3layman'sabstracts.pmd Layman’s Abstracts 1 SCIENCE DILIMAN (JANUARY-JUNE 2019) 31:1, 1-3 LAYMAN’S ABSTRACTS Benthic Macroinvertebrates of the University of the Phil ippines Dil iman Campus Waterways and Their Variation Across Land Use in an Urban, Academic Landscape Francis S. Magbanua, John Claude Renan B. Salluta, Danielle Dominique D. Deborde and Maria Brenda M. Hernandez ISSN 0115-7809 Print / ISSN 2012-0818 Online U r b a n d eve l o p m e n t a f fec t s s t r e a m s t h r o u g h c h a n g e s i n s t r e a m f l ow, shape, and water quality which influence the aquatic communities. The University of the Philippines Diliman campus has gone through numerous l a n d s c a p e a n d i n f r a s t r u c t u r e d e v e l o p m e n t s . U n l i k e t h e t e r r e s t r i a l environment, the extent to which these developments have impacted the campus waterways is unknown. Thus, our research aims to assess the o v e r a l l c o n d i t i o n o f t h e w a t e r w a y s i n t h e c a m p u s u s i n g t h e b e n t h i c m a c r o i n v e r t e b r a t e c o m m u n i t i e s . A t o t a l o f 1 9 s t r e a m r e a c h e s w e r e s a m p l e d i n N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 5 a n d 2 0 1 6 i n t h e f o l l o w i n g l a n d u s e c a t e g o r i e s : a c a d e m i c u n i t s ( 6 s i t e s ) , c a m p u s c o r e ( 8 s i t e s ) , a n d p a r k s a n d o p e n s p a c e s ( 5 s i t e s ) . O u r s t u d y r e v e a l s t h a t a l l s a m p l e d s t r e a m reaches, regardless of their land use categories, are under poor to severe pollution conditions. All macroinvertebrate-based metrics and indices i n d i c a t e d e g r a d e d w a t e r q u a l i t y a n d s t r e a m h e a l t h . O u r r e s u l t s a r e consistent with urban stream studies elsewhere, which suggest that land- b a s e d a c t i v i t i e s c a n b e s t r e s s f u l f o r s o m e a q u a t i c o r g a n i s m s , a n d a t t i m e s , r e s u l t i n r e d u c e d a b u n d a n c e a n d e v e n r e d u c t i o n i n s p e c i e s composition. Layman’s Abstracts 2 Val idation of Two Extraction Methods for Human DNA from Cigarette Butts Paul Ryan L. Sales, Dorothy Emma C. Ferrer, Gay vell ine C. Calacal, Jazelyn M. Salvador and Maria Corazon A. De Ungria Cigarette butts found in crime scenes may be used to identify persons and link them to a crime through DNA analysis on evidentiary materials. The analysis of cigarette butts is challenging because these items are often exposed to chemical and environmental contaminants which can damage the DNA . In this study, several factors were tested to compare the amount and quality of DNA obtained from cigarette butts using two methods for extracting DNA . Results show that exposure to an outside environment has signif icant effects on DNA yield and recovery for both extraction procedures. Prolonged storage of cigarette butts of up to six months affected the amount of DNA that can be obtained using the kit- based method. However, complete DNA prof iles can be generated from cigarette butts stored for six months provided that these samples are stored indoors under controlled temperature conditions and with minimal exposure to contaminants. Fol iar Fungal Endophytes of Selected Med icinal Plants from the Province of Albay, Phil ippines Jonathan Jaime G. Guerrero, Mheljor A. General and Jazzlyn T. Imperial Fungi residing within plants known as endophytes were isolated from t h e l e a v e s o f t h e t e n m o s t f r e q u e n t l y u s e d m e d i c i n a l p l a n t s i n t h e p r o v i n c e o f A l b a y a t t h r e e d i f f e r e n t l o c a t i o n s : u p l a n d , l o w l a n d , a n d co a s t a l a r e a s . T h e o cc u r r e n ce , f r eq u e n c y, a n d i s o l a t i o n r a te o f t h e s e fungi were compared. A total of 120 isolates belonging to 17 species were identif ied. Glomerella cingulata and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides were the most frequent fungi occurring in 10 and nine plants, respectively. Layman’s Abstracts 3 T h e t o t a l n u m b e r o f i s o l a t e s a n d u n i q u e s p e c i e s d i d n o t v a r y signif icantly across sampling sites. Blumea balsamifera (Sambong) hosted the most endophytes with 16 isolates, while banana leaves yielded the l e a s t w i t h e i g h t i s o l a t e s . S o m e s p e c i e s o f f u n g i w e r e f o u n d i n a l l sampling sites, while a few occurred only in one site. The collection of additional samples from other sites within the province and the testing of the biological properties of the isolates are recommended. “Pee Value”: Storing Urine for Subsequent DNA Analysis Nelvie Fatima Jane A. Sol iven, Maria Lourdes D. Honrado, Gay vell ine C. Calacal and Maria Corazon A. De Ungria T h e P h i l i p p i n e g o v e r n m e n t i m p l e m e n t s m a n d a t o r y a n d r a n d o m d r u g testing to monitor cases of drug abuse and trading. Due to the possible repercussions of testing positive for drug use, def inite identif ication of t h e s o u r ce of t h e u r i n e i s c r u c i a l . D N A p r of i l i n g h a s r e s o l ve d i s s u e s r eg a r d i n g i d e n t i f i c a t i o n of t h e s o u r ce of u r i n e i n m a n y c a s e s a b r o a d . T h e i n c l u s i o n o f D N A t e s t i n g d u r i n g d r u g i n v e s t i g a t i o n s i n t h e P h i l i p p i n e s c a n i m p r o v e t h e p r o c e s s o f i d e n t i f y i n g d r u g u s e r s a n d address allegations of misconduct. Since DNA testing is previously not considered in drug investigations in the Philippines, there is a need to test if storage procedures for urine that showed positive results allow for subsequent DNA testing. In this study, DNA from male individuals were extracted from urine stored at room temperature, 4°C, and -20°C for 2 months and 9 months followed by DNA prof iling. Overall, DNA extracted from urine samples stored at cool temperatures (4°C and -20°C) were fo u n d to p r ov i d e b e t te r D N A p r of i l e s co m p a r ed to s a m p l e s t h a t we r e stored at room temperature. A decision tree for drug testing that should serve as support tool for Philippine government agencies engaged in drug investigations was proposed.