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55-492: The Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) is a government agency under the Department of Science and Technology mandated to undertake research and development activities in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, institute regulations on the said uses, and carry out the enforcement of said regulations to protect the health and safety of radiation workers and the general public. The Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI)

110-450: A detailed evaluation of prospective sites. The collected samples were analyzed for REE and thorium using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and uranium determination using fluorimetry , including atomic absorption spectroscopy for other trace elements of economic value. Department of Science and Technology (Philippines) The Department of Science and Technology (abbreviated as DOST ; Filipino : Kagawaran ng Agham at Teknolohiya ),

165-433: A plant to be cultured is called an explant. Explants can be taken from many different parts of a plant, including portions of shoots, leaves, stems, flowers, roots, single undifferentiated cells , and from many types of mature cells provided they still contain living cytoplasm and nuclei and are able to de-differentiate and resume cell division. This has given rise to the concept of totipotency of plant cells. However, this

220-401: A polyvinylpyrrolidone carrageenan dressing: a fully permanent gel in a form of a sheet that is 3-4mm thick and containing over 90% water, used to treat burns, wounds, and bedsores. It is made from polyvinylpyrrolidone , a water-soluble polymer, and carrageenan , a seaweed polysaccharide, by means of radiation processing to effect cross-linking and sterilize the product into a final form. Through

275-579: A radioisotope necessary for the creation of radiopharmaceuticals. The domestic production of this isotope will allow it to be sold in the Philippines at a cheaper price and with a greater supply. The Isotope Radio Mass Spectrometry Facility (IRMS) analyzes substances such as water and records the stable isotopes found in the substance. The other facility under this section is the Nuclear Analytical Techniques Laboratory which handles

330-518: Is an agency of the government that is authorized to regulate the safe and peaceful applications of nuclear science and technology in the Philippines. Under Executive Order 128, s. 1987, the PNRI is mandated to perform the following functions: Under Executive Order 128, s. 1987, the PNRI is headed by a director assisted by a deputy director. The institute is composed of four technical divisions and one administrative/finance division. The five divisions provide

385-644: Is at work. The Nuclear Materials Research Facility uses gamma ray spectrometers to observe particles found in a certain concentration or venue. The first facility is the Electron Beam Irradiation Facility. Through irradiation caused by Electron Beams, it is used for the sterilization of food and medical devices as well as for refining electrical components such as wires and semiconductors. Electron Beams emit radiation faster than gamma rays. An average gamma ray would take hours to irradiate an object while an electron beam may take only seconds. The next

440-429: Is for radioactivity measurements and elemental determinations are provided to analyze the usage of nuclear techniques. The Cytogenetic Analysis for Radiological Reassurance is for the monitoring or calculation of accidental or occupational exposure of clients who are exposed to gamma radiation through blood sampling. For Microbiological Testing, bioburden and sterility testing of devices of medicine are offered using

495-523: Is for the research and development of technologies for soil, water, and crop management packages through the use of an isotope tracer and nuclear techniques. The goal is to enhance agricultural productivity while conserving natural resources for sustainable crop production. The PNRI houses the Mössbauer Effect Spectrometry (MES) system, which studies nuclear structure with the absorption and re-emission of gamma rays. The other two systems are

550-402: Is not true for all cells or for all plants. In many species explants of various organs vary in their rates of growth and regeneration, while some do not grow at all. The choice of explant material also determines if the plantlets developed via tissue culture are haploid or diploid . Also, the risk of microbial contamination is increased with inappropriate explants. The first method involving

605-614: Is performed under aseptic conditions under HEPA filtered air provided by a laminar flow cabinet . Thereafter, the tissue is grown in sterile containers, such as Petri dishes or flasks in a growth room with controlled temperature and light intensity. Living plant materials from the environment are naturally contaminated on their surfaces (and sometimes interiors) with microorganisms , so their surfaces are sterilized in chemical solutions (usually alcohol and sodium or calcium hypochlorite ) before suitable samples (known as explants ) are taken. The sterile explants are then usually placed on

