does not already know what you did.”1 A research paper is a way for scientists to communicate with other scientists the results of their research, thus clarity of work is extremely important. Since science concepts are oftentimes complicated enough on their own, imagine the confusion if you throw in grammatical errors and discombobulated thoughts together with statements like terminal velocity (log-transformed) and square root of wing-loading are significantly positively correlated in the seeds and cones levels.

Not easy right? So scientists are exceedingly clear and concise when they write their research papers and “in fact, scientists try to be so concise that their English should be better than that of workers in other disciplines.”2 A research paper that is well written explains the motivation for doing the experiment, the

Writing a Scientific Research Paper

experimental design and the methods, the results and the interpretation of the results. To do this, an author presents his work in an orderly and logical manner with the help of a standard format which is quite similar across the different fields of science research. This standard format also helps in a way that when reading research articles, some people read selectively, that is they just might be interested in the methods, a specific result or in the interpretation of results in a particular article.

However, an important disclaimer: the format that will be presented here will only serve as a general guideline and when writing for a particular publication or for a particular academic requirement, you must follow the format that is prescribed.

Just remember that just like in courting there are no definite rules, only that you give whatever it is (journals and advisers) that make them happy.

The Abstract It is a very succinct summary of the research article. It is brutally short and direct to the point. It usually includes, in 200 words or less, the objectives of the study, methods, results and the interpretation of the results. It gives the reader a “preview� of the whole research paper. The purpose of this is to allow

the readers to quickly scan the entirety of the article in a short time and let them decide if they want to read the whole article or not. As such, the abstract is the most concise part of the paper that is written to give the greatest impact in a few words as possible.

Although the abstract comes first, a very important tip is to write it only after the rest of the paper is done because this makes it easier to write.

The Introduction The purpose of this section in your research paper is to orient your readers to the rationale for your research work. It does this by providing a background of the current field of research that you are doing by discussing the relevant researches of other scientists. A broad guideline to this is to start from general information and then move on to more specific information. As to its length, again it depends if you are writing a journal article or your school research paper, the former sometimes gives you just four paragraphs while in the latter you can have as many as one or two pages. However, what is almost always true is that the last paragraph of the introduction should state the objectives of the study, and in some cases also the hypotheses. This makes a nice transition to the next section.

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Writing a Scientific Research Paper

Towards the end of the discussion, draw conclusions based on the results that you have. Decide if your hypotheses were supported, rejected or if you cannot make a confident conclusion.

You can suggest directions for future studies that other scientists might pursue.

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Methods The key word for this section is duplicability.

That means that this section should contain enough information for other researchers to reproduce or repeat your experiment. Some of the information that this section should contain are the ff: • Chemicals, biological materials and any supplies not commonly found in a laboratory.

• Specialized facilities, equipment and materials crucial for the success of the experiment.

• How and in where the experiment was done.

• Relevant ethical considerations if, for example, human subject were used, did they consent to participate? If you used animals, how did you minimize the pain that was inflicted?

However, the methods should not read like it is a cookbook. To this end, most methods are written in third person passive voice to focus the reader’s attention on the work done and not on the person doing the work. In terms of detail, enough description is given on the unfamiliar methods of your experiment so that a scientist with the same basic skills that you have can repeat your work. Basic

Writing a Scientific Research Paper

techniques and procedures need not be stated. For example, it is highly unnecessary to write “20mg of sample was dissolved in 100mL of solvent to make a .2mg/mL concentration.” You must assume that the scientists reading your paper are competent enough to understand about solutions and concentrations else they would not be reading your paper.

Results This section presents and illustrates the findings of your experiment in an objective manner. You need not present every raw data that you have, rather summarize the raw data that you have gathered.

Graphs and tables are helpful, if appropriate, but choose only one and do not put the same date both in a table and a graph. But do not forget to also summarize the findings in text. Point out relevant observations in the data. However, the results section is not the place to interpret your findings.

That comes in the next session.

Discussion The general intent in writing the discussion is to provide an interpretation to the results of your experiment. Here you can explain your results using knowledge gleaned from other research articles.

You can also relate your findings whether they agree with what other scientists have found or not.

However, in referring to information gathered from other articles, remember to cite them properly. For example, “According to Resende and others (2009) abnormal behavior in captive animals can be reduced by varying the way food is presented to them.”

“Oregano oil can inhibit the growth of preformed biofilm and interfere with biofilm formation during planktonic growth (Nostro and others 2007).”

Towards the end of the discussion, draw conclusions based on the results that you have.

Decide if your hypotheses were supported, rejected or if you cannot make a confident conclusion. You can suggest directions for future studies that other scientists might pursue.

Literature Cited This last section of your research paper provides an alphabetical listing of all published work that you have cited in your research paper. Some authors suggest the use only of primary literature in your citation. Different journals have different formats in writing this section such as the CSE and APA formats. Each of this citation styles has a long list of formats, longer than this article, that describes

the different formats to use if for example your resources are found online or in a science journal etc.

We will not be discussing that here, but again follow the format that is required of you.

Some examples of entries in the literature cited section are: Griffin, S. G., Wyllie, S. G., Markham, J. L. & Leach, D. (1999). “The role of structure and molecular properties of terpenoids in determining their antimicrobial activity.” Flavour Fragr J 14, 322– 332.

Hosey, G.R. (1997). “Behavioral research in zoos: academic perspectives.” Applied Animal Behavior Science 51: 199 – 207.

As a parting note, let us just make clear that this is article is not published on a peer reviewed scientific journal, so my references below is not constrained to follow the guide that I just have made above.

References: 1. Maloy, S. “Guidelines for Writing a Scientific Paper.” San Diego State University, 10/2. Web. 22 Aug 2012. <http://www.sci.sdsu.edu/~smaloy/ MicrobialGenetics/topics/scientific-writing.pdf>.

2. George Mason University, “A Guide to Writing in the Biological Sciences: The Scientific Paper.” Department of biology: George Mason university. University, n.d. Web. 22 Aug 2012. <http://classweb.gmu.edu/biologyresources/ writingguide/ScientificPaper.htm>.

3. Capprette, D. R. “Writing Research Papers.”

How to write a research paper. Experimental Biosciences, 1995. Web. 22 Aug 2012. <http:// w w w.r uf.r ice.edu /~biosl abs/tool s/repor t / reportform.html>.

4. Railsback, L. B.. Some thoughts on writing a scientific paper or thesis. N.p., 1990. Web. 22 Aug 2012. <http://www.gly.uga.edu/railsback/ writing1.html>.

5. “Writing a Scientific Research Article.” . Columbia University , n.d. Web. 22 Aug 2012. <http:// ww w.columbia.edu/cu/biology/ug/research/ paper.html>.

6. Resende, L.S., Remy, L.G., Ramos V. A., & Andriolo A. 2009. The influence of feeding enrichment on the behavior of small felids (Carnivora: Felidae) in captivity. Zoologia 26(4): 601 – 605.

7. Nostro, A., Roccaro A.S., Besignano, G., Marino, A. Cannatelli, M.A.,& Pizzimenti, F.C. 2007.

Journal of Medical Microbiology 56: 519 – 523. n

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The Water

Rocket W

hat is a Water Rocket? Basically, a water rocket is a model of a rocket which is propelled through the air with the use of air pressure and water.

What are its parts?

The parts of a water rocket are namely: 1. The MPC (Main Pressure Chamber) – This is most commonly known as the water rocket’s body. This is where the air pressure and liquid is stored.

2. The nose cone – This improves the aerodynamics of the rocket.

3. The skirt – This is what holds the fins to the rocket.

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4. The fins – Stabilizes the rocket and makes the rocket fly straight.

5. The nose cone weight – This is what directs the rocket.

6. Nozzle – This makes the rocket go further.

How do you make a water rocket?

Now this is where it gets interesting. There are many different ways to make a water rocket but this is how I make mine:

The Water Rocket

1. Obtain the following materials: • Two 2L empty soda bottles • clay • electric tape • scissors • cutter • ruler • permanent marker • tape measure(for 3 finned rockets) • 3-5 plastic folders 2. Cut one of the water bottles as illustrated.

Make sure that the cut nose cone fits snugly on your MPC. Trim or cut the nose cone if necessary.

3. Get some clay and put it inside the nose cone.

Make sure it sticks.

5. Balance the water rocket using a string or tape measure. The water rocket should be balanced at the point where the edge of the nose cone fits on the MPC. If the water rocket is not balanced at that point, add or remove some of the clay.

6. Remove the nose cone from the MPC and stick the clay to the nose cone with the electrical tape.

7. Stick the nose cone to the MPC with electrical tape.

4. Temporarily stick the nose cone to your MPC with electrical tape.

8. Get one plastic folder and draw your fin design on it.

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The Water Rocket

9. Cut out 3 or 4 fins of the same fin design and add 1 cm to its bottom.

14. Tape the fins to the skirt.

10. Cut the fins like this:

11. Wrap another folder around the MPC. Trim it so that both of the ends of the folder meet each other at one point. Divide the folder into 3 or 4 using the marker.

15. Wrap and tape the skirt around the MPC. The bottom of the skirt should be aligned with the end of the nozzle tip. All done!

12. Cut each of the divisions of the folder by 1/3.

13. Fold the end of the fins and insert it into the cut part of the folder.

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Tips • Before firing, the water inside the rocket should be 1/3 of the volume of the MPC for further propulsion.

• Make a spare nose cone since there is always a possibility of the nose cone getting crushed by the impact.

• Do not pump in more than 80 psi in the water rocket.

• Never use a worn out bottle for your MPC. The bottle must be intact.

Our Participation in the 2011 Water Rocket Competition My first regional competition started in Dagupan City in Pangasinan. The SEI (Science Education Institute) taught us lots of stuff about the water rocket during the workshop. The next day, the competition was held.

My groupmates, John Jester Castro and Louie Mondale Castro, and I were nervous when the

The Water Rocket

competition started. Surprisingly, it turned out our rocket was the only rocket to hit the target. I would say that we were very happy and lucky to win 1st place. We were more surprised that we would be participating in the Asia-Pacific Water Rocket Competition to be held in Singapore in a few months. We were thrilled that there was a cash prize given to us by the hosts and the vice mayor of Dagupan City herself. This amount later turned out to be used for the trip to Singapore.

Jester and Louie went ahead to Singapore while I stayed back because I was the one sponsored by the international organizers so I had a different flight schedule. Well, I liked the plane very much.

It had good food, and a TV with video games. The airport was really nice. I had dinner there since the bus was late leading to the fact that I arrived at the camp late. As I entered my room, It turned out that every single boy was in the room. They were sleeping like rocks. It was a good thing none of

them woke up since my bed was on the top bunker.

I woke up relieved that I didn’t fall off the bed since I roll in my sleep sometimes. I found out that my top bunker is opposite Louie’s and Louie’s bunker is opposite Jester’s. They were surprised to see me in the morning because they thought that I would arrive earlier.

I had a fun time in Singapore. I was shy at first but I got to meet many friends and acquaintances. We didn’t win the competition, though. The materials were way far different from what we used in the Philippines and our competitors were really good.

All of us received a kit from the APRSAF. They contained interesting stuff like ballpens, white ink, a hologram card that shows the Hayabusa (a satellite) launching into space. I felt sad upon leaving my friends and Singapore since I didn’t have enough time to explore more around Singapore. At least I was able to visit the science museum. Overall, it was an experience hard to forget. n

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A Fair Tale

by Janeth Morata-Fuentes

S

cience is fun. And I do not say this because I am a geek. It is because a lot can be learned from doing science and from a sharing of knowledge among like-minded people. A Science Fair does just that. It provides a venue by which the young and the old can be exposed to new and innovative ideas. It is also a place by which a healthy exchange of thoughts and plans can be had.

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Science has many times been regarded as boring because of the focus on facts.

A Science Fair is one way to disprove this impression. It need not be cerebral all the time.

How exactly does one stage a Science Fair? There is actually no set recipe for this. There are however key ingredients that make for a successful Fair.

One is the need for the right objectives. What is it that you believe a Science Fair should attain? What do you envision the participants to take and to be after the activity? The PSHS-MERALCO National Science Fair (NSF) is guided by three aims that the Working Committee whole-heartedly believes in.

These objectives are: nurturing excellence in science and technology among scholars, recognizing and affirming their research endeavors, and contributing to the development of a culture of science among the Filipino youth.

Once you have set your sight in the right direction, you will be guided in coming up with the right activities. Think fun and informative. Science has many times been regarded as boring because of the focus on facts. A Science Fair is one way to

disprove this impression. It need not be cerebral all the time. Infuse sharing of experiences, educational tours and team building tasks. You may get ideas from the following features of the NSF: Team Building: Students develop camaraderie and friendships when they do tasks and solve problems with fellow participants. It doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hurt too that there is a lot of laughter that arises from tripping while running or from walking tied together. The point is, the student gets to see her peers not as stuffy scientists-to-be but also as teens like herself.

Student Summit: What better way to air out those dramatic moments in a student researcherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life than in a summit in which the goal is to share experiences? Not only does this glue together young scientists, this activity also makes it possible for everyone to see that there are common feelings and

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A Fair Tale

The Science Congress is that part of the Fair in which students formally present their studies to a panel of expertsâ&#x20AC;Śnecessary for the improvement of the investigative studies.

unique incidents typical to one conducting research.

This is also a chance for them to positively critique each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work. If properly processed by adultsin-charge, students get to see these experiences in a proper perspective.

Time with the Experts: It is always exciting to hear from the experts. These are people who have been working in their fields for a long time and have achieved a degree of success that can be viewed as inspiring. The country is blessed with an abundance of experts. We are surely not behind in this arena.

Having students hear what they do is always enriching. They actually come out of the plenary hall more inspired to be scientists and engineers.

They even realize that you can be cool even when you are nerdy!

Science Congress: This sounds serious, and indeed it is. The Science Congress is that part of

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the Fair in which students formally present their studies to a panel of experts. Although it may seem intimidating to face such a panel, this aspect is necessary for the improvement of the investigative studies. The organizers though must see to it that the experts sitting in are positive in their critiquing of the studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; works. Proper orientation is a must. The NSF has always been blessed to have scientists who are nurturing in their dealings with the students. The participants usually come out with an affirmation that they are on the right path.

This makes them more inspired to continue on with scientific endeavors.

Community Fair: Want to popularize scientific research? The Community Fair is one way to do it.

Here, students become creative by ensuring that they are able to communicate highly-technical results to the public in a way that is understood and

A Fair Tale

Want to popularize scientific research?

The Community Fair is one way to do it.

appreciated. It is “laymanizing” science to make the public aware that research and technology projects are necessary in solving practical problems faced by people. It is also heartening to see the usually animated exchange between participants and the visiting groups.

It is not going to hurt too if you put in other elements to a Fair like socials, exchange of pins, recognition rites. Remember, the Fair is for young people. The adults of course should not mind if there’s a party sometime in between the serious parts. There is certainly no rule exempting scientiststo-be from enjoying life.

Have the Fair organized and implemented by the right people. Despite the long working hours and set-backs now and then, this group would cheerfully take on the job because of the belief that they are working for a cause. One does not need to

have an advanced postgraduate degree to be part of this group. The qualifications are simple. The right people should have the commitment and passion to carry out the mission of the Fair. They should be able to work with grace even under pressure. And they should have the patience for long planning sessions, too.

For nearly three years now, I have had the pleasure and privilege to work with a highly-dedicated set of people from PSHS and the MERALCO Development Center. There was never a time when anyone would act like a diva, regardless of rank in the organizational structure. Everyone would pitch in, whatever task needs to be done and whoever would need help. Yes, even carrying boxes or tables and chairs can be fun if done with a group you call friends. You don’t exactly mind when you have to sleep on the carpeted floor out of sheer exhaustion.

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As long as the hearts of those involved are in the right place, there is nothing that cannot be done, however difficult. A Science Fair, after all, is actually a labor of love.

