2editor's note.pmd


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FROM THE EDITOR

ISSN 0115-7809 Print/ISSN 2012-0818 Online

This issue of Science Diliman features four main articles and two short communications.

The f irst research article offers a solution to a basic problem in color symmetry—

the classif ication of symmetrically colored symmetrical patterns. The paper

presented a method of determining the non-trivial colorings of perfect and transitive

2-uniform tilings, and looked into the equivalence of the obtain colorings. The

second article studied surface migration kinetics of chemical additives in vulcanized

natural rubber compounds, as a function of ingredient loading.

The third article is a contribution from the UP Biology Invertebrate Museum,

accounting accessioned collections and reporting the availability of these collections

to the community of researchers studying invertebrates. These collections were

assessed in terms of taxonomic scope, geographical range, and chronological breadth.

The fourth article is a discussion on a widespread parasite, Toxoplasma gondii;

specif ically, its seroprevalence in stray and domestic cats in Metro Manila, along

with risk factors associated with its seropositivity.

The two short communications tackle the geochemistry of a mining site, and a

nematode parasite infection in a snail species from Mindanao.

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The Science Diliman community would also like to congratulate four distinguished

scientists,  Academicians Gavino C. Trono, Angel C. Alcala, Ramon C. Barba, and

Edgardo D. Gomez, for being conferred the rank and title of National Scientist by

President Benigno S. Aquino III by virtue of Malacañang Proclamation Nos. 737,

782, 783, and 843 on 12 August 2014 at the Malacañang Palace, in recognition of

their outstanding works and contributions to science and technology in the country.

Academician Trono was recognized for his extensive studies on the culture of

seaweed species,  which benef ited numerous people among the coastal populations.

He identif ied and described 25 new species of marine benthic algae and successfully

implemented 45 research projects, which resulted in the publication of 142

scientif ic papers.  He established the largest phycological herbarium in the country—

the G.T.  Velasquez Herbarium in the Marine Science Institute of the University of

the Philippines, which houses more than 70,000 herbarium specimens of the

seaweed flora.



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Academician Alcala was recognized for his seminal research on the systematics,

ecology,  and conservation of vertebrates,  particularly in herpetology, by providing

valuable basic knowledge on the country’s rich biodiversity and ecology.  He served

as pioneer scientist and advocate in the protection of coral reefs leading to a

national policy  and program that established the no-take marine reserves, a specific

type of marine protected area (MPA) set aside by the government where no extractive

activity is allowed.

Academician Barba was recognized for his distinguished achievements in the f ield

of plant physiology, specif ically on the induction of flowering of mango and on

micropropagation of important crop species that have earned him national and

international accolades. His pioneering work on the induction of flowering and

fruiting of mango resulted in the change from the seasonal supply of fresh fruits to

all year round availability of abundant fresh mangoes.

Academician Gomez was recognized for his sterling contributions in invertebrate

biology and ecology, giant clam culture and restoration,  and coral reef assessment

and conservation. He steered the world’s f irst national-scale assessment of damage

to coral reefs that led to worldwide conservation initiatives, such as the Global

Reefs and Risk Analysis,  Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network,  and the International

Coral Reef Action.  He shepherded the development of the Marine Science Institute

(MSI) at the University of the Philippines (UP), where he served as the founding

director.

It is important to note that NS Trono,  NS Barba,  and NS Gomez are UP professors.

NS Alcala had research collaborations with UP Marine Science Institute and was a

consultant to the institute in the late 1980s.

We in the Science Diliman are very proud of the new national scientists. More power

to them.

Marco Nemesio E. Montaño, PhD

                                                                Editor-in-Chief