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660-564: Is radiation processing, involving the exposure of materials to ionizing radiation by either gamma radiation or electron beam. The PNRI also practices "Irradiation for Food Safety and Quality": food irradiation prolongs the shelf-life of certain food and agricultural products, destroys counterproductive bacteria and microorganisms, and can disinfest grains such as rice and corn. The "Precision Farming Methods with Stable Isotope Techniques," are done to improve soil test value and to provide fertilizer recommendations by using analyses based primarily on

715-561: Is the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for the coordination of science and technology-related projects in the Philippines and to formulate policies and projects in the fields of science and technology in support of national development. The DOST was formed as the National Science Development Board on January 30, 1957, during the administration of President Carlos P. Garcia . The science body

770-580: Is the Gammacell-220, that is used for irradiating small samples of objects and in regulating dosimeters. The last facility is the Multipurpose Irradiation Facility. It is multi-purpose gamma ray irradiator which may be used for various applications such as elimination of harmful bacteria, improvement of agriculture and sterilization of equipment. The Technetium-99m (Tc-99m) Generator Facility domestically produces Technetium 99m (Tc-99m),

825-566: The Cytogenetics Research Laboratory, this facility monitors and calculates the accidental (or occupational) exposure of workers and/or researchers who have been exposed to ionizing radiation through the analyses of blood samples. The Microbiological Service Laboratory performs the bioburden and sterility testing of medical devices. The Radiation Crosslinking Laboratory practices covalent bonding with one or more polymers and imparting improved mechanical and functional properties in

880-612: The meristematic ends of the plants like the stem tip, axillary bud tip, and root tip. These tissues have high rates of cell division and either concentrate or produce required growth-regulating substances including auxins and cytokinins. Shoot regeneration efficiency in tissue culture is usually a quantitative trait that often varies between plant species and within a plant species among subspecies, varieties, cultivars , or ecotypes . Therefore, tissue culture regeneration can become complicated especially when many regeneration procedures have to be developed for different genotypes within

935-417: The root tip , are hard to isolate and are contaminated with soil microflora that becomes problematic during the tissue culture process. Certain soil microflora can form tight associations with the root systems , or even grow within the root. Soil particles bound to roots are difficult to remove without injury to the roots that then allows a microbial attack. These associated microflora will generally overgrow

990-403: The 1990s, the PNRI identified rare-earth element (REE) deposits in northwestern Palawan through earlier geo-chemical surveys and studies. Considered as strategic minerals, REEs are supportive elements in the production of electronics and in the renewable energy industry. From 2013 to 2016, the PNRI undertook a combined verification stream sediment and radiometric survey to identify and recommend

1045-399: The 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster as part of its radiological surveillance program for public protection and safety. The PNRI aims to assess the environmental impact of the radioactive discharges of the accident and their possible effects on human health through soil, sediment, and seawater analysis for anthropogenic radionuclides —indicators of the nuclear power plant accident. In

1100-615: The 58th IAEA General Conference in Vienna, Austria This division includes the Plant Mutation Breeding Facility, which aims for the improvement of mutation breeding of important crops. Data is gathered to compare mutants with original plants. Procedures are also undertaken for asexual propagation and testing the pre-germination of seeds. The Plant tissue culture Laboratory aids projects in mutation induction for tissue propagation. The Soil Science and Plant Nutrition Laboratory

1155-673: The Chemistry Research Section is the Radiometric Dating Laboratory. This facility is a sediment dating laboratory used to study both the history of pollution in a certain area and the sedimentation rate and processes in coastal areas, lakes, rivers, and dams. Stored in the Environmental Monitoring Laboratory are nuclear instruments used to measure low - level radioactivity collected from different types of environmental samples in various parts of

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1210-722: The IAEA INSSP also became operational at this time. In 2011, the Member States engaged in an RCA Regional project to study the disaster impact on the marine environment. The data was compiled in the Asia and Pacific Marine Radioactivity Database (ASPAMARD) which was managed by the Philippines through the PNRI. This was made in response to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster . In 2012, the Technetium-99m Generator Facility

1265-914: The ISO 11137.2 to establish a dose of radiation sterilization. This scanning technique called the Gamma-ray Column Scanning Technique is for Industries is a service is to assist industries through the inspection and investigation utilizing the Gamma Ray Column Scanning Technology. In the Radiometric / Gamma ray Spectrometry, gamma ray spectrometers are used for geological mapping, radiogenic mineral exploration, hydrothermal alteration detection, radiogenic and chemical element pollution studies, and superficial structural discontinuity detection. The Nuclear Information Services, disseminates information on nuclear science and technology to