Anyway, it makes for a good story afterwards.

The reason why the NSF has always been successful is because of the working team. I have never encountered so many meticulous persons (of varying degrees!) in my life except in this group.

They are not only intelligent. They also have the initiative to carry out tasks to the minutest detail.

They would many times surpass set expectations.

Add to this the fact that every disagreement is never personal, only professional. There has this balancing out of personalities, despite differences, because of respect for each other.

And yes! The team is also crazy. They laugh at their own mistakes, laugh at anything under

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the sun, tell insane stories and eat so much. Even without sleep (and eye bags for a face), theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d move and have things done, with a smile many times.

The right objectives, the right activities, the right people â&#x20AC;&#x201C; these are the key ingredients to staging a Science Fair. It will not take a rocket scientist to come up with one. As long as the hearts of those involved are in the right place, there is nothing that cannot be done, however difficult. A Science Fair, after all, is actually a labor of love. n Note: The title of this article I think comes from the words of Edward Albaracin. If not, then it comes from anyone in the NSF team.

[BI-04] Production of extracellular amylase | PSHS Central Visayas

Go Sago!

Cheaper Enzyme Production With Sago Starch

Production of Extracellular Amylase by Aspergillus niger UPCC 4219 Using Metroxylon sagu (Sago) Starch as Substrate | PSHS Central Visayas

by Michael S. Bala

F

or starters, think of bread, biscuits and cheese.

Then add a good chunk of juicy, tender steak.

Afterwards, think of a corn syrup-glazed dessert and maybe an ice-filled fruit juice to finish it off. You can even throw in some beer or wine for good measure. Hungry yet? science digest for students

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[BI-04] Production of extracellular amylase | PSHS Central Visayas

Unfortunately, this is no gastronomic exercise to whet your taste buds but rather a rundown to emphasize the growing list of food products, which benefit from biological molecules called enzymes.

Most common examples for enzyme use are found in everyday staples. Bakers mix enzymes to dough to work them into fluffy masses of bread or to lower protein levels of flour in biscuits. They’re also pitched in to tenderize meat and in manufacturing dairy products such as milk and cheese. Drinks also make use of enzymes either in concocting fruit juices, making wine or brewing beer.

Aside from food processing, a bevy of other applications for enzymes have been explored over the past few decades including manufacture of textile and other bio-based materials such as paper, rubber and biofuel. Though enzyme production has been relatively known, it remains to be a tricky business because of the high costs of making them.

This problem, however, is in the brink of being solved by student researchers from the Philippine Science High School-Central Visayas campus.

Jaea Alexis Cabilao, Princess Rosery Cabotaje and Mellinda Aimee Jajalla jointly worked to introduce a cheaper alternative to making the valuable enzymes.

In their paper, the students explained that they aimed “to determine the production of extracellular amylase using Aspergillus niger UPCC 4219 as

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enzyme source and sago starch, from Metroxylon sagu, as substrate.”

A little confusing, no?

Well, in a nutshell, enzymes are organic compounds which catalyze or speed up chemical reactions. They are produced with a source organism fermented for hours on a substrate, in this case, the fungus A. niger (source) on a sago starch medium (substrate).

Enzymes are of different types depending on the specific action that they carry out. One of the more important types is amylase, which catalyzes the breakdown of starch into sugars. This ability of amylase makes it extremely useful in industrial processes such as some of the mentioned earlier. The only knock is that it can be too costly, prompting the three junior scientists to study a way on cutting down the price of producing them. Enter the popular sago as an efficient substrate substitute.

“There has been a greater demand for the production of enzymes, including amylase, but they can be too expensive,”’ the students said. “There is a need to search for alternative resources to produce amylase with less cost and energy, that is why sago starch was used as substrate in the process.”

Sago is a tropical palm recognized as the world’s biggest producer of starch. According to a study done by Prof. Alan B. Loreto of the Philippine

[BI-04] Production of extracellular amylase | PSHS Central Visayas

‘The utilization of sago for different theses was trending in the university. Since there was no study yet on the production of amylase using sago as substrate, we chose it as our study.’

Root Crop Research and Training Center, “the productivity of sago per land area is the highest compared to other starch-rich crops such as rice, corn, wheat and potato. It is also easy to harvest and takes only ten days to process.” This makes sago economically-available and less expensive than other commercially-available options.

With the sago starch substrate checked, the students tested the amylase production of A. niger over a 24-hour period to determine which hour would produce the greatest activity. Results from their experiments revealed high enzymatic activity in the 6th, 8th and 12th hour of fermentation. Since the objective was to make a more efficient and low-cost procedure for amylase production, they concluded

the shortest length of time as the best period. To top it off, the values they obtained were comparable to other studies done by international scientists.

With the success of their research, the students look back at the beginning of their tedious task, way before they endured sleepless nights watching over glucose standards and burnt jeans from toiling with sulfuric acid. They mentioned they wouldn’t be able to conceptualize their research if not for a memorable experience at the University of the Philippines.

“When we had our SSIP (summer science internship program) in Mindanao, our supervisor let us watch a science fair. The winner of the said fair conducted a research about the production of amylase,” they divulged. The then hot topic in the state campus also gave them an idea on how to make cheaper amylase, “The utilization of sago for different theses was trending in the university. Since there was no study yet on the production of amylase using sago as substrate, we chose it as our study.”

Sometimes, such simple beginnings lead to larger outcomes. Sometimes, the smallest act of humility garners the biggest honor. Now, it’s their turn to inspire others to follow in their footsteps, to improve the way we do things, to be catalysts for change — just like the enzymes they successfully worked with in the laboratory.

Only now, the whole world gets to be one big sago. :p n

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Gang Green

Students Promote Mahogany Biodiesel for Cleaner Environment

Mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla King) Seed as a Biodiesel Fuel Substitute | PSHS Eastern Visayas

F

by Michael S. Bala

Photo by Wikipedia user Vinayaraj | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mahogany_seed.JPG

[BI-05] Mahogany Seed as Biodiesel Fuel Sub | PSHS Eastern Visayas

ossil fuels have eternally affected our daily lives as consumers. Price tags of basic commodities are always linked to oil prices, particularly commercial petroleum and diesel.

You might have heard Nanay bicker about how much the cost of rice has risen through the years or watched Tatay lose locks of hair from dealing with piling bills from household utilities.

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[BI-05] Mahogany Seed as Biodiesel Fuel Sub | PSHS Eastern Visayas

You might have even noticed how your baon has “shrunk” with higher daily commute costs because of fare hikes.

To make matters worse, you learn in school that carbon emissions from the burning of these fossil fuels endanger our environment by polluting the air and contributing to global warming. To top it off, scientists project this trend to last into the next century.

So fossil fuels seem to be a huge problem, you say?

Leaders around the globe agree and most governments have taken initial steps in finding a solution to this crisis. With increasing costs of oil and heightening awareness of a changing climate, the world has felt the urgency to migrate to more economical and environment-friendly alternatives.

Figuring out a way to contribute to this grand scheme are aspiring scientists from the Eastern Visayas campus of the Philippine Science High School System — Sheen Therese Daya, Joevert Morden and Raycha Lei Concess Rama — who recently came up with a study, which offered a biofuel substitute from mahogany seeds.

“We were inspired by the dream and vision that perhaps we can help to have a greener and

environment-friendly society,” said the three students. In their research, they made use of mahogany, a locally-available timberwood distinctly known for their “winged” seeds and found in most public places like parks or school grounds.

Mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla King) grows abundantly in the Philippines and its seeds are known to contain large amounts of oil (about 47.5% to 62.5%). Unfortunately, the seeds have no known industrial uses and are often left on the ground to be picked up by kids wanting to play with makeshift elysees. Other than this, mahogany seeds just lie scattered, waiting to rot or to be swept up and taken to the garbage bin.

The students admit that the thought of making good use of these natural scraps played a key factor in conceptualizing the project, “(The) uselessness of the fallen Mahogany winged seeds plus the ongoing oil crisis made us choose our topic.” According to them, not only will their research offer cleaner energy in the form of a fuel alternative, but at the same time, literally clean up the surroundings of clutter from fallen seeds.

For their experiment, the researchers went through the extensive process of preparing the mahogany seed extracts into a product to be tested

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[BI-05] Mahogany Seed as Biodiesel Fuel Sub | PSHS Eastern Visayas

for biodiesel properties and evaluated against Philippine and international standards.

Oil from seed samples were first extracted and filtered, with the ensuing product going through several laboratory procedures— from titration, transesterification and separation of components— to produce quantifiable amounts of the methyl ester, which essentially is the resultant biodiesel extract.

The chemical properties (flash point, density, kinematic viscosity and moisture content) and physical properties (acid number and carbon residue) of the ester were then tested to find out if they were up to accepted standards.

As it turned out, the mahogany seeds returned a mean oil content of 77.8% and a relatively high biodiesel yield of 74.9 mL per 100 mL of oil extract.

Against local and foreign standards, the mahogany biodiesel’s properties showed good performance with regards to flash point (165.8 °C), moisture content (0.0092%), density (0.9) and carbon residue (0.0092%).

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The latter result shows good promise because it proves that the mahogany seed biodiesel leaves a very small carbon footprint and thus is less harmful to the environment. And though the test biodiesel still have a few kinks left to improve before it becomes usable for engines, this discovery adds to our government’s drive for renewable energy.

As a country teeming with natural resources, the Philippines is showered with the necessary ingredients to provide for other bio-based fuel options. While coconut and jathropa dominate the discussion for greener alternatives, it is worthwhile to note that three high school students from the Visayas has taken time and effort to explore other plants as possible energy sources.

It may just be a matter of time before the government and the public jump into the mahogany bandwagon and join this gang of junior scientists striving for a cleaner world. Time to plantthe seeds, now! n

[CS-03] Bill Segregator Software Using Artificial Neural Networks | PSHS Central Mindanao

Efficiency You Can ‘Count’ On Bill Segregator Software Takes the Trouble Out of Sorting Money Bill Segregator Software Using Artificial Neural Networks | PSHS Central Mindanao

I

by Erwin A. Baluyot

magine one day: you’re busily watching your favorite anime, when suddenly a man in a severe gray suit comes knocking on your door. You let the man in as he introduces himself as a lawyer of a distant relative who recently passed away. He reports that this relative has decided to bequeath his properties and a ridiculous sum of money to your family. science digest for students

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[CS-03] Bill Segregator Software Using Artificial Neural Networks | PSHS Central Mindanao

The only catch is, the money comes in various denominations, stashed away at this relative’s house because of his aversion to commercial banking.

Either you have to count the bills by yourself, or separate the bills first before loading them to a money-counting machine. Either way, you’ll have to manually separate the bills, a long and tedious process, considering the obscene amount you have inherited.

While most people are not lucky enough to receive a huge inheritance, the problem of segregating and counting bills still plagues local bank branches. “Not my problem,” you might say. But imagine yourself encashing a check you’ve received from your parents to pay for your tuition fee. In front of you in the queue to the teller is your local store owner carrying a big bag of cash for deposit. Imagine the amount of time the whole process would take, from separating the bills according to denomination, then arranging them uniformly, to being loaded to a counting machine. Instead of being able to spend more time hanging out with your friends, you’re stuck at the bank waiting for your turn.

Being eager young scientists that they are, Danica Mitchell E. Biacora and Ron Daryl L. Magno

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of the Philippine Science High School (PSHS) Central Mindanao Campus asked themselves how the conventional money counting machine can be improved. As it is, conventional counting machines do just exactly as they are named: count money.

While they can certainly help cut down time in doing such, bank tellers must manually segregate and arrange the bills before loading them on the counting machine. Considering the volume of transactions handled by a single branch, the whole process of segregating and loading money on a counting machine takes a significant chunk of time, hampering banks from serving their clients more quickly.

In their study entitled “Bill Segregator Software Using Artificial Neural Networks,” Biacora and Magno sought to improve the ordinary counting machine. Instead of just counting bills, the duo set out to build a machine that can recognize the orientation and backside position of different bills even if the bills were mixed randomly, calculate the total amount processed, detect counterfeit bills, and count the number of bills per denomination.

Due to the limited time allotted for their study, the two decided to focus their research on three

[CS-03] Bill Segregator Software Using Artificial Neural Networks | PSHS Central Mindanao

While the results gleaned were impressive, the two acknowledged that there is much work to be done before their dream of having one of their machines placed in every local bank comes true. For starters, they will have to “teach” the machine to recognize other bill denominations.

denominations: the 20-peso bills, the 50-peso bill, and the 100-peso bill.

In order to build this artificially intelligent machine, the two started to take images of bills in an assortment of orientations and positions.

Afterwards, they developed software using Microsoft Visual C# 2005 and open source neural network algorithms.

This step was followed by programming neural networks with back propagation. Neural networks are non-linear statistical data modeling tools that find patterns in data. Back propagation (BP) is a neural network solution that is commonly used in handling large amounts of data vis-a-vis relationships involving different sets of parameters.

BP neural network programming has found application in matching a photo with one stored in a database, identification of handwritten texts, voice recognition, and in making predictions in the stock market.

The next step the researchers took was to “train” or program the neural network of the machine.

Just like the human brain, artificially intelligent machines can be “taught.” In this case, the counting machine was taught to recognize bills according

to denomination, regardless of their orientation or position.

The final step would be for Biacora and Magno to put money where their mouths are: testing their modified money counting machine. In testing the reliability of their final output, the counting machine had 91% correct outputs. In determining the denomination of bills, the machine was errorfree. While the results gleaned were impressive, the two acknowledged that there is much work to be done before their dream of having one of their machines placed in every local bank comes true. For starters, they will have to “teach” the machine to recognize other bill denominations. The machine will also have to recognize bills with the new design considering that during the time they started their project, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas had not fully released the redesigned peso bills.

In order to increase the accuracy of the machine, the two suggest enhancing or modifying the programming of the neural network, as well as the addition of a higher-level image processing technique. Other than this, Biacora and Magno are off to a good start and may yet see their machines being used by tellers in banks in the near future. n

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The problem? That calendar curiously ends December 21, 2012.

Doomsdayers were quick to link the date to a disastrous end to life on Earth. A good number of end-of-the-world scenarios were cooked up as a result, ranging from a reversal of the magnetic poles to either one of meteors, asteroids, or another planet hitting the Earth. Given the Mayans’ reputation for having advanced ways of exploring science, fanatics were eager to jump on the bandwagon, contributing to the growth of the 2012 myth.

In 2009, a top-grossing Hollywood movie only added to the intrigue. Banking on a juicy plot and a good marketing strategy, the John Cusack-starrer portrayed the governments of the world planning to survive the Earth’s last days. In the movie, the planet was being bombarded by neutrinos from a massive solar flare, causing the Earth’s core to heat up, sparking a chain of catastrophic events. The result? A whopping $770-million at the box office and a nervous anticipation of the year 2012.

NASA scientists, though, are just too happy to refute the doomsday notion. They say that the end date of the Mayan calendar is just that — an end to

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a calendar, just like how your kitchen calendar ends with December 31 of the current year to welcome a new year. No significant extraterrestrial object is bound to hit our planet anytime soon; otherwise, astronomers should’ve seen it by now. Polar shifts and solar flares are also out of the question, since they don’t pose a threat to human life.

So why did the Mayans end their calendar on December 21, 2012? Was it just another day in the calendar? Or did they really predict a day of doom and despair? Only the ancient Mayans know and we have a few months left to find out. n Sources: 1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_phenomenon 2. http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/2012superFlares.html 3. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1190080/synopsis

science digest for students

Photo by sxc.hu user shadowkill | http://www.sxc.hu/photo/945428

The ancient Mayan civilization of Central America was widely known for their written language, architecture and ventures in mathematics and astronomy. During their time, they developed remarkable structures and methods to study celestial objects and astronomical phenomena, leading them to construct a calendar considered accurate even by modern standards.

by Michael S. Bala

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[CS-04] MuzzleUp: An Interactive Game | PSHS Central Visayas

Physics Lessons at a Click of a Button MuzzleUp: An Interactive Game with Projectile Motion Applications for Secondary Level Schools | PSHS Central Visayas

by Michael S. Bala

A

ll work and no play makes Juan a dull boy.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a well-worn cliche youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve heard since kindergarten, which your teacher explained was meant to give the weary a break from stress.