1320-721: The Institute with research, nuclear-related, policy development, budgetary assistance, and technology development services respectively: A total of 263 permanent positions make up the PNRI organization. In 1958, the Philippine Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) was established under Republic Act No. 2067, also known as the Science Act of 1958. In the early 1960s, the PAEC built the Philippine Research Reactor-1 ,

1375-748: The N and C isotopes and the Soil Moisture Neutron Probe. The PNRI helps with insect control in the Philippines through regulation or eradication. This was modeled after similar experiments done to pests in Kume Island and the Okinawa Prefecture in Japan. Regulation or eradication is performed by collecting pests, such as fruit flies, and then exposing them to gamma radiation in order to sterilize them. These sterile pests are then released back into nature and help prevent reproduction. The PNRI developed

1430-541: The Nuclear Training Courses (NTC), the PNRI is able to conduct training sources for different agencies, companies, industries, institutions, academe, and public. These include provisions of training courses in the field of nuclear science and technology, radiation safety, and non-destructive testing techniques. Furthermore, they offer On-the-Job Training Opportunities, students and technologies who would like to use nuclear apparatuses and working with researchers in

1485-553: The PNRI as well as the development of the mutant ornamental plants Kamuning dwarf mutant (Murraya 'Ibarra Santos'), Dracaena 'Marea' and Cordyline 'Medina'. In 2005, the PNRI was designated as the collaborating center for studies on harmful algal blooms by the IAEA. The next year, the Philippine Research Reactor at the PNRI was chosen by the IAEA to be the training platform to demonstrate the decommissioning process technique under

1540-477: The PNRI, different divisions offer training opportunities as requested. Lastly, their Non-Destructive Training (NDT) Courses is the opportunity for practice of different nuclear-related courses. These are generally catered those who are willing to learn an in-depth knowledge on nuclear sciences. The PNRI is experimenting on crop production with mutation breeding ; wherein plant breeders use various techniques, and mutagens such as radiation or chemicals, to improve

1595-608: The Philippine Atomic Energy Commission was transferred back to the Office of the President Executive under Order No. 613 on August 15, 1980, and transferred again to the Office of the Prime Minister under Executive Order No. 708 of July 2, 1981. In 1984, the PAEC was placed within the administrative administration of the Department of Science and Technology under Executive Order No. 784. The Philippine Atomic Energy Commission became

1650-644: The Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) in 1987. In 1995, the trial of the sterile insect technique (SIT) held in Guimaras was successful. In the succeeding year, William G. Padolina, secretary of the Department of Science and Technology , served as the president of the 40th General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). In celebration of the centennial of the discovery of radioactivity of 1997,

1705-494: The Philippines. Among the instruments stored here are the Co-Axial High Purity Germanium (HPGe) detector which is a type of semiconductor detector used specifically for gamma spectroscopy as well as x-ray spectroscopy. In case of emergencies that may lead to an extensive spread of radioactive materials, an On-line Environmental Radiation Monitoring System provides real-time data of the radiation levels nationwide

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1760-599: The Radioactivity Measurement Laboratory measures low level radioactivity in soil erosion studies and toxicity assay for red tide toxins by using detectors to identify and quantify alpha, beta and gamma spectrometries. Another is the Radioassay Laboratory, which established the Radiological and Receptor Binding Assay (RBA); a method used for measuring toxicity in red tide. The last laboratory for

1815-696: The Research Reactor Decommissioning Demonstration Project (R2D2P). The 9th Forum for Nuclear Cooperation in Asia Ministerial Level Meeting was hosted in the Philippines in 2008, the same year of the 50th Founding Anniversary of the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute. The Philippines was named one of the three pilot countries for the IAEA Water Availability Enhancement Project (IWAVE) in 2010. The National Nuclear Security Plan and