Unfortunately, nowadays, it has evolved into a lazy excuse for students to go to the nearest internet cafe for a dose of network gaming or those little Flash games on facebook to get away from assignments.

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Photo by sxc.hu user jabsandrew | http://www.sxc.hu/photo/209787

Muzzle Up and Game On!

[CS-04] MuzzleUp: An Interactive Game | PSHS Central Visayas

The ‘Muzzle Up’ interactive game is a Flash-based application that helps high school students in physics, specifically in projectile motion. The researchers said that a lot of students find it hard to understand physics problems.

Play, in this case, becomes an addiction and a distraction from necessary school tasks. Students spend more time for play rather than sweat with the work and consequently get the ire of their parents for it.

So, you start to ask, how come no one’s ever thought of combining work AND play? How come no one’s thought of using Cafe World for Home Economics class or Counter Strike and DoTA to teach Group Dynamics? Is it possible to incorporate basketball basics using NBA 2K12 in Physical Education? How about Text Twist during English period?

Well, don’t fret because these guys just might have the answer for your work-play problem. Kirk Louie Amandoron, Philip Santi Morgia and Kimver Louie Nuñez from the Central Visayas Campus of the Philippine Science High School managed to combine those two opposites into one fun-filled yet educational activity computer fanatics might actually enjoy.

The “Muzzle Up” interactive game is a flashbased application designed to help high school students in physics, specifically in projectile motion.

In their paper, they stressed that a lot of students find it hard to comprehend and visualize physics problems.

Research data from the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement showed that the achievements in physics of Filipino students appeared below international standards, including bottom-five worldwide rankings in 1999 and 2003. Local studies also confirm the plight of our students with regards to learning physics.

The students kept this in mind and tried to find a way to lessen the difficulty experienced by their peers to try and contribute to their learning curve. Armed with a common passion for science and gaming, the three came up with the initial framework for their research project. “We wanted to tackle a study that is computer science or physics in nature. And we wanted to help our classmates and friends in physics, ” the group added.

To carry out the task, they made use of an array of computer applications for visual representation and programming of the actual Muzzle Up software.

Adobe Flash CS4 was utilized for graphics display and ActionScript 3.0 and FlashDevelop took care of the codes and effects. The result was a simple yet functional game.

The three were proud to attest to the uniqueness of their project, beating out other applications with similar objectives. “Although there are a lot of games concerning projectile motion, this one allows

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[CS-04] MuzzleUp: An Interactive Game | PSHS Central Visayas

The main objective of the Muzzle Up game is to beat the opponent by firing a ‘cannon’ using the concepts of projectile motion.

Each successful shot has corresponding hit points, which decrease a player’s health. The game also has several maps to choose from with varied difficulty. calculations that occur in the real world,” they said.

While other games concentrate on entertainment value, theirs was focused on providing students with a more suitable learning platform and serving as a problem simulator for teachers. “This allows students to enhance their skills in projectile motion lessons. It also has other features that are useful,” they added.

The main objective of the Muzzle Up game is to beat the opponent by firing a “cannon” using the concepts of projectile motion. Each successful shot has corresponding hit points, which decrease a player’s health. The game also has several maps to choose from with varied difficulty.

The final interactive version was tested by 30 randomly-selected students and attained a 100% passing rate with a mean rating of 4.8 out of a high of 5.0 points. With this, the three concluded their project as a success.

But the whole process was not as easy as it sounds. The researchers confessed, “there were a lot of errors in the codes. It even reached 165 errors so we got a lot of stress and frustrations.” They also realized that a single application needs a roster of seasoned programmers for writing the codes and testing bugs.

Nevertheless, their efforts were rewarded with recognition from local science organizations. Their

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paper won runner-up honors for the Sibol-Student Creative Research for High School category of the 2011 Central Visayas Regional Invention Contests and Exhibits, as well as a feature on the 13th Samahang Pisika ng Visayas at Mindanao National Physics Conference held in Dipolog, where they were able to present their work in front of professional physicists including foreign participants from Malaysia and Korea.

They hope that their work inspires others to be more innovative in approaching teaching and learning. Perhaps build other games and applications for other similarly challenging subjects or make use of existing programs for an alternative class experience.

A variation of Plants vs. Zombies in Biologyclass, perhaps? n

[CS-07] Android™-based Road Quality Assessment Quality Tool | PSHS Main

There’s An App For That

Access Road Quality Information Using Your Android™ Phone Android™-based Road Quality Assessment Quality Tool | PSHS Main

by Erwin A. Baluyot

Y

ou’re frantically wiping the sweat off your brow. It’s either because it’s hot and cramped in your chosen mode of transportation or because the traffic hasn’t budged for almost half an hour and you’re going to be late... Again! science digest for students

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[CS-07] Android™-based Road Quality Assessment Quality Tool | PSHS Main

Currently, road surveyors in the country manually input and record the road quality data they have collected. Not only is this process long and tedious; it has a tendency to be disorganized and inefficient.

You know the drill: Wake up early, leave early.

Truth is, it’s no longer just about getting from point A to point B (safely and on time). Imagine how many private and public vehicles must traverse the tangled arterial road network that the Philippines has. There are several factors affecting traffic, primarily, supply and demand (hence the color coding scheme and the encouragement to use public transportation to decongest roads), and the quality of the road network. Poorly maintained roads, in conjunction with bad driving habits and lack of urban planning, all contribute to the traffic mess. Unfortunately, assessing the quality of Philippine roads is a tedious, manual process.

Gabriel Borja of the Philippine Science High School (PSHS) Diliman Campus remembered how his grandfather shared his story on how he surveyed roads in India. He then wondered whether it was possible to conduct a more convenient, hightechnology survey of the quality of roads in the Philippines – through an Android™ app.

You see, aside from calling, texting, snapping pictures, updating one’s status on social networks,

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or obliterating green pigs or outrunning monkeys on steroids, your smartphone has other nifty and productive uses. Applications, more popularly known as apps, are software that add functionality to smart phones (whether for fun and entertainment or productivity). While his peers were busy trying out and downloading apps like Instagram, Temple Run, or Facebook, Borja was busy making an app of his own – an Android™-Based Road Quality Assessment Tool.

Currently, road surveyors in the country manually input and record the road quality data they have collected. Not only is this process long and tedious; it has a tendency to be disorganized and inefficient.

In creating this app, Borja took advantage of the built-in GPS, accelerometers, and data transmission capabilities available in most smartphones. He utilized the Android™ App Inventor for creating an application and a server program. The Android™ App Inventor is a program that allows users, even those with virtually no experience in computer programming, to create their own applications for

[CS-07] Android™-based Road Quality Assessment Quality Tool | PSHS Main

the Android™ Operating System. The Android™ App Inventor was initially launched by Google but is now being maintained by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Using the Department of Public Works and Highway’s (DPWH) road survey protocols, the app created by the student can record defects, international roughness index, and the visual condition index. Data collected through the app can then be sent to a phone server connected to the Internet.

The data collected can then be easily encoded in a spreadsheet, where it can be sorted according to date, type of data, and location. This spreadsheet can then be plotted on Google Maps to serve as a visual representation of the data collected. This way, it will be easier for the app’s users to see where maintenance work is needed or foresee problematic areas.

In order to gauge the usability of the app, Borja turned to actual road surveyors to compare the three versions of the app he created vis-à-vis the traditional, manual method of data collection.

Applying Friedman’s test, the app scored higher ratings compared to the conventional method.

It surely helped Borja that his grandfather had some experience in road surveying and the fact that his father is knowledgeable in information technology. This helped him iron out the problem he initially had in finding the right GPS signal to use. He was also fortunate to have talked to road surveyors.

“I was able to talk to the road surveyors themselves and ask for their inputs. It was a great experience being able to see the process first-hand,” he said.

In April 18, 2012, CNNGo, travel site of media conglomerate CNN, posted a list for the “World’s 10 Worst Cities for Driving.” The list, which was based on IBM’s 2011 Commuter Pain survey and data from the World Bank, ranked Manila at number three.

While authorities disputed Manila’s inclusion in the list, it is evident that as the country moves forward towards development and urbanization, its traffic woes continue to grow worse. With the worsening traffic comes the loss of time and productivity.

While implementing or experimenting new traffic schemes may provide short term solutions, adequate planning, with the inclusion of a long-term view of maintaining road networks, goes a long way. This

Gabriel Borja of PSHS Diliman wondered whether it was possible to conduct a more convenient, hightechnology survey of the quality of roads in the Philippines – through an Android™ app. is where Borja’s app can prove to be useful, not only for conducting road surveys, but more importantly, for making long term plans regarding traffic.

The next time you find yourself stuck in a traffic jam, instead of fiddling with your smartphone, why not think of other, more productive uses you can do with it? Who knows... you might find Borja’s Android™-Based Road Quality Assessment Tool in the list of best selling apps in Google Play. n

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A scene happens in front of you and you start to feel a sense of familiarity, as if you’re going through a replay. Been there, done that — or more appropriately, seen that. It’s your mind playing tricks, or probably just a case of strange coincidence. Either way, you say, “Deja vu!”

by Michael S. Bala

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Déjà vu u v à j é D Déjà vu science digest for students

u

Sometimes it’s the situation — a lively conversation or a lazy afternoon stroll— that you somehow remember.

Sometimes it’s the place that you suddenly recognize but can’t put a finger on even if you think long and hard. Most of the time you feel like it’s from a dream, which actually doesn’t help any and just further adds to the mystery.

The term “deja vu” literally means “already seen,” which more than captures that eerie sensation. Wikipedia defines it as “the feeling of certainty that one has already witnessed or experienced a current situation, even though the exact circumstances of the prior encounter are unclear and were perhaps imagined.”

Science still doesn’t have an explanation as to how and why it happens because of the difficulty in recreating the phenomenon with experiments.

Medical definitions associate deja vu with temporal-lobe epilepsy or as part of a seizure or migraine. Psychologists, on the other hand, attribute it to double perception, or experiencing things twice in quick succession. The first time may have just been in passing or in less detail which leads you to believe you’ve seen it when you experience it the second time.

A more interesting insight offers a take on parallel universes — a rather intriguing theory in quantum physics that has gained enough ground through experiments. The theory asserts that there exists a large number of “universes” at the same time, which enables a person to live out multiple scenes in different planes. Therefore, when that person’s counterpart in the other universe has already gone through that episode, he is bound to sense deja vu.

So the next time you feel you’ve already seen it, think again. It may be your brain telling you that something’s wrong with it or reminding you to be more sensitive to detail... Or maybe, that “someone” has already lived in that moment for you. n References: 1. http://science.howstuffworks.com/science-vs-myth/extrasensoryperceptions/question657.htm 2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C3%A9j%C3%A0_vu 3. http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=16111 4. http://www.news-medical.net/news/2007/06/11/26207.aspx

Photo by flickr user jayceeloop | http://www.flickr.com/photos/jayceeloop/519.370.0663

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In a Heartbeat

Building a Portable Android™-based ECG System Development of an ECG-System using Android™ and modified Bluebeat© Hardware | PSHS Main

by Erwin A. Baluyot

W

hat’s on your playlist? Unless you’re a hardcore melodic death metal fan, chances are, you’ve got a song on your digital player, a song about a heart being achybreaky or going boom boroom boom boom.

Curiously, no other body part has been the subject of countless songs from various genres except for the heart.

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[EE-06] Development of an ECG-System using Android™ and modified Bluebeat© Hardware | PSHS Main

For patients with a heart condition, an ECG test is part of their regular routine and this can eat up a significant portion of their budget as prices for a test can be prohibitive. A portable/digital ECG machine has been developed but its price is steep for the average person.

Once in a while you’ll hear a song about some actress’ eyes (Kim Carne’s Bette Davis’ Eyes) or the glutes (Sir Mix-a-Lot’s Baby Got Back), but these songs are more of an exception. As much as some people would like to hear a ditty about pectoral and abdominal muscles or about small intestines, it seems that music industry executives have it down pat that a song about hearts (broken, skipping a beat, or otherwise) will fare better on the charts.

Perhaps American Idol season 7 alumnus Michael John was onto something when he sang Heart On My Sleeve. No more games of hide and seek, no more grasping at straws to express how you truly feel.

Of course, this would be a welcome breakthrough for cardiologists. Imagine being able to diagnose a heart’s condition by making just a cursory glance at a patient’s sleeve. But until then, they will have to rely on electrocardiogram (ECG/ also known as elektrokardiogram/EKG) machine.

Developed by the Dutch doctor and physiologist Willem Einthoven, the ECG machine is used to assess the heart’s electrical and muscular functions

by attaching electrode patches to the chest, arms, and legs. An ECG exam is administered by a doctor to assess the patient’s heart rhythm, diagnose blood flow to the patient’s heart, and to gauge whether there are abnormalities in the patient like an enlarged heart.

For patients with a heart condition, an ECG test is part of their regular routine and this can eat up a significant portion of their budget as prices for a test can be prohibitive. A portable/digital ECG machine has been developed but its price is steep for the average person. This has prompted Philippine Science High School (PSHS) students Ryan B. Misola, Kenji Francis I. Peralejo, and Cielo Marie A. Acacio to develop an Android™ app that will run with your standard Android™ smartphone.

In their study entitled “Development of an ECGSystem using Android™ and Modified Bluebeat© Hardware,” the students sought to build a fullyfunctional alternative to the bulkier and expensive machines. The machine is divided into two interfaces: the software and the hardware.

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[EE-06] Development of an ECG-System using Android™ and modified Bluebeat© Hardware | PSHS Main

The results revealed that the data gleaned from using the device were not accurate but were close enough to those gleaned from conventional ECG machines.

The first task for the PSHS students was to develop the software. In developing the software, they used Eclipse, a Java-based software for designing Android™ “apps” to enable them to display on the smartphone’s screen the Analog to Digital Converted (ADC) values taken during the ECG exams. To make the program more useful, they tweaked the interface design to make it easier for users to navigate and save data.

The hardware component is composed of two parts: an ECG front to contain the filters and amplifiers required to receive cardiac signals from the patient, and the Data Acquisition and Transmission Module (DAT) which converts these signals from an analog to digital format, and transmits them to the phone via Bluetooth connection.

Before testing the project on humans, the three decided to check first if their projects worked properly. In the first phase of testing, they used a signal generator in place of a human heart and the ECG front. After this, they proceeded to the second phase of testing on human subjects. In this phase, they had to determine the optimal placement of the electrode patch. Results showed that the chest area is the perfect place for the electrode patches.

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The final phase involved testing the machine on nine people of varying ages. Cardiologists and patients too were recruited to evaluate the project’s utility and practicality. The results revealed that the data gleaned from using the device were not accurate but were close enough to those gleaned from conventional ECG machines. They noted that improving the signal conditioning circuit (SCC) in the DAT module might remove unfiltered noise and rectify the problem regarding inaccurate readings.

But despite the shortcomings of Misola, Peralejo and Acacio’s project, there’s a heartwarming ending to all of these. Last February, the project was entered into the Engineering Category of the 2012 Taiwan International Science Fair (TISF) and won second place. Now that’s enough for the Pisay community’s collective heart to beat a little faster.