1870-576: The X-ray fluorescence Spectrometry (XRF) and X-ray fluorescence Diffractometry (XRD). The XRF is a non-destructive analytical technique used to determine the composition of materials. On the other hand, the XRD, also an analytical technique, is used for phase identification of a crystalline material and provides information on the unit cell dimensions. It is more widely used for the identification of unknown crystalline materials such as minerals and inorganic compounds. For

1925-579: The administration of President Corazon Aquino , the NSTA was elevated to cabinet-level status with the signing of Executive Order No. 128, and was renamed as the Department of Science and Technology. The department is headed by the Secretary of Science and Technology (Philippines) , with the following four undersecretaries and three assistant secretaries Plant tissue culture Plant tissue culture relies on

1980-422: The crops' individual yields and develop new varieties of crop. Radiation can induce hereditary changes, or mutations, in irradiated planting materials. Another development is the carrageenan PGP as plant food supplement where the radiation-induced degradation of natural polymers like carrageenan PGP is performed to yield oligosaccharides : natural bioactive agents that act as plant food supplements. Another technique

2035-499: The explant by gentle rinsing, and the remainder usually can be killed by surface sterilization. Most of the surface microflora do not form tight associations with the plant tissue . Such associations can usually be found by visual inspection as a mosaic, de-colorization, or localized necrosis on the surface of the explant. An alternative for obtaining uncontaminated explants is to take explants from seedlings which are aseptically grown from surface-sterilized seeds. The hard surface of

2090-624: The explants. Non-zygotic embryogenesis is a noteworthy developmental pathway that is highly comparable to that of zygotic embryos and it is an important pathway for producing somaclonal variants, developing artificial seeds, and synthesizing metabolites. Due to the single-cell origin of non-zygotic embryos, they are preferred in several regeneration systems for micropropagation, ploidy manipulation, gene transfer, and synthetic seed production. Nonetheless, tissue regeneration via organogenesis has also proved to be advantageous for studying regulatory mechanisms of plant development. The tissue obtained from

2145-464: The fact that many plant parts have the ability to regenerate into a whole plant (cells of those regenerative plant parts are called totipotent cells which can differentiate into various specialized cells). Single cells, plant cells without cell walls ( protoplasts ), pieces of leaves, stems or roots can often be used to generate a new plant on culture media given the required nutrients and plant hormones . Preparation of plant tissue for tissue culture

2200-496: The first nuclear reactor in the Philippines. The Atomic Energy Regulatory and Liability Act of 1968 established the regulatory function and mandate of the PAEC, whereas on December 13, 1974, Presidential Decree No. 606 established the PAEC as an independent and autonomous body. Three years later, Presidential Decree No. 1206 of October 6, 1977, created the Ministry of Energy (MOE). From the MoE,

2255-459: The general public. The Engineering Services of the PNRI offers Instrument Repair Diagnostics, Decommissioning of Cobalt-60 Teletheraphy Machine, and Radioactive Waste Management. As for the Regulation of Nuclear Transportation, this ensures certified parties follow nuclear transportation regulations as well as issuance of certificates for nuclear transportation both national and domestic. Through

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2310-405: The greenhouse as normal plants. The specific differences in the regeneration potential of different organs and explants have various explanations. The significant factors include differences in the stage of the cells in the cell cycle , the availability of or ability to transport endogenous growth regulators, and the metabolic capabilities of the cells. The most commonly used tissue explants are

2365-443: The medium, particularly the plant hormones and the nitrogen source (nitrate versus ammonium salts or amino acids) have profound effects on the morphology of the tissues that grow from the initial explant. For example, an excess of auxin will often result in a proliferation of roots, while an excess of cytokinin may yield shoots . A balance of both auxin and cytokinin will often produce an unorganised growth of cells, or callus , but

2420-444: The meristems and induction of multiple shoots is the preferred method for the micropropagation industry since the risks of somaclonal variation (genetic variation induced in tissue culture) are minimal when compared to the other two methods. Somatic embryogenesis is a method that has the potential to be several times higher in multiplication rates and is amenable to handling in liquid culture systems like bioreactors. Some explants, like

2475-541: The morphology of the outgrowth will depend on the plant species as well as the medium composition. As cultures grow, pieces are typically sliced off and subcultured onto new media to allow for growth or to alter the morphology of the culture. The skill and experience of the tissue culturist are important in judging which pieces to culture and which to discard. As shoots emerge from a culture, they may be sliced off and rooted with auxin to produce plantlets which, when mature, can be transferred to potting soil for further growth in