With technological advancements and more players entering into the market, smartphones will become more accessible to people. Hopefully, along with apps like Instagram, Angry Birds, and Temple Run, useful apps and accessories like the one built by the three PSHS students will find their way among the most popular apps in Google Play and in peoples’ smartphones. n

Photo by sxc.hu user jabsandrew | http://www.sxc.hu/photo/209787

[EN-01] Coconut Coir & Century Plant Fibers

Photo by sxc.hu user abcdz2000 | http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1159145

Plants That Give Life

Cultivating the Industrial Value of the Century Plant and Coconut Coir Century Plant Fibers (Agave America) and Coconut Coir (Cocos nucifera) as Reinforcements for Unsaturated Polyester Composites | PSHS Bicol

by Erwin A. Baluyot science digest for students

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[EN-01] Coconut Coir & Century Plant Fibers | PSHS Bicol

F

aced with a seemingly insurmountable foe in Janemba, the earth’s mightiest heroes (nope, not The Avengers), Goku and Vegeta, decided to up the ante by combining themselves through a technique known as “Fusion Dance.” Emerging from the combination of these two powerful heroes is perhaps the greatest and most powerful character in the Dragonball Z pantheon: Gogeta.

In all aspects, Gogeta is several times more powerful than Goku or Vegeta: faster, stronger.

However, you needn’t look to anime or science fiction to witness the power of fusion. Look around and you’ll see that almost everything that is around you is borne out of fusion. Or to be more exact, composites.

Composites are created from two different materials, the earliest known of which is the combination of mud and straw to create a sturdy adobe brick. Currently, engineers use composites in the fields of aerospace, sports, medicine, automotive and marine engineering. Aside from being lighter, composite materials are far more stronger and tougher compared to conventional materials.

Inspired by the research work of Philippine Science High School (PSHS) Bicol Campus alumni Carlo Jonas Carino, Angeline Mae Faustino and April Dawn Lanuza on polyester composites from snake plants and water hyacinths, Josette Karen Banzuela, Christopher Jan Landicho, and Moira Louise Sarmiento decided to build on the work of their predecessors. For their research, Banzuela,

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Landicho, and Sarmiento chose to study the fibers of the Century Plant (Agave America) and Coconut Coir (Cocos nucifera) as reinforcements for unsaturated polyester composites.

The century plant, also called agave or maguey, is an ornamental plant that has gained popularity because it is drought-tolerant. Its flower stems produce a sweet liquid known as agua miel which, when fermented, produces a drink known in Mexico as pulque.

Locally, the plant is cultivated in Pangasinan, Cebu, and Bohol, where its fibers are used in the production of twine and rope. Recent studies reveal that the maguey’s fibers may be utilized for other purposes, such as blending them with acrylic or polyester to produce industrial yarns, or industrial paper, used in producing paper wrappers and wall boards.

And then there’s the ubiquitous coconut — and what paeans have been sung for this glorious tree and the multitude of uses that can be gleaned from it. Copra, in particular, is one of the country’s top exports, accounting for about 40% of the Philippines’

[EN-01] Coconut Coir & Century Plant Fibers | PSHS Bicol

The fibers from both plants are perfect for the trio’s study, considering that these fibers are lightweight, abundantly available, renewable, and inexpensive. agricultural export. Literally and figuratively, it is The Tree Of Life, nourishing people and sustaining the country’s economy.

The fibers from both plants are perfect for the trio’s study, considering that these fibers are lightweight, abundantly available, renewable, and inexpensive.

The experiment involved laying out the fibers of both coconut plants into a mold, mixing them with unsaturated polyester and methyl ethyl ketone peroxide, and then subjecting them to tests to gauge whether the fibers from the coconut and century plants are suitable materials. They had to be tested in three areas: tensile strength, flexural strength, water absorption, and thickness swelling.

Essentially, tensile strength is the measurement of the amount of strength a material can take before it breaks or snaps. On the other hand, flexural strength refers to a material’s capacity to

The three discovered that there is a significant difference between composites reinforced with plant fibers in terms of tensile strength and flexural strength, depending on the manner by which the fibers were arranged.

handle a specific load without deforming. Tests to determine water absorption and thickness swelling were undertaken to determine the strength of the composite when subjected to moisture or changes in the environment.

Banzuela, Landicho and Sarmiento also tried different configurations in laying out the fibers into their mold. According to them, this was the most tedious part of the experiment. “We had a hard time in laying out the fibers, most especially the coconut coir since they were short and we had to connect them to create longer fibers,” the three explained.

After subjecting the composite material to testing, the three discovered that there is a significant difference between composites reinforced with plant fibers in terms of tensile strength and flexural strength, depending on the manner by which the fibers were arranged. On the other hand, they noted that there was no significant difference, with respect to the layout of the fibers, on the water absorption and thickness swelling property of the composite.

After the success of their experiment, the trio was elated. “The fiber orientation factor that we used needed so much patience because we had to manually lay out the fiber to get the desired direction of the fiber. We fabricated something new from the conventional,” they explained.

And oh, what an enviable achievement did the three achieve. From a scientific standpoint, the creation of new materials has spurned the growth of various industries. Economically, the study of these young scientists, when given adequate support, can help support countless farmers and boost the economy. That’s one mighty achievement. n

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Old clothes. Broken furniture.

Knick knacks from the distant past. Every now and then, we clear our houses of useless stuff we have accumulated through the years either to make room for new ones or simply to reduce clutter. Unless youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a compulsive hoarder, clearing up some space is but a logical decision. by Erwin A. Baluyot

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Vestigial science digest for students

e s, s

Somewhere between being and becoming the dominant species on the planet is evolution. Our bodies managed to evolve to cope with the demands of survival and the environment. But somewhere along the way, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve kept a slew of body organs and behaviors that seem to be pretty nifty when youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re hunting down mastodons or warding off attacks from sabre-toothed tigers, but are rather pretty useless in the concrete jungle.

Human vestigiality refers to organs or behaviors that people presently possess, which have lost their original purpose through the course of evolution.

Among the vestigial human body parts are the appendix, the coccyx or tailbone, wisdom teeth, the vomeronasal organ (another completely different organ for smelling), extrinsic ear, a third eyelid, male nipples, and more.

In terms of behavior, getting goose bumps and the palmar grasp reflex in infants are considered part of human vestigiality.

Charles Darwin theorized that animals had common descent. Through evolution, certain traits were found to be essential to survival. It was Robert Wiedershiem who first listed down vestigial organs.

Not all vestigial organs are completely useless, though.

The tail bone, for one, helps support nearby organs. The appendix produces white blood cells and antibodies. What is noteworthy is that even if these organs were removed, the body can still function well.

Why do humans still have these body parts and behaviors, nobody can really tell. The more curious question is, as our lives become more automated, which body parts would become vestigial in the future? n References: 1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_vestigiality 2. http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/life/human-biology/ vestigial-organ.htm

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[EN-04] Pickerel Weed as Natural Fiber Source | PSHS Ilocos

Shirt, Anyone?

Feasibility of Pickerel Weed (Monochoria vaginalis Presl.) as Natural Fiber Source | PSHS Ilocos

by Michael S. Bala

F

ifteen years from now, you might walk inside a concept clothing store and find yourself a nice comfortable shirt. You look at the price and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s remarkably easy on the budget, close to half the amount you shell out on your regular cotton top. Out of curiosity, you check the tag and find out itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s made of natural material from the Philippines.

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[EN-04] Pickerel Weed as Natural Fiber Source | PSHS Ilocos

The textile industry is currently supported in large part by man-made fibers. Unfortunately, these synthetics use carcinogenic chemicals and heavy metals during processing, which leave the fibers non-biodegradable and harmful to the environment.

The clerk tells you that their store specializes in such types of clothes. They have shirts sewn from fabrics of processed plants and crops common throughout our country. The one you’re holding, she says, is made out of pickerel weed. Yes, that plant notoriously known to clog up the Pasig river when you were a teenager. You immediately get into a rush — a mixed feeling of pride, relief and amazement at how far our technology and ingenuity has taken us.

Back to the present, you think it’s rather unlikely to happen. Well, it might be a little far off, but at least that’s the plan — one outstanding young scientist’s plan, that is.

Jakov Ivan S. Dumbrique, a senior student from the Ilocos Region Campus of the Philippine Science High School System (PSHSS), intends to accomplish just that and realize his dream for natural fiberbased textiles, which would lead to more affordable clothes for everyone. In his research presented at the 2012 PSHSS-MERALCO National Science Fair in Antipolo City, Dumbrique proposed the pickerel weed as a substitute source of fiber for use in the textile industry. The inexpensive natural fabrics, he adds, would also help clean up the environment from the problems caused by the manufacture of its synthetic counterparts.

In his study, he emphasized a clear vision: get rid of the problems brought by rising prices of commercial textiles to promote financial stability, and eliminate environmental hazards, such as harmful chemicals and environmental waste, arising from the production of synthetic fibers. “The project is of great importance to humanity, since it provides a cheaper and eco-friendly alternative to synthetic fibers,” he wrote in his paper.

The textile industry is currently supported in large part by man-made fibers. Unfortunately, these synthetics use carcinogenic chemicals and heavy metals during processing, which leave the fibers non-biodegradable and harmful to the environment. Dumbrique expressed the need for alternative textile materials made of plants and cited the rich biodiversity of the Philippines in his search for a potential low-cost and renewable fiber source.

The Philippines’ tropical climate is home to a variety of flora species that yield indigenous materials for different industrial purposes, including that mentioned in the study. For viable sources of fiber, the Philippine Textile Research Institute (PTRI) of the Department of Science and Technology has already identified several plants, most of which

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[EN-04] Pickerel Weed as Natural Fiber Source | PSHS Ilocos

The pickerel weed (Monochoria vaginalis Presl.), much like its relative, is a water-borne plant with fibrous and fleshy tissue, thereby making it a potential source of natural material for textiles.

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are currently being utilized in the textile industry.

Among them are pineapple, abaca, banana, kenaf, maguey, yucca and water hyacinth.

Interestingly, water hyacinths and pickerel weeds belong to the same family, Pontederiaceae — a fact that enabled Dumbrique to try the latter out as a possible alternative fiber source.

The pickerel weed (Monochoria vaginalis Presl.), much like its relative, is a water-borne plant with fibrous and fleshy tissue, thereby making it a potential source of natural material for textiles.

Commonly known as biga-bigaan or gabing-uwak, it is a tropical medicinal plant believed to cure stomach and liver problems, asthma and toothace.

Locals also use it for charcoal, poultry food and as material for basket-weaving.

With all its known uses, it is infamously known as an aquatic nuisance, clogging rivers and streams. The pickerel weed also harbors a number of parasites and disease-carrying insects, and its proliferation may lead to fish death if left unchecked.

To accomplish his objectives, Dumbrique harvested 30 kilograms of fresh pickerel weed from the Pasig river and brought them to the Bureau of Plant Industry for verification. The samples were then brought to the PTRI for mechanical processing and testing of the extracted fibers.

The results were comparable to those of the more established water hyacinth, even beating out the latter on several physical and chemical properties.

The pickerel weed fiber had higher residual gum content and better tensile and relative strength, leading Dumbrique to conclude that “the overall performance and properties of the fiber is worthy of attention as a possible new source of natural fiber for textile use.”

Mission accomplished for Dumbrique and his pickerel weed fiber? Well, not yet, but it’s a great first step to attaining his goal.

Fast forward to the future, you walk out of the store with a hemp bag full of pickerel weed clothes, some change for lunch, and a wide smile plastered across your face. You dig in to your pocket for your mp5 player and reminisce back to your days in high school, when money didn’t matter and your only dream was to make the world a better place. “(It) ain’t about the (uh) cha-ching cha-ching.

Ain’t about the (yeah) ba-bling ba-bling. Wanna make the world dance, forget about the price tag.” n

[EN-08] Improvised Dielectric Tester | PSHS Southern Mindanao

A Spark of Ingenuity Building an Improvised Dielectric Tester

Verifying Breakdown Voltage of Selected Electrical Insulations Through Improvised Dielectric Tester | PSHS Southern Mindanao

by Erwin A. Baluyot

Y

ou log on to your Facebook account and the first item you read on your newsfeed is a quote from Thomas Edison: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Genius is 1 percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration.â&#x20AC;?

You chuckle to yourself. While the whole world celebrates Edison, scientists and hardcore geeks know better. science digest for students

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[EN-08] Improvised Dielectric Tester | PSHS Southern Mindanao

Dielectric testing tests whether a component is adequately insulated and can withstand electrical surges.

You see, before the rivalry between Pirates of Silicon Valley Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, or Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook against Google, there was the “War of the Currents” involving Edison and rival Nikola Tesla.

When people look around them and marvel at the rapid pace of development, they look back and credit Edison for ushering in the age of electricity. Science and history books credit Guglielmo Marconi for his pioneering work on the radio, Robert WatsonWatt for his work on the RADAR, Wilhelm Rontgen for discovering X-rays, but never the man who discovered and/or dabbled with these and a slew of other stuff (hydroelectric power plant, cryogenic engineering, transistors, remote control, wireless communication, the modern electric motor) years ahead of people given credit – Nikola Tesla.

The War of the Currents pitted the Wizard of Menlo Park (Edison) against the Wizard of the West (Tesla). At the tail end of the 19th century, a problem arose: that of the production and distribution of electricity to households. Having invested heavily in direct current, Edison suggested building more production plants near households. Tesla, on the other hand helped developed the system that is widely used today: alternating current.

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But beyond the petty rivalry of these two geniuses, young scientists can glean a lot of valuable lessons from them: to persevere (like Edison) and to have foresight and look beyond today (Tesla).

Zapped by an increasing passion in electronics, three young scientists from the Philippine Science High School (PSHS) Southern Mindanao Campus, Noree Angelique Pino Militar, Kyle Villar and Diness Cortez, decided to follow in the footsteps of Edison and Tesla in their study “Verifying Breakdown Voltages of Selected Electrical Insulation Using Improvised Dielectric Tester.”

From your laptop to your cell phone to your digital music player, each of your gadgets is composed of various electrical components. You may not notice it, but each component of your favorite gadget “leaks out” electricity. This is just normal and you do not have to fear being electrocuted while browsing Wikipedia on your laptop for your assignment.

However, if the insulation of the electrical components that make up your gadget or appliance breaks down, you may electrocute yourself.

In order to prevent insulation failure, various electrical components undergo dielectric testing.

Basically, dielectric testing tests whether a

[EN-08] Improvised Dielectric Tester | PSHS Southern Mindanao

component is adequately insulated and can withstand electrical surges.

With the prevalence of electronic gadgets and with some of them being assembled here in the country, you would think that a dielectric tester would be readily available even to electronic enthusiasts who love to tinker with the innards of their gadgets.

But no, dielectric testers are expensive and are almost solely owned by the largest companies. This prompted Militar, Villar and Cortez to ask “Is there an alternative to commercial dielectric testers which are essentially cheaper, one that is made of readily available electrical components?”

Edison once said, “To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.”

Constructing their own dielectric tester, however, was not just a matter of ingenuity, fashioning an alternative to a costly machine with readily available components. It was also a test of patience and perseverance. “We got electrically shocked a lot of times,” the trio divulged.

The three were thankful for the support of their parents and adviser, particularly in terms of financing the project. This is because the project entailed a lot of trial and error to devise a working dielectric tester.

But is was all worth it with the output they made: a cheaper, fully functional tester that can perform the same function as a conventional one.

As technology moves forward, with gadgets becoming smaller, or having sleeker designs, or having more useful features, one thing remains fundamental: the safety of their end users. And while the work of the three young scientists may not be seminal, it bridges the gap between a fundamental equipment in the field of electronics and its limited supply with the demand for such a product. In turn, this can spur other inquisitive minds to pursue the creation of an invention using the equipment built by the three Pisay students. For this is science: bridging an idea and reality, taking a concept or earlier work and improving upon it so that more people will benefit.. Or as Tesla said, “... to harness the forces of nature to the service of mankind.”

Taking their cue both from Edison and Tesla, stalwarts in the fields of electricity and electronics, Militar, Villar and Cortez surmounted the odds they faced to make their vision a reality. n

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Quantum physicists are offering insight on the possibility of having a world where Friendster still reigns the social media balloon, chief justice Corona never went on trial, and Jessica Sanchez won on American Idol instead of Philip Phillips.

by Michael S. Bala

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Parallel un science digest for students

How can this be possible? Easy: Because there exists another universe parallel to the one we live in.

Science fiction has long earned millions of dollars and incautious cult-following with concepts of other worlds, extra dimensions and time travel. But recently, more proof has been found and an ensuing effort to test existing theories are being undertaken by the scientific community.

The many-worlds concept was first published in 1957 when American physicist Hugh Everett came up with his “relative state” formulation, a theory which implies that each possible outcome corresponds to a different “world” or “universe”. While classical quantum mechanics would explain an observation as a collapse of possible outcomes to give a single observation, Everett made a bold interpretation that the universe splits during each event. Such that, for example, there is another universe where Jessica Sanchez was named winner on AI over Phillips.

Or, to stretch it, there exists other universes where Joshua Ledet won; or Hollie Cavanagh won; or Skylar Laine won, and so on and so forth.

The only catch is that the universe we are in cannot interact with other universes.

Although some might argue this to be a little too convenient, the theory has been explained

somewhat by the double-slit experiment. In the experiment, physicists agree that a particle passing through a sheet with two slits, “splits” at the instance it comes to the sheet, therefore enabling it to surprisingly manifest in two different final positions.

The concept also gained some ground lately with the world’s largest particle physics laboratory and the world’s premier space program joining in the quest to explain the parallel universe conundrum. CERN, the international organization for nuclear research, which operates the Large Hadron Collider, and the United States’ NASA have recently committed to try and answer questions regarding the big bang, dark matter, dark energy and the theory of everything.

But, as in the double-slit experiment, possibly the most intriguing question is: If at the subatomic level a particle can be at two places at one time, why can’t we? n References: 1. http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/10/20/us-sciencecern-idUSTRE69J35X20101020 2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Many-worlds_ interpretation#Everett.2C_Gleason_and_Hartle 3. http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2010/10/nasato-launch-search-for-parallel-anti-matter-universes-. html

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[EV-02] Agus IV in Balo-i, Lanao del Norte | PSHS Central Mindanao

Water and Life

Monitoring the Health of Lanao del Norteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Water Reservoir

Estimation of Primary Productivity and Periphyton Biomass in the Water Reservoir of Agus IV Hydroelectric Plant in Nangka, Balo-i, Lanao del Norte | PSHS Central Mindanao

by Erwin A. Baluyot

T

he Indians and the Indus River. The Chinese and the Yangtze River. The Egyptians and the Nile. The Mesopotamians and the Tigris and the Euphrates. Just as the primordial soup provided the conditions which sparked primitive life forms, ancient civilization grew by the banks of bodies of water. To the early humans, the rivers provided the necessary impetus to move away from living a nomadic lifestyle and towards the practice of settling into organized communities.

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[EV-02] Agus IV in Balo-i, Lanao del Norte | PSHS Central Mindanao

The Agus IV Hydroelectric Powerplant is the first hydroelectric plant to be built in Mindanao. Its man-made water reservoir, measuring 272 hectares, provides food and water to the communities surrounding it.

For one, the rivers provided a steady supply of food. As these bodies of water swelled and flooded the land, they enriched the soil, making them arable and fertile, stimulating agriculture. Rivers also served as the first highways, making travel and trade with other human settlements easier.

With progress and development broadening their reach, more and more communities in the country are moving away from aquaculture and agriculture.

Nonetheless, the rivers and other bodies of water still play a significant role in our daily lives, not as the focal point of civilization, but as a silent witness to our actions and their effect on the ecology. Like any body of water located close to human settlements, the water reservoir of Agus IV Hydroelectric Plant in Lanao del Norte silently records the effects of progress, and it is her secrets that Jesha Faye T. Librea of the Philippine Science High School (PSHS) Central Mindanao Campus sought to find out in her research entitled “Estimation of Primary Productivity and Periphyton Biomass in the Water Reservoir of Agus IV Hydroelectric Plant in Nangka, Balo-i, Lanao del Norte.”

The Agus IV Hydroelectric Powerplant is the first hydroelectric plant to be built in Mindanao. Its man-made water reservoir, measuring 272 hectares, provides food and water to the communities surrounding it.

Ideally, a body of water contains sufficient nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, to support the growth of algae and aquatic plants that serve as the foundation of the food chain in that body of water’s ecology. With the increase of nitrates and phosphates into the system (in the case of the Agus reservoir) brought about by human activities such as washing of clothes, a body of water undergoes eutrophication, which simply means the response of the body of water to the increased levels of nutrients.

What is alarming is that the increase in nutrients in the water can lead to the increase in the population of algae. In an ideal state, algae provide oxygen to the inhabitants of the system. However, when the water is eutrophic, the algae population either grows significantly larger or too fast. This means that as they die and decompose, they use more oxygen

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[EV-02] Agus IV in Balo-i, Lanao del Norte | PSHS Central Mindanao

For her study, Librea chose the periphyton as an indicator of water quality in the Agus reservoir. This algae is especially sensitive to changes in their environment. from the water, depriving other inhabitants of the water system. This state is commonly known as algal bloom, which eventually leads to the decrease in the taste and quality of the water and worse, fish kill.

For her study, Librea chose the periphyton as an indicator of water quality in the Agus reservoir.

This type of algae has gained prominence as an indicator species because they have a fast response time to changes in their environment, and they are especially sensitive to such changes.

Periphyton can also be easily collected from the water. For her study, Librea built a periphytometer

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made out of glass slides and linen tape attached to a clothes hanger. She then submerged this device at sampling sites and allowed two weeks for the periphyton to attach to the slides and grow.

After the hangers were collected, Librea identified the various species that lived in the reservoir and were collected by the periphytometer — patiently recording each species with a microscope. She discovered various algae types in her sample.

Using acetone, she extracted chlorophyll a from the algae. Chlorophyll is a family of molecules found in plants. Chlorophyll a is commonly found in all plants while chlorophyll d can only be found in marine red algae. Chlorophyll b and c are present in fresh water plants. Chlorophyll a is widely used as an indicator of algal biomass or the population of algae. The concentration of chlorophyll is indicative of the presence of nutrients in the water and other biological phenomena that affect the growth of algae.

In her analysis of the concentration of chlorophyll a, Librea noticed that the concentration were beyond acceptable levels, particularly in the sampling site near the dam’s penstock, indicating eutrophism in the reservoir.

While Librea’s analysis may be far from alarming, it is a good indicator of the water quality in the Agus reservoir is far from pristine. With the increase in human activity along the banks of the water system, it is inevitable for the water to become eutrophic — something which can easily be remedied, if people are willing to listen to the water, before things get out of hand. n

[EV-03] Barobbob Stream, Nueva Vizcaya | PSHS Cagayan Valley

Curiouser and Curiouser

Physicochemical and Microbial Analysis of Barobbob Stream in Nueva Viscaya | PSHS Cagayan Valley

by Michael S. Bala

Hiking up mountains, trekking through forests, testing water samples for microbes, and measuring stream data with high-tech gadgets are all adult jobs, right? Wrong. For some outstanding high school students, it’s all in a day’s work.

While this may sound inconceivable to some, the above activities were all done by junior scientists from the Cagayan Valley Campus of the Philippine Science High School System (PSHSCVC). Graduating students Portia Wynona Soriano, Krizele Bejosano and Melody Marie Taguiam were all undaunted by the obvious risks while trying to figure out the make-up of the Barobbob Stream, the primary water source of the school and the community.

The work on microbes alone could have scared a lot of people, moreso high school students, but the three were up to the task, and considered it a challenge to their young careers as researchers.

The students related that the project was borne out of curiosity and an inherent duty to assist others,

‘Aren’t you kids too young to be doing all these things?’

– Phineas and Ferb “We chose the topic because it will help PSHS-CVC. Since we moved to our real campus site, we did not use the water for drinking purposes. With that, we decided to study the water.”

The objective was to identify certain physical and chemical properties of the water to have a more accurate and detailed description of Barobbob Stream. The results would, in turn, determine if it is safe for drinking and general consumption. To accomplish this, they had to go through all the hardships mentioned — tasks which other people get paid to do.

For starters, the three worked on identifying places along the Barobbob Stream to conduct their

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[EV-03] Barobbob Stream, Nueva Vizcaya | PSHS Cagayan Valley

experiment on. Four locations were strategically chosen to see if there were differences in the measurements. Significant deviations from values at each point would somehow tell a story of the stream’s history, geology, and possible human activities in the area.

During the collection and processing of data, the students were able to interact with a diverse mix of human resources — from experts and scientists to local plainsfolk. They were also allowed to use different equipment and gadgets to carry out the job.

For the actual fieldwork, a list of tests were done to find out elevation, flow rate, temperature, and conductivity at each point, as well as the chemistry of the water. Different equipment were used to measure dissolved oxygen content, pH (potential hydrogen) and turbidity. Samples of the stream water were also sent to the Nueva Vizcaya Provincial Health Office to measure microbial load, specifically coliform bacteria.

Additionally, recorded turbidity, site elevation, flow rate and pH values were each tested for correlation with rainfall gathered from the Philippine

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Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration’s agrometeorological station located at the Nueva Vizcaya State University.

Results of the chemical testing showed the stream water was slightly basic, with a mean pH of 8.44. In contrast, normal water systems usually carry a 6.8 pH and pure water has a neutral 7 pH. A greater than 7 pH would hint that the water is acidic.

Amount of dissolved oxygen, on the other hand, returned less than normal numbers while mean temperatures were well within optimal range.

Dissolved oxygen, pH and temperature values are all indicative of the presence of organisms within and around the water system. With the results close to normal values, the researchers concluded that Barobbob Stream was suitable to sustain plant life.

The basicity of the water led the students to believe that the water is still safe for basic household activities such as bathing and washing, but certainly not for drinking.

Moreover, the microbial tests returned high coliform counts, thus failing the standards of the Provincial Health Office and fortified the students’

[EV-03] Barobbob Stream, Nueva Vizcaya | PSHS Cagayan Valley

findings regarding the potability of the water taken from the stream.

“We did very hard work,” they stressed, citing the strenuous physical challenges they had to endure to finish the project. But, ultimately, all that mattered was that what they did was beneficial to the school and the communities around Barobbob. “Not only does it help our campus but also the environment, as well as the DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) for the new information about the stream.”

For all the work they did, Portia, Krizele, and Melody were content with just sharing the rich amount of data and experiences they gathered for the families living around the stream — people who rely on the Barobbob Stream for most of their domestic water needs. For them, that alone makes the whole activity unique and worthwhile. “We were able to explore the place around our campus.

We were also able to provide information to the community,” they shared.

And most importantly, as budding scientists, the greatest reward they got from this undertaking

Portia, Krizele, and Melody were content with just sharing the rich amount of data and experiences they gathered for the families living around the stream — people who rely on the Barobbob Stream for most of their domestic water needs. was a triumphant feeling they can take pride on: satisfying their curiosity.

Not bad for a group of greenhorns raring to make a mark in the noble and eliteworld of science. n

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Riding bicycles

by Erwin A. Baluyot

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What so enamored the late Apple CEO Steve Jobs to find parallelisms between the simple machine that is the bicycle to the complex machine that is the personal computer? For starters, the bike is a relatively simple contraption, each part intrinsic to its functioning. Its frame, along with the spokes, distributes the rider’s weight between the two wheels; the handlebars are levers that enable the rider to make turns; the wheels increase pedaling speed; the gears, in unison with the chain and pedaling lever, multiplies the pedaling force. Take a single part away and you’ve got something that is remotely similar to a bike.

But more than that, a bicycle makes its riders efficient, faster. A man on his two feet is slow; he tires out easily. But on a bike, there’s the ease in expending energy, the speed and economy in movement. A man perched on a bicycle or sitting in front of a personal computer, in Jobs’ visionary mind, is like climbing another rung in the evolutionary chain.

Short of being magical, what is baffling is up until this day and age, scientists cannot pinpoint how we can balance on two wheels and move forward without tipping and falling over. They say that once you learn to ride a bike, you’ll never forget it. But how do you learn something you don’t understand?

For years, scientists turned to the gyroscopic effect to explain why bicycles move forward without their riders falling to the curb. The gyroscopic effect is the same principle seen in yo-yo’s and the boomerang. Scientists long held the notion that the spinning of the two wheels gave the bike enough gyroscopic effect to keep it stable. However, physicist David Jones debunked this theory by building a bike with counter-rotating wheels, which effectively cancelled the gyroscopic effect.The result? The bike kept moving forward without falling by the wayside.

Another theory put forward by scientists to explain why bikes don’t fall over is the trail.

Basically, bikes are designed with the steering axis placed before the point where the front wheel touches the ground, providing the twowheeler with stability.

However, researchers at Cornell University proved that even when they cancel the gyroscopic effect and the trail effect, a bike can still move forward without falling. How did they do that? By building a weird-looking bike built with mechanisms that effectively cancelled or factored out both the gyroscopic and trail effects.

So how do you explain how bicycles move?

Until now, the answer remains in the dark.

But ‘til then, hold steady the handle bars, look straight ahead, pedal forward, and have fun. n References: 1. http://www.cracked.com/article_19442_8-simplequestions-you-wont-believe-science-cant-answer.html 2. http://www.cyclelicio.us/2011/bicycle-dynamics/ 3. http://why.knovel.com/all-engineering-news/635engineers-disprove-commonly-held-beliefs-about-thephysics-of-bicycles.html 4. http://www.cyclelicio.us/2011/bicycle-dynamics/ 5. http://www.explainthatstuff.com/bicycles.html

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A Tree for a Life

Anti-Angiogenic Property of Gmelina Arborea Methanolic Crude Extracts Using Duck Chorioallantoic Membrane (CAM) Assay | PSHS Bicol

by Michael S. Bala

T

oo much of a good thing can be bad. Ask the guy who won millions in the 6/42 lotto but lost everything in just three months.

Or the kid who played a popular PC role-playing game for 48 hours non-stop and went straight to the hospital afterwards.

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[ME-01] Anti-Angiogenic Property of Gmelina Arborea Methanolic Crude Extracts Using Duck CAM Assay | PSHS Bicol

In their paper, the students aimed to test methanolic extract from Gmelina arborea for anti-angiogenic properties. The idea was to produce a safer and more economically viable alternative to synthetic drugs, which have been known to cause side effects such as elevated blood pressure.

In life, we learn that everything has limits. Plants wither from too much exposure to sunlight or huge amounts of carbon dioxide. Animals can perish from excessive eating. For people, even the most important, most useful material things or simply getting our emotions hit extremes can cause our faculties to respond negatively.

This is because the human body can only work within an optimal range of factors, from biochemistry to organ function. For example, getting caught up in an immeasurable moment of joy (or frustration) can cause a heart attack.

Excessive bile production can lead to gout and too much bile excreted by the gallbladder can pester you with chronic diarrhea. A hyperactive bladder, on the other hand, causes sudden and frequent urination.

And the list goes on.

In most cases, extensive studies have been made for solutions to counter such effects and keep the excesses in check. But in others, there remain areas to improve on or small windows where the methods can be explored to provide greater efficiency or larger economic returns.

Such was the case with a research done by two budding scientists from the Philippine Science High

School-Bicol Region Campus, Lizette Mella and Kendra Ivana Sy, who tried to look into the possibility of utilizing the leaves of a widely-planted tree in the Philippines to inhibit excessive blood vessel formation — a process known as angiogenesis.

Though a higher number of blood vessels is generally good for the body, it unfortunately comes with certain risks, such as the development of tumors and other degenerative disorders.

“Angiogenesis is the natural process of capillary blood vessel growth used by the body for wound healing and reproduction,” the students explain in their research. However, “excessive blood vessel formation can cause a number of diseases, including most types of cancer.”