2530-582: The process of radiation processing, radiation-sterilized honey alginate wound dressing was also developed for exudating burns and wounds. It is made from local honey and sodium alginate . The PNRI utilizes nuclear techniques in addressing problems in air pollution, algal bloom , and water resources management through isotope-based techniques, analytical nuclear techniques, and nuclear-based techniques in algal bloom studies, such as nuclear assay in red tide toxin analysis and lead-210 dating method. The PNRI also took environmental radioactivity measurements following

2585-465: The research and development of topics revolving around nuclear and nuclear-related techniques. The PNRI offers several services related to nuclear energy for professionals and PNRI employees. For their Irradiation Services, these are offered for food irradiation, for medical products sterilization and for research purposes. The PNRI also offers the following Radiation Protection Services: The Nuclear Analytical Techniques Applications (NATA) Services

2640-729: The result of cross-linking products. Next is the Radiation Degradation Laboratory. This facility analyzes degradation products through gel permeation chromatography and separates different molecular weight fractions by tangential flow filtration. Another facility is the Radiation-Induced Graft Polymerization Laboratory which specializes Graft polymerization as a method for the modification of a material's chemical and physical properties. Electron beam and gamma irradiation are utilized to create active sites for grafting. For quantitative measurements,

2695-530: The same species. The three common pathways of plant tissue culture regeneration are propagation from preexisting meristems (shoot culture or nodal culture), organogenesis , and non-zygotic embryogenesis . The propagation of shoots or nodal segments is usually performed in four stages for mass production of plantlets through in vitro vegetative multiplication but organogenesis is a standard method of micropropagation that involves tissue regeneration of adventitious organs or axillary buds directly or indirectly from

2750-461: The second Philippine Nuclear Congress was held in Manila. At the beginning of the 21st century, the PNRI's Radiological Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan was approved in 2000. In 2001, the first positron emission tomography (PET) was licensed by the PNRI at St. Luke's Medical Center . Between 2001 and 2005, a polyvinylpyrrolidone carrageenan hydrogel dressing for burns and wounds was developed by

2805-423: The seed is less permeable to the penetration of harsh surface sterilizing agents, such as hypochlorite , so the acceptable conditions of sterilization used for seeds can be much more stringent than for vegetative tissues. Tissue-cultured plants are clones . If the original mother plant used to produce the first explants is susceptible to a pathogen or environmental condition, the entire crop would be susceptible to

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2860-423: The surface of a sterile solid culture medium but are sometimes placed directly into a sterile liquid medium, particularly when cell suspension cultures are desired. Solid and liquid media are generally composed of inorganic salts plus a few organic nutrients, vitamins, and plant hormones. Solid media are prepared from liquid media with the addition of a gelling agent, usually purified agar . The composition of

2915-567: The tissue culture medium before there is significant growth of plant tissue. Some cultured tissues are slow in their growth. For them there would be two options: (i) Optimizing the culture medium; (ii) Culturing highly responsive tissues or varieties. Necrosis can spoil cultured tissues. Generally, plant varieties differ in susceptibility to tissue culture necrosis. Thus, by culturing highly responsive varieties (or tissues) it can be managed. Aerial (above soil) explants are also rich in undesirable microflora. However, they are more easily removed from

2970-594: Was commissioned. During 2013, the conditioning and storage of Spent High Activity Radioactive Sources (SHARS) was put to attention when the Philippines together with the IAEA and the South Africa Nuclear Energy Cooperation (NESCA) worked in a tripartite cooperation. In 2014, the PNRI Electron Beam Facility was inaugurated and the PNRI was able to conduct its first full exhibit of Filipino applications of nuclear science and technology at

3025-515: Was formed as a result of a law passed in the Congress upon the recommendation of Dr. Frank Co Tui, who was tasked by Garcia to conduct a survey regarding the state of science and technology in the country. It was reorganized as the National Science and Technology Authority (NSTA) on March 17, 1981, and was given broader policy-making and program implementing functions. On January 30, 1987, during

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