In their paper, the students aimed to test methanolic extract from Gmelina arborea for antiangiogenic properties. The idea was to produce a safer and more economically viable alternative to synthetic drugs, which have been known to cause side effects such as elevated blood pressure.

The naturally-growing G. arborea tree is popular primarily for its role in the timber industry, specifically for general carpentry, different woodworks and furniture. It is also used as raw

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[ME-01] Anti-Angiogenic Property of Gmelina Arborea Methanolic Crude Extracts Using Duck CAM Assay | PSHS Bicol

Even with the initial success of their work, the students admit there is still work to be done, such as identifying and isolating the active chemical compound in the crude extracts, which counters the angiogenesis and the mechanism by which it is carried out.

material for pulp and paper, manufacturing of boats and musical instruments, and sometimes as fuelwood. The root, leaves and bark of the tree are used medicinally in various capacities, either as laxative, antidote for poisons, and for headaches and fevers. Its leaves are known to contain premnazole and therefore has anti-inflammatory properties.

The latter information proved to be significant in the conduct of the students’ research because of the fact that inflammation and angiogenesis are directly related. “Blood vessel formation and inflammation work together,” the students stressed. Studies show that an inflamed tissue is perceived as a wound by the body and triggers the generation of blood vessels to aid in the healing. Therefore, “stopping inflammation also stops angiogenesis,” they added.

To accomplish their task, they soaked the leaves of the G. arborea tree in methanol and the ensuing extract was diluted with water to produce different concentrations. The samples were then applied on brine shrimp nauplii (larvae) from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in Camarines Sur and on duck eggs from Goa, Camarines Sur. What followed was a seven-day incubation period and a laborious task of counting secondary blood vessels of the duck embryos. Nauplii deaths were

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counted at six-hour intervals for 24 hours for each concentration.

The results of their experiments showed that G. arborea indeed had anti-angiogenic properties as shown by the change in the number of secondary blood vessels. “It was found out that each of the treatments resulted in significant blood vessel inhibition when compared to the negative control.

This implies that the extracts of the Gmelina arborea effectively inhibit blood vessel formation even at concentrations as low as 10μL/mL,” the students concluded in their paper.

Even with the initial success of their work, the students admit there is still work to be done, such as identifying and isolating the active chemical compound in the crude extracts, which counters the angiogenesis and the mechanism by which it is carried out. This would enable further research to possibly use the plant leaves for medicines.

With the right attitude and huge amounts of perseverance, it may make lots of money as an angiogenesis-inhibiting drug. Or maybe contribute to fighting off cancer in the future? Probably win the Nobel Prize!

Wait, that would be excessive dreaming. But who knows, right? n

[ME-03] Bioprospecting for Bioactive Compounds | PSHS Southern Mindanao

Inked

Bioprospecting Bioactive Compounds from Sea Hare Ink Biosprospecting for Bioactive Compounds: Genotoxicity and Lethality Assays. Thin Layer Chromatography and Colometric Analysis of Dolabella auricularia (Sea Hare) Ink Exudates | PSHS Southern Mindanao

Y

by Erwin A. Baluyot

ou don’t see them hopping by during Easter Sunday, but they spring more than a basket full of surprises.

Known locally as “donsol,” sea hares (Dolabella auricularia), are named as such because of their resemblance to Bugs Bunny’s furry friends, their rounded back similar in appearance to a sitting hare while their rhinophores look like the rodent’s ears.

These marine gastropod molluscs have caught the fancy of various individuals, from foodies to

researchers. To aquarists, sea hares are a welcome partner. Being voracious eaters, they can help keep an aquarium free from algae. Researchers have noted that the color of the algae eaten by these sea creatures tend to have an effect on the color of the animal.

These creatures have also caught the attention of researchers doing work on neurobiology. Their

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[ME-03] Bioprospecting for Bioactive Compounds | PSHS Southern Mindanao

Sea hares lack an external shell to protect themselves against predators. In order to make up for this, they have developed inking behavior to discourage predators.

When sea hares are disturbed or threatened by predators, they release a cloud of ink.

unusually large axons or nerve fibers make them the perfect specimen for such an undertaking.

Like the Japanese who consider the puffer fish or fugu as a delicacy, some Filipinos have taken a liking to eating donsol despite the danger of being poisoned from the consumption of this marine animal. Time and again, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has warned the public against eating sea hares because when they’re not prepared properly, they might cause poisoning or even death.

In the Visayas region, noodle-like secretions from the sea hares are prepared kilawin-style or mixed with other ingredients to prepare a soup called tinowa.

Unlike their cousins, the snails, sea hares lack an external shell to protect themselves against predators. In order to make up for this, they have developed inking behavior to discourage predators.

When sea hares are disturbed or threatened by predators, they release a cloud of ink. Because of their sluggish movement, researchers theorize that instead of being a diversionary tactic, like that of a squid or an octopus, the sea hare’s ink disrupts the

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other sense organs of its predator. Researchers at the Georgia State University discovered that unlike snakes that produce their own venom, or monarch caterpillars which feed on milkweed to make them poisonous against predators, the donsol can alter the composition of an algae it feeds upon to create a chemical weapon.

Intrigued by the array of surprises these humble sea creatures bring, Bryce Abraham M. Anos, Lanz Gabriel S. Jabla, and Carla Beatriz H. Lazara of the Philippine Science High School (PSHS) Southern Mindanao Campus sought to identify the components of the sea hare’s ink and find out if the ink contains bioactive compounds. Bioactive compounds are chemicals found in plants and in some animals that help promote good health.

These compounds may be used to prevent heart disease, cancer and other diseases. The process by which scientists seek to find out the presence of bioactive compounds in plants or animals is called bioprospecting.

In order to determine if the ink from sea hares contains bioactive compounds, the researchers had to assess the genotoxicity of the sea hare’s ink, the ink’s lethal toxicity on brine shrimps, and then separate the components of the ink.

According to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) genotoxicity tests are “designed to detect compounds that induce genetic

[ME-03] Bioprospecting for Bioactive Compounds | PSHS Southern Mindanao

damage by various mechanisms. These tests enable hazard identification with respect to DNA and its fixation.”

On the other hand, the brine shrimp lethality assay uses brine shrimp for toxicity testing in place of mammals.

Chromatography is defined as a laboratory technique to separate mixtures, in this case, the sea hare’s ink, while thin layer chromatography is a technique used to identify the components of a mixture.

After subjecting the sea hare’s ink to these tests, the young researchers noted the presence of secondary bioactive metabolites such as flavonoids, leucoanthocyanins, saponins and tannins.

Flavonoids are compounds which are commonly found in plants and have anti-allergic, antiinflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-cancer and antidiarrheal properties.

Leucoanthocyanins is a type of flavonoid that is known to strengthen capillary walls and blood vessels, help fight off free radicals, and enhances the effects of taking in Vitamin C.

Saponin is a common ingredient in cold and cough medicines because they induce sneezing and expectoration. Researchers are closely studying saponin because they believe that it can reduce cholesterol.

Tannin is a biomolecule commonly found in food and drinks like tea, wine, beer, nuts and berries. It is known to have a myriad of health benefits and researchers are studying its potential in protecting the kidney, treating neurological diseases, antiviral, antibacterial and antiparasitic effects.

Because of their study, they were chosen as one of the country’s finalist to the 2012 Intel ISEF at Pittsburg Pennsylvania USA May 13 to 18, 2012. In the race to find the cure for lethal diseases, Anos, Jabla and Lazara show through their research that the remedy we’ve been looking for is just around the corner, however humble the source—just like the sea hare—may seem. n

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I just can’t get you out of my head…

La,la,la ead”e H y La,la,la,la,la u inog t Of iM u M O e l u et Yo by Ky G t ’ Can

“

Last Song

by Erwin A. Baluyot

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Like a fly caught in a spider’s intricate web, flapping its wings to no avail. There’s no escape.

Last song syndrome. Sticky music. Brainworms. The Germans call it “ohrwurm,” literally, an earworm. It happens to almost everyone—98% of the people, actually.

Perhaps you’ve just taken a long commute using public transportation with the stereo blasting off; or perhaps, you were taking a casual stroll in the mall and then you happened to pass by an electronic store where a salesman was belting out tunes on the latest model of a portable karaoke microphone.

And now, you can’t shake off that song you just heard.

Nope, you don’t have some parasitic organism lodged inside your head.

Researchers at Darthmouth College found out that every time we listen to music, our auditory cortex is activated.

The auditory cortex is responsible for perceiving and storing auditory stimuli.

Now, when we hear a familiar song, the auditory cortex may continue to play that snippet of the song you’ve just heard, with the brain filling out the missing parts. What triggers this to happen? Maybe you’re reading something and you happen to glance upon a song title. Or perhaps, you’re watching a movie and a particular theme starts playing.

Other factors include the song itself (usually, songs that are catchy and repetitive), individual characteristics (musicians and women are particularly prone), and the context in which you heard the song (usually, if you hear the song first thing in the morning or before you go to bed).

Whether it’s Rihanna’s “We Found Love” or Frank Sinatra’s “My Way,” earworms are totally harmless. But if you find yourself distracted by the song stuck in your head, listening to the song in entirety can help. Others swear by listening to a particular “eraser” song to detach themselves from a particularly pesky infestation of earworms. n References: 1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earworm 2. http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2006/jun/22/popandrock

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[ME-05] Reversion of Thrombocytopenia Using Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) | PSHS Western Visayas

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Moooooâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Beefing Up the Blood with BSA Reversion of Thrombocytopenia Using Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) | PSHS Western Visayas

by Michael S. Bala

W

hat do Louis Vuitton bags, heart transplants, vitamin B12 capsules and cheeseburgers have in common? How about I throw in cosmetic skin cream, insulin and ice cream to the list? Still no clue? Maybe bulalo might help you a little.

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[ME-05] Reversion of Thrombocytopenia Using Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) | PSHS Western Visayas

It’s amazing how much of cattle parts we use everyday for our existence. We process cow skin into leather to make clothes, bags and shoes. We consume cattle for food and beverages, such as beef and dairy products.

The answer: They all come from different parts and organs of cows.

Yes, heart valve replacement is usually carried out with animal heart valves, including those from cattle. Insulin and vitamin B12 supplements, on the other hand, are taken from cow pancreas and liver, respectively. Similarly, cosmetic skin cream, which is composed primarily of bovine superoxide, is taken from an enzyme produced by cows, and ice cream as we all know is a product made of milk.

As for cheeseburgers and bulalo, well — as the saying goes — “you get the beef.”

It’s amazing how much of cattle parts we use everyday for our existence. We process cow skin into leather to make clothes, bags and shoes. We consume cattle for food and beverages, such as beef and dairy products. Apart from these, we also rely on bovines to relieve us of an assortment of ailments and diseases, from common skin allergies to diabetes and valvular heart disorder.

Collagen, cortisone, iron supplements, bone marrow and surgical sutures are also some of the more common examples of the uses of cattle parts in medical products. There’s a lot more in the list and a greater number waiting to be utilized.

This fact didn’t escape curious student scientists from the Philippine Science High School-Western Visayas Campus and helped them write up a research they hope can address a lingering healthcare problem in our country. Realizing this potential of cattle for medical applications, Isaiah Cabañero, Philip Flores and Antonio Tulio experimented on using a cattle-specific protein to potentially treat low platelet counts in the blood, a condition referred to as thrombocytopenia.

The plasma protein, known as bovine serum albumin (BSA), “is contained in the blood of cows and is often used in research studies because it is stable and ideal for scientific measures, vaccine production, medical research, and food additives,” the students explained in their paper.

The serum albumin is hypothesized to reverse the effects of thrombocytopenia, a disorder which

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[ME-05] Reversion of Thrombocytopenia Using Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) | PSHS Western Visayas

The mice platelets were counted by the researchers after three days to determine the efficacy of the BSA to the thrombocytopenic mice.

is especially significant in our current health setting.

Thrombocytopenia has been determined to be an effect of a host of ailments, including Vitamin B12 and folic acid deficiency, leukemia, sepsis, liver failure, and most notably dengue fever, a virus infection endemic to tropical regions such as the Philippines.

Unfortunately, the treatment for dengue and other thrombocytopenia cases still has not been identified, but management is specified for blood transfusion to increase platelet counts in infected patients.

The students pointed out, however, that this method has its share of drawbacks. Complications arising from the transfer of platelets to patients include fever, red cell alloimmunization, and refractoriness — a condition in which the immune system of the body attacks the new blood fragments.

This causes the destruction of the platelets and renders the transfusion treatment ineffective.

An alternative treatment is transfusion of human serum albumin or HSA, especially in severe cases, but it comes at a hefty price. According to their research, “fractionalized HSA is the most expensive plasma volume expander known,” and this piece of information prompted them to find a cheaper alternative that wouldn’t compromise the effectiveness of the serum albumin to fight off thrombocytopenia.

For this, they looked at the versatile cattle for a probable solution. “Bovine serum albumin (BSA) has 80% sequence homology with HSA. The two serum albumins are frequently used in biochemical studies since they have a similar folding, a well known primary structure,” they explained.

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To test their theory, the three induced thrombocytopenia in white mice in the laboratory to test their reaction to BSA transfusion. Additionally, the albumin transfer was also done in normal mice with normal platelet counts to find out and compare the effects of the procedure. Different concentrations of the serum albumin were introduced intravenously to the mice in both sets of experiments, with a determined number left untreated serving as control.

The mice platelets were counted by the researchers after three days to determine the efficacy of the BSA to the thrombocytopenic mice. Results were conclusive and showed successful treatment of the test subjects. “There was a significant increase in the number of platelets of the thrombocytopenic mice after being infused with BSA including those which were not infused,” they said.

That final detail, however, raised an important question in the experiment because of the greater increase in platelets in the control mice compared to those treated with BSA. “Normal recovery from the induced thrombocytopenia had the highest percent increase in the number of platelets,” the researchers divulged.

Nevertheless, the students were quick to note the areas where they may find the answer to the riddle, such as the causes and underlying mechanisms for platelet release, and the correlation of platelet production with platelet phenotypes.

“BSA has a role in increasing the number of platelets in the blood but is yet to be known,” they said, ending the problem with a bevy of other questions wanting to be explored.

Just like any other scientist, the three manifested a unique hunger for knowledge. With the right amount of drive, patience and resources, the young researchers might just successfully utilize the BSA into treating low platelet count in the blood to ultimately help our country and possibly “beefup” that cattle list. n

[MI-09] Production of Polyhydroxyalkanotes Using Waste-fed Microorganisms | PSHS Ilocos

Voracious Bacteria Synthetic Plastic from Waste-Fed Microorganisms Production of Polyhydroxyalkanotes Using Waste-fed Microorganisms | PSHS Ilocos

by Erwin A. Baluyot

H

ow do you like your fish? Fried to a golden brown crisp? Or cooked with sour broth and lots of veggies? Or freshly caught and made into kilawin? Or perhaps stuffed with tomatoes and onions and grilled? science digest for students

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[MI-09] Production of Polyhydroxyalkanotes Using Waste-fed Microorganisms | PSHS Ilocos

With the country surrounded by water, it is no wonder that fish is a staple at the dining table or that fishing and aquaculture sustains the livelihood of countless Filipinos. But have you ever gone to a wet market and wondered where the fish scales go after they’ve been removed by your mom’s suki?

Fish scales are present in virtually every species except in eels or anglerfishes. The gene responsible for the production of hair and teeth in mammals is the same gene responsible for the development of scales in fishes. And while scales provide fish with some degree of protection, they have virtually zero culinary value.

In some countries, scales are used for making jewelry and arts and crafts. Some feed them to prawns or worms. UK College of Art student Erik De Laurans discovered that by treating scales with heat and pressure, one can create eyeglass frames, cups, and goggles. But almost everywhere else, fish

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scales are disposed of as waste.

During Christmas break, Philippine Science High School (PSHS) Ilocos campus student Mary Cherubin Adelaida M. Cruz saw her mom disposing of the scales removed from the fish being prepared for the family reunion. “I noticed that they seem to resemble some plastic material. I was curious if I could reshape them in my desired shape,” she explained. That’s when she came up with the idea for her study “Production of Polyhydroxyanlkanoate from Waste-fed Microorganisms.”

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) are a type of plastic. Like their synthetic counterparts, they can be used for various applications; however, they can decompose in only a few months. PHA is a product of the fermentation of sugars or lipids. Bacteria produce them to store energy and carbon. After a culture of bacteria in Cruz’s study (Bacillus megaterium and Aureobasidium pullulan) has been placed in a

[MI-09] Production of Polyhydroxyalkanotes Using Waste-fed Microorganisms | PSHS Ilocos

medium, they are fed nutrients to stimulate their growth and multiplication. When the bacteria population has reached a suitable level, their diet is changed to stimulate the production of PHA. Cruz noticed that food fed to the bacteria are the same as those used by humans as food. She thought that appropriating these resources for the production PHA may eventually affect human food sources. She then thought of experimenting with fish scales and molasses to produce PHA. She also reasoned out that fish scales and sugar cane molasses are virtually considered as waste materials. Using them for the production of PHA will not only lower the production cost of PHA but will also contribute ecologically: reduction of waste materials and production of a biodegradable material.

So are the bacteria used in Cruz’s research picky eaters? Results from Cruz’s study indicate that the production of PHA from Bacillus Megaterium and Aureobasidium pullulan was not affected by feeding them with fish scales and molasses. With this result, it can pave the way for experimentation with other materials for the production of PHA—perhaps some other materials that would otherwise be considered junk or waste and would ultimately end up filling up landfills.

Because of the nature of her study, one of the requirements was working in a laboratory. For this research, she was able to work with two laboratories: the Analytical Services Laboratory of the Institute of Chemistry of the University of the Philippines (UP) and the Research Center for the Natural Sciences of the University of Santo Tomas (UST).

“I was grateful to have a chance to work with professionals knowledgeable in my field of interest. I

So are the bacteria used in Cruz’s research picky eaters? Results from Cruz’s study indicate that the production of PHA from Bacillus Megaterium and Aureobasidium pullulan was not affected by feeding them with fish scales and molasses

am happy I was given a chance to hone my potential and work in good laboratories,” she added.

It’s also a good thing that this research was chosen as a finalist for the Outstanding Student Creative Research (Sibol Award) given by the Technology Application and Promotion Institute (TAPI) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

The Sibol Award recognizes outstanding student creative research. With her entry into the list of finalists, Cruz was able to use the cash prize to finance her laboratory work.

Last July 14, 2012, Cruz was awarded as 3rd Placer of the 2012 National Invention Contests and Exhibits (NICE).

The race for finding new materials to replace synthetic plastic is on. Synthetic plastics are derived from oil, a non-renewable resource. With the soaring price of petroleum, the need for an alternative cannot be fully underscored. And then there’s the need for finding a material that’s biodegradable.

The next time you’re dining out with your family at a dampa or at a buffet dining on fresh bounty from the sea, look around you and who knows, you might find yet another common waste material that can be transformed into something useful just like Mary Cherubin Adelaida M. Cruz did. n

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References: 1. http://www.coolquiz.com/trivia/explain/docs/yawn.asp 2. http://scienceblogs.com/grrlscientist/2008/12/yawning_and_ thermoregulation_i.php 3. http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_do_we_yawn

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Photo by sxc.hu user riesp | http://www.sxc.hu/photo/421147

Whatever it is, you’re trying your best to stifle that oncoming yawn to avoid embarrassment. At this point, you’d rather know why humans yawn rather than knowing which of The Bard’s plays have been based on The Decameron. “Oh, to yawn or not to yawn.”

But that is not the question. Rather, why do we yawn? We do know that we yawn when we are sleepy, tired, or bored.

Yawning is one of the involuntary reflexes of humans which is triggered by the spine and the nerve centers.

Scientists theorize that yawning helps humans bring fresh oxygen into the body. Notice how shallow your breathing is when you’re tired or bored? Yawning helps increase our intake of oxygen while getting rid of carbon dioxide. At the same time, our heart rate increases, normal breathing is restored, and our alertness is heightened.

Andrew Gallup from the Binghamton University in New York explains yawning as means for our body to regulate temperature and for the brain to perform optimally.

“Brains are like computers. They operate most efficiently when cool, and physical adaptations have evolved to allow maximum cooling of the brain,” Gallup explained.

But why do we yawn after we see another do so? Scientists are still at a lost on this matter. Some believe that we mimic another person yawning due to the power of suggestion.

Truth is, there’s nothing embarrassing about yawning, whatever the reason may be. Whether you find yourself letting out a huge uncontrolled yawn (with a whole lot of stretching) at the start of your day or drowsily yawning into your pillow at night, already halfway to dreamland, there’s no question that we all feel much better after a good yawn. n

Yawning Must be that heavy lunch you just had or the balmy weather. Or perhaps your teacherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s monotonic voice as he discusses Shakespeareâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s place in the literary pantheon.

by Erwin A. Baluyot

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[MI-12] Topical lotion using siling labuyo | PSHS Western Visayas

Soothe Your Skin With Siling Labuyo

Healing Fungal Infections With Capsaicinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Signature Kick

Development of a Topical lotion against Malassezia furfur formulated with Siling Labuyo (Capsicum frutescens L.) | PSHS Western Visayas

by Erwin A. Baluyot

S

ome people cannot have their meals without having siling labuyo partnered with their favorite dip, be it patis, suka, or toyo-mansi.

Like thrillseekers waiting for their next dose of adrenaline rush, avid fans of this small chili pepper cannot go another spoonful without this culinary incendiary.

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[MI-12] Topical lotion using siling labuyo | PSHS Western Visayas

Aside from the culinary consumption of the fruit, siling labuyo has other uses. People attest to the relief given by the siling labuyo to those who suffer from arthritis and rheumatism.

Also known as Thai chillies, cabe rawit (Indonesia), cili padi (Malaysia) or bird’s eye chili, the siling labuyo (Capsicum frutescens L.) was brought from Latin America into these parts of the world by Spanish and Portuguese traders who sought to build an empire anchored upon the trading of spices.

These zingers figure heavily in Southeast Asian cuisine, adding a dash of fiery flavor. And oh, what a wallop do these little dudes pack! Despite their diminutive size, these bad boys have a Scoville rating of 80,000 to 100,000, a tad lower than their more fiery cousins, the habanero peppers, which have a Scoville rating of 100,000 to 300,000. The Scoville rating is named after the American pharmacist Wilbur Scoville, who created a system to measure the piquance (spicy heat) and amount of capsaicin in a chilli pepper. It is the capsaicin present in chilli peppers that gives that unmistakable zing.

Aside from the culinary consumption of the fruit, siling labuyo has other uses. People attest to the relief given by the siling labuyo to those who suffer from arthritis and rheumatism. As the effects of capsaicin kick in, the body responds by sending out a flood of

endorphins, which act as the body’s pain reliever.

These chillies are also known to bring down blood sugar and cholesterol levels, reduce the risk for heart disease and tuberculosis, prevent blood clot, and help ease the symptoms of cold and flu. They are also used to treat dyspepsia, flatulence, toothache, and ulcer. Even the Institute of Chemistry at the University of the Philippines-Los Banos (UPLB) is conducting research into the phytochemical content of the siling labuyo and how it can be used to ward off cancer.

Inspired by the myriad of benefits this little culinary molotov brings, Philippine Science High School (PSHS) Western Visayas Campus students Mary Jef Rose D. Orata and Marie Athena C. Ybañez sought to find out how it can be used as a topical lotion against Malassezia furfur.

Malassezia furfur is a type of yeast that causes Pityriasis versicolor (commonly known in Filipino as “An-an”), which is characterized by the appearance of light reddish-brown spots on the skin. Between January 2002 to December 2003, a total of 12,401 cases of fungal infections have been reported to the

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[MI-12] Topical lotion using siling labuyo | PSHS Western Visayas

The two found out that the lotions with 35% and 50% Capsicum extracts produced the most favorable results in terms of pH, zones of growth, and percentage of inhibition.

Department of Health’s (DOH) Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM). Of these reported incidents, Pityriasis Versicolor accounts for 25% of the total with 3,143 cases reported, making it one of the most prevalent skin diseases. While the disease can be treated with topical creams, Orata and Ybañez looked into the idea of finding a cheaper yet effective alternative to commercially available treatment. Previous research works have shown that capsicum extract has antimicrobial properties and can relieve itching within the first day of treatment.

To achieve this, the duo started by extracting capsicum from half a kilo of siling labuyo through submersion, separation, filtering, and distillation.

Then, they proceeded to make a base lotion made with coconut oil, beeswax, aloe vera gel, lecithin, and lanolin. Afterwards, six treatments of lotions were prepared, each with different concentrations of capsicum extract (0%, 25%, 35%, 50%, 100%).

The six treatments were then swabbed on agar plates. M. furfur blocks were then placed on each plate. They then proceeded to measure the zones of growth and to calculate the percentage of inhibition.

The two found out that the lotions with 35% and 50% Capsicum extracts produced the most favorable results in terms of pH, zones of growth,

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and percentage of inhibition. Simply put, the Capsicum extract concentration to be used in the lotion need not exceed 35% to be effective.

Currently, fungal infections like pityriasis versicolor are among the most prevalent diseases recorded in dermatological outpatient clinics. With the country’s tropical climate, pityriasis versicolor can easily thrive. Taking off from the study conducted

by Orata and Ybañez, a cheaper alternative to commercial products being used as treatment can be given to people who would otherwise leave the disease untreated.

Perhaps Hippocrates was right when he said, “Let food be your medicine; your medicine, be food.”

With the heavy use of herbs and spices in Philippine cuisine, and their subsequent propagation and proliferation, it may not come as a surprise that the cure for diseases that have baffled scientists may come from the very plants that grow in your backyard garden.

The next time you dip that crunchy, crunchy piece of chicharon in vinegar laden with siling labuyo, think not of the tasty explosion a bite will bring to your mouth. Rather, think about how such a diminutive fruit can bring many healthy benefits. n

[PS-01] Alagaw as Acetylcholinesterase | PSHS Cagayan Valley

Rice and Shine

Ridding Palay of Pesky Green Leafhoppers

Photo by sxc.hu user highland_s | http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1378221

Alagaw (Premna odorata blanco) as a Potential Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitor | PSHS Cagayan Valley

by Michael S. Bala

R

ice plays a crucial role in the gastronomic culture of most Asian countries. Our southeast Asian neighbors Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia have nasi to go with every meal.

China has fan, or chao fan if you fancy the stirfried variety. Japan has the sticky gohan or mochi and Korea has bap. science digest for students

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[PS-01] Alagaw as Acetylcholinesterase | PSHS Cagayan Valley

We in the Philippines have steaming white kanin or delicious sinangag, whichever your taste buds prefer or depending on the time of the day your tummy starts to grumble. We eat rice for breakfast, lunch and dinner and sometimes for dessert and snacks, with rice crispies and rice delicacies.

Rice also plays a large part in our country’s economy. The different variants of Oryza sativa, collectively, are one of the main agricultural crops in the Philippines, giving livelihood to millions of farmers across the nation.

With the importance of the grain in mind, Caryl May Alada, Iris Bontoyan and Marjorie Anne Co, all students from the Philippine Science High School-Cagayan Valley Campus, conceptualized a study to maximize rice produce in local farms. The junior researchers targeted a specific virus-carrying insect which invades rice stalks, and thought of an environment-friendly way to eliminate them.

In their research, they chose the green leafhopper over other rice pests because of its impact on the crop. The idea was to increase the mortality rate of the leafhoppers using a natural pesticide, something they thought was doable within their means. “There are many factors affecting rice yield production such as natural disasters and pest problems. We know we can’t control the natural calamities but we can do something to ensure pest control,” they related.

The green leafhopper is the most devastating of rice-invading insects. According to the International Rice Research Institute, it causes direct damage to the plant by sucking its sap and plugging the vascular bundles with sheaths. This prevents the rice stalks from absorbing nutrients, which are vital

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With the importance of the grain in mind, Caryl May Alada, Iris Bontoyan and Marjorie Anne Co, all students from the Philippine Science High SchoolCagayan Valley Campus, conceptualized a study to maximize rice produce in local farms. for its nourishment. To make matters worse, the leafhopper carries Tungo virus, which stunts the stalks’ growth — sometimes leading to wilting and death — and consequently decreases rice yield by 50-80%.

The researchers further explained that apart from helping reduce crop losses, the study will also benefit farmers because it will provide them with a cheaper replacement for commercial pesticides. “While pest control is available to farmers, there is still a challenge in its cost,” they added. Cheap pesticides would lower the money spent in production, thereby increasing their net profits.

[PS-01] Alagaw as Acetylcholinesterase | PSHS Cagayan Valley

The students concluded that alagaw is a potential biopesticide, possibly carrying the same potency as carbaryl.

For this purpose, they looked at alagaw, a locallyabundant plant known for its healing properties.

The fact that it is common and readily found makes it easier to acquire at a lower price. The students stated in their paper that alagaw (Premna odorata blanco) is one of the oldest herbal medicines in the Philippines and is believed to cure tuberculosis, phlegms and coughs. Other researchers have proven that it is also a parasiticide and has the ability to eliminate pests.

The possibility of utilizing the medicinal plant to exterminate green leafhoppers is an exciting thought, because it becomes a win-win situation for both humans and the rice stalks. Most pesticides available in the market and even experimental biopesticides are known to cause allergic reactions to people. The alagawâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s effects, however, are known to be the opposite. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This would produce a safer alternative since alagaw does not contain any harmful effects to humans and other organisms,â&#x20AC;? the students explained.

For the lab work, the student-researchers experimented on several combinations of alagaw leaf extract and carbaryl, a commercial insecticide

used for green leafhoppers. A specific number of the pests were collected and put inside separate test tubes covered with cotton. The test mixtures were then applied to the leafhoppers and the number of dead subjects were counted in five-minute intervals.

For comparison, pure carbaryl concentrations were also applied to another set of test subjects.

The method returned significant results as evidenced by the higher number of dead leafhoppers from the alagaw-carbaryl compounds. Because of this, the students concluded that alagaw is a potential biopesticide, possibly carrying the same potency as carbaryl. They are quick to recommend, though, that further studies be made to test the ability of alagaw when used separately without their commercial counterpart.

With the positive findings of their study, the three were able to hurdle the various difficulties they encountered along the way, specifically, finding of the test subjects. They were also proud to exclaim that their research was the first to use the popular alagaw for eliminating green leafhoppers.

A few tweaks to the study will hopefully generate a reliable and cheap biopesticide for use in our rice paddies. Good news for our farmers and growers; and more importantly, good news for us common people trying to savor that hot and versatile kanin. n

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Gravity Some of mankindâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most genius minds have tinkered with the idea of the universal force.

Aristotle explained it as a natural tendency for the elements. Isaac Newton thought of it as a force of attraction. Albert Einstein referred to it as a distortion in the space-time continuum.

by Michael S. Bala

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We simply call it gravity. Modern physicists, however, label it a mystery.

In 1687, Newton published his theory inspired partly by the famous (but not entirely accurate) apple falling from a tree. He put his ideas in his paper, “Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy.”

His concept has gone a long way since (challenged along the way by theories such as Einstein’s general relativity), especially since the advent of modern instruments and observation techniques.

But over three centuries after the “falling apple” and a greater sense of physical forces, scientists are still presented with the problem, “Why is gravity weak?”

As an article in Harvard Magazine puts it, a normal-sized magnet (such as the ones you stick on your refrigerator) can pick up a paper clip lying on a table. Nothing unusual about it? Then consider this: the clip is pulled down by the gravitational force exerted by the Earth — a massive globe with a radius of 6,310 kilometers. So how can a mere magnet defeat the Earth’s gravity?

Moreover, the other fundamental forces (electromagnetic, strong and weak nuclear forces)

1 8 9.

exhibit positive and negative charges unlike gravity.

The answer to the riddle may be linked to the “Theory of Everything,” a theory which would unify the four fundamental forces and is currently being worked on by physicists, including revered mathematician and cosmologist Stephen Hawking.

Institute for Advanced Study’s Nima ArkaniHamed further explains that there may exist a number of other dimensions, unlike the three or four-dimensional models on which our scientists base their experiments. The presence of these other dimensions may account for the loss of or spreading out of the force of gravity.

Sounds like fiction? Seems more like a science mystery. n References: 1. http://science.jrank.org/pages/3129/Gravity-Gravitationhistory-gravity.html 2. http://harvardmagazine.com/2003/05/gravitys-riddle.html 3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravity#Newton.27s_theory_ of_gravitation 4. http://www.astronomycafe.net/gravity/gravity.html

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[PS-02] Bitaog Seed Extract | PSHS Eastern Visayas

Beat Out that Stinking Bug with Bitaog Effects of Bitaog (Calophyllum inophyllum) Seed Extract on Black Stink Bugs (Coptosoma xanthogramma) | PSHS Eastern Visayas

by Michael S. Bala

P

eople hate bugs, but for good reason. A quick check with the English dictionary returns quite a definitive list of bad raps for the word bug: n. garden pest; disease-producing microorganism; defect or imperfection; computer glitch; v. to annoy; to pester; to irritate; to bother.

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[PS-02] Bitaog Seed Extract | PSHS Eastern Visayas

The objective of their research was to test the seeds of bitaog, a tree which grows in coastal regions, as control agent for black stink bugs.

The verb-line seems to clinch it. And unless you’re a real-world fan of those “A Bug’s Life” protagonists, chances are you’re with the majority who consider that bugs are problems, which need to be dealt with. You don’t even have to reach far to know this. You’ve probably encountered one on your PC at home, seen your dog scratch his back incessantly, or heard nanay tell lolo’s story about how insects ruined the year’s harvest at the farm.

Unfortunately, they don’t scamper away too easily. The irony is that these small bugs can cause huge damages especially the farm pest variety, which account for approximately 30% of wasted crops every year. This figure is too big of a burden for countries that rely heavily on agriculture. The Philippines, for example, collects P200 billion from crops and processed plant materials. Imagine the boost it can give our economy if we reduce the deficits caused by these insects.

Luckily, we have a new breed of scientists working to answer the local pest quandary. Philippine Science High School-Eastern Visayas students Kit Laurence Guial, Christian Jay Raagas and Gabriel Luzon collaborated to come up with a study on developing

a biopesticide for a plant-invading insect common in their locality.

“In Leyte, black stink bugs are significant agricultural pests that infest plants from simple backyard gardens to organically-grown fields,” they explain in their paper. The objective of their research was to test the seeds of bitaog, a tree which grows in coastal regions, as control agent for the said bugs.

The less-known bitaog (ball nut) is claimed to have a number of uses. Its bark is processed into tanning agent for leather while its trunk is cut out for different wood works, from small furniture to boats and ships. Its fruit is not edible but contains oil, which is believed to have healing properties.

The bitaog’s seed is also known to have potential to kill the larvae of the common plant pest bollworm — a fact which led the students to try the bitaog’s pesticidal properties.

Asked as to why they came up with their topic, they had a simple answer, “One of us has a father who is an agriculturist whose concern is about pests infesting plants. He suggested to test black stink bugs because these agricultural pests are significant in our place.”

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[PS-02] Bitaog Seed Extract | PSHS Eastern Visayas

Black stink bugs (Coptosoma xanthogramma) are known to grow in the summer months, invading backyard gardens to crop farms. Though they are harmless to humans, they feed on plants and suck the juices out of vegetables and fruits. An infestation of black stink bugs will give plant growers headaches, not only for the damage they bring, but also for the foul smell they leave off long after you succeed in getting rid of them.

With the data they gathered on the pesky insects and a potential biopesticide in mind, the students went on a mission to extinguish the stinking bugs.

They first collected adult specimens of the pests and harvested bitaog fruits for their experiments.

In the laboratory, the three concocted a mixture of ethanol and bitaog seed extracts to create different concentrations of the probable biopesticide. For comparison of the effectivity of the solutions, they used distilled water and Magnum 5 EC, a commercially-available chemical pesticide.

The work they did were not easy according to the junior scientists, as they occasionally bumped into hindrances, especially in the laboratory where they missed key reagents. “Some chemicals we needed were not available in our school so we had to travel for two hours just to purchase them”, they

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related. But it was all worth the sweat because their study returned significant results.

They found out that higher concentrations of the bitaog-ethanol solution were effective in exterminating black stink bugs. The 100% and 75% mixtures proved to be at par with the performance of the Magnum pesticide, with the latter solution showing quite similar results. The 50% mixture, on the other hand, turned in lower black stink bug mortality but was still deemed potent.

With all their hard work paying off, they hope that the information they learned will eventually provide farmers with an affordable alternative to commercial pesticides and consequently better harvests. They also hope that in the future, the Department of Agriculture and other government offices acknowledge the value of bitaog and consider developing the plant for wider distribution.

Although the students admit that it’s still a preliminary experiment, the potential for the plant is quite obvious. There’s still a long way to go before the ball nut becomes synonymous with pest control, but it may just be the case. Just like how Norton is to computer viruses or how Shellguard is to dog ticks, bitaog may come around as the first thing you think of when you hear the word pesticide. n

Reaching Stars with the Aromatic Pandan Pandanus amarylifolius (Pandan) Ultimate Leaf Fibers as Potential Blend for Philippine Tropical Fabrics | PSHS Southern Mindanao

T

by Elson Ian Nyl E. Galang

he passion for scientific research is hard to find, but when you have a school that nourishes this passion, it may just be possible.

As a newbie in science research, you may seem quite hesitant to talk about it especially thinking about all the efforts needed to make a research.

However, let me share to you my story and how this not-so-brain-friendly sounding topic turned all my dreams into a reality. science digest for students

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[EN-07] Pandan Leaf Fibers as Blend for A New Philippine Tropical Fabric | PSHS Southern Mindanao

Back in year 2010, I made a gamble in doing an individual research project for my Research 1 subject.

I’d say it’s a very big risk since I didn’t have a laptop or even a printer when I fully decided to do a research project independently. It was self confidence and an ounce of luck, as I recall. However, I made it through (with flying colors) and I would like to share it with you: from a student to another student.

How Did I Do It?!

I. Observe, Investigate, and Use What is Already There One of the most important things to consider in doing a scientific project is the research problem and the feasibility on how to solve it. It took me some time to think – investing much time researching related literature from sound waves as mosquito repellent to borax as fire retardant. All my tentative proposals were all rejected by my research adviser, Ms. Sharon M. Dejarme. However, rejection is not

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It was a eureka moment when I stood beyond the backdoor of our house and looked the embodiment of science in front of me, nature.

After all the library reviews, I realized nothing will beat actual observations and see in person the mysteries of Mother Earth. your destination. It only means that you can think of better ideas that best fit your capabilities.

It was a eureka moment when I stood beyond the backdoor of our house and looked the embodiment of science in front of me, nature. After all the library reviews, I realized nothing will beat actual observations and see in person the mysteries of Mother Earth. A plant, planted in our backyard with the scientific name, Pandanus amaryllifolius or commonly known as Pandan thrilled me to a lot thinking, “What can I do with its leaves besides being used as flavoring?” You don’t say you ran-out of ideas, just think of what excites you and I am sure ideas will flow like a stream of water.

[EN-07] Pandan Leaf Fibers as Blend for A New Philippine Tropical Fabric | PSHS Southern Mindanao

II. Research and Make your Proposal After making bibliocards and collecting articles about Pandan, I immediately finished drafting my first research proposal on pandan leaf fibers as textile material. In doing the proposal, one must consider the project’s feasibility in terms of my financial and intellectual capacity; time and machineries to finish it; and its significance to the community. I was not expecting anything, but with all the luck in the world, my proposal received positive feedbacks and even won the first prize in research proposal in our school science fair.

Proposals are just your guides, the light that shows you where you need to go and how to get there. So, always keep it simple and understandable, do not complicate things as they already are. But, always remember that changes are the only constant things on earth.

III. Try to Look for Your “Help Line” and Know Your Subject by Heart It was time for me decide where to work for our Summer Science Internship Program (SSIP). The said program was designed for us to have a summer job in a scientific institution where we can learn techniques to be used in our studies. Coming from Cotabato, it was really hard for me to find one in our place. Yet, for schools that don’t have these kind of programs, don’t be sad, maybe it’s now the time to push to your teachers and administrators that these type of on the job training is very helpful.

Thus, if you are given opportunities like summer internships or access to research institutions, I strongly recommend you grab the opportunity no

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[EN-07] Pandan Leaf Fibers as Blend for A New Philippine Tropical Fabric | PSHS Southern Mindanao

matter what lies ahead. This is the best way to learn, by experience.

With a project under the materials science or any engineering research, it is a rule of thumb to always make sure that your foundation material can suffice the requirements for a stable end-product. So I evaluated the properties of my fibers and analyzed them showing: it has low breaking strength, high cohesion and readily spinnable. These properties will already show to us theoretical applications of the fibers, but again, I highly recommend you go for actual products. To see is to believe!

I arrived at the Philippine Textile Research Institute (PTRI) in Taguig City bringing with me my pandan fibers. I didn’t have any idea of the tasks I will be given until I met my supervisor Engr. Cora Llorico. She asked me certain things about what I want to do in PTRI and I said “I want to make something from these fibers. I want to develop

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something from these fibers. I want to learn how to make it and how to develop it”. But, she told me that the fiber is very weak to become a textile material.

I almost cried thinking all the money and effort my mom exerted just for me to arrive in the institution.

And now just three days after I left home I‘ll be going back again with nothing? You always remember what I said earlier that change is constant.

With the help of my supervisor and the program she designed, we were able to produce cheaper eco-friendly fabrics by reducing composition of imported cotton with locally available fibers. Yet, it is now very different from my original proposal. Do not be scared, as I have stated earlier, changes are big parts of the research learning process.

IV. Immerse Yourself I was trained for a week in preparing fibers for spinning, another week for weaving, and two weeks of finishing and evaluation. I blended and spun an

[EN-07] Pandan Leaf Fibers as Blend for A New Philippine Tropical Fabric | PSHS Southern Mindanao

80/20 cotton-pandan yarn; have them woven in a jack loom; and dyed them using natural pigments from fresh coconut husks. It was hard alright, but hey, all of that paved way to the development of the country’s first PTF from pandan leaf fibers. I then evaluated the fabric using specifications for PTFs by the Philippine National Standards. As much as possible be sure you find standards because they were specifically formulated for various products.

The evaluation showed that indeed pandan leaf fibers is a good and economically-sound blend for PTF production. And yes economic side of the project is very important too! The cheaper the better!

V. Equip yourself, Write, and Defend your Paper Coming back in Pisay with all the finished data, I was confident enough to face my research adviser and do the paper. In doing the paper, always remember to keep writing! You can start with the

Remember also that in a science fair, you are faced with various audience – those that are specialized in your field, those that are of general population, and those intellects from other fields. It’s up to you to practice flexibility all the time. section that is easiest to write. It doesn’t matter if you start from the middle, or the end part, as long as you find yourself writing. Then have your adviser examine it, trust your adviser, and revise, revise, revise!

Presentation is another matter. In presenting papers, it is how you defend your project with all fluency that matters most. My adviser, Ms. Sharon M. Dejarme, always emphasized to me that research is the accumulation of all the things that you learned from Math, Bio, Chem, Physics and even English as well as Speech and Journalism.

So it is your goal to know all the parts of the project and study even its minute details with all

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[EN-07] Pandan Leaf Fibers as Blend for A New Philippine Tropical Fabric | PSHS Southern Mindanao

It may seem that I have already given all my efforts for all of these. However, it cannot equal all the things I have experienced – meeting eight Nobel prize winners, going out of the country, and feeling all the luxury of hotels and food which I cannot afford. heart. Remember also that in a science fair, you are faced with various audience – those that are specialized in your field, those that are of general population, and those intellects from other fields.

It’s up to you to practice flexibility all the time.

VI. Time to Reap What You Sow I was still at the second draft of my paper when I entered my first competition. I was declared the national champion in the 2011 DepEd-Intel Science Fair in Tagaytay! I didn’t ask for more after I won in the said fair. However, one by one, more and more opportunities to showcase my research arrived.

One of the most unforgettable research fairs I have attended was the 2nd PSHSS-Meralco National Science Fair in Antipolo. It was the time when I was really forced to exhaust all the things I know about

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my project since all these students I am facing with have the burning mindset for excellence.

Above all this, three of the biggest bonuses I have with this project are: (1) I was a country finalist at the prestigious 2012 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, (2) the project was accepted at the very high-standard 2012 AATCC International Textile Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina, and (3) the project was featured on various online and printed media.

It may seem that I have already given all my efforts for all of these. However, it cannot equal all the things I have experienced – meeting eight Nobel prize winners, going out of the country, and feeling all the luxury of hotels and food which I cannot afford.

Finally, one must always imbibe in you the spirit of gratitude. It is the highest reward you can give back to those who have helped you. So I thank everyone especially my research adviser, my supervisor, my family and of course the Mother Nature and her aromatic Pandan.

I hope that my story and the helpful points I shared with would somehow guide you in finding your own dream catcher. Just work hard, be honest, and continue your passion for the culture of science. n About the writer: Elson Ian Nyl E. Galang is a graduate of the Philippine Science High School – Southern Mindanao Campus ’12 and have been one of the country finalists at the 2012 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He had been a a participant at the 2nd PSHSS-MMLDC National Science Fair, was featured on various magazines, websites and articles, and had the his projecttour around the globe.

PSHS student-scientists with their technical posters

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2012 PSHSS-MERALCO NATIONAL SCIENCE FAIR

2012 PSHSSâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;MERALCO National Science Fair Stories Thru The Lens

PSHSS Working Committee Janeth Morata-Fuentes Harold P. Mediodia Dr. Ronnalee N. Orteza Adrian H. Sablan Annellene H. Madrid Rose Mary B. Butaran Jason C. Alcarez Jenefer A. Godinez Wowee Rey P. Ariza Ronna Y. Magto Sharon M. Dejarme Carolyn Mae Z. Villanaba Ferly J. Lovete

Chinkee I. Lim Arfe G. Castillo John Paul Dalupang Lucas E. Omboy Crisselda R. Dizon Sherry Ramayla Catherin Joy A. Addauan Melba C. Patacsil Carlo Chris S. Apurillo Rolex Emmanuel C. Padilla Edward C. Albaracin Flordeliza T. Remonde

Editorial Board Dr. Josette T. Biyo Jeffrey O. Tarayao

Editorial Staff Ma. Vivien C. Arnobit Editor-in-Chief Ma. Amor C. Curaming Managing Editor Diowayne V. Dacayan Associate Editor Joji Manalac Bea Quilingan Editors Ronald B. Escanlar Art Director / Editor Erwin A. Baluyot Michael S. Bala Writers Sherwin Laygo Edwin Batay Carla Jean Duque John Paul Paragile Photographers Special Thanks to the Academic Services of the First Pacific Leadership Academy A Publication by the One Meralco Foundation

COLOPHON Body copy set in 10/12 Stempel Schneidler Std by Adobe Type.

Headlines set in Swiss 721 by Bitstream.

Designed using Adobe Creative Suite 5 on Mac OS X 10.7.4 on a MacBook Pro 6,2 powered by a 2.4 GHz Intel Core i5.

Cover design by Ronald B. Escanlar.

2012 PSHSS-MERALCO NATIONAL SCIENCE FAIR