Introduction: Tigecycline and intravenous (i.v.) fosfomycin could be alternative therapeutic options for the treatment of carbapenemase-possessing Enterobacteriaceae bacterial infections. However, routine laboratories are forced to test these drugs using minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) methods as zone breakpoints are not available for the disc diffusion technique. Methodology: Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute methods for agar dilution and disc diffusion were compared to determine tentative zone breakpoints that best correlate to tigecycline and i.v. fosfomycin MIC breakpoints defined by the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing. A total of 195 Enterobacteriaceae with defined mechanisms of resistance were tested in duplicate assays. Half of the strains were characterized as carbapenemase producers (KPC-2, OXA-48, OXA-163, VIM-1, VIM-2, IMP-8, NDM-1). Results: Corresponding zone diameters of susceptible ≥15mm, resistant ≤12mm and susceptible ≥17mm, resistant ≤15mm for the 50µg fosfomycin plus 50µg glucose-6-phosphate and 200µg fosfomycin plus 50µg glucose-6-phosphate discs, respectively, allowed categorization of the strains with an acceptable level of error (< 10% minor errors, < 1.5 % major errors, < 1% very major errors and categorical agreement > 90%). For the 15µg tigecycline disc, the best performance was achieved with the corresponding zone diameters of susceptible ≥ 21mm and resistant ≤ 16mm, which eliminated the very major and major errors but not the minor errors (34.4%). Conclusions: Based on these results, tigecycline and fosfomycin can be included in the routine panel of antibiotics for susceptibility testing by disc diffusion to provide fast and reliable information for the selection of treatment alternatives, especially for strains with extreme resistance, as carbapenemase producers.

Since the Covid-19 crisis manifested, it has drastically changed educational landscapes worldwide, with the Philippines grappling with digital disparities exacerbating inequality. Current studies mainly explore the immediate impact of enforced remote learning on academic performance and practical skills. However, there is an underexplored area concerning the effect on recent college graduates' employability and work readiness. This study aims to address this gap, focusing on the Philippines context. Valid responses from 131 recent college graduates were analyzed, revealing that the shift to remote learning significantly contributed to perceived employability (R² = 0.458) and work readiness (R² = 0.441). However, when examining the demographic profile, findings reported that it did not substantially influence these outcomes in the hierarchical regression model. This study broadens our understanding of the pandemic's far-reaching implications on higher education outcomes.

This study explored the influence of servant leadership on the future aspirations of Filipino college students, focusing on the mediating roles of optimism, hope, and life satisfaction. A quantitative, cross-sectional design was employed using validated measures to assess leadership perceptions and their impact on students' psychological constructs and career goals. The findings revealed that optimism and hope significantly mediated the relationship between servant leadership and future expectations, highlighting their importance in shaping student ambitions. Life satisfaction, however, played a minimal role. This study underscores the potential of servant leadership in educational settings to foster a positive and future-oriented mindset among students. The limitations include the cross-sectional nature of the study, reliance on self-reported data, and a sample drawn from a specific cultural context. Future research should adopt longitudinal designs and consider diverse psychological constructs to expand the understanding of the influence of leadership.

This study explored the influence of servant leadership on the future aspirations of Filipino college students, focusing on the mediating roles of optimism, hope, and life satisfaction. A quantitative, cross-sectional design was employed using validated measures to assess leadership perceptions and their impact on students' psychological constructs and career goals. The findings revealed that optimism and hope significantly mediated the relationship between servant leadership and future expectations, highlighting their importance in shaping student ambitions. Life satisfaction, however, played a minimal role. This study underscores the potential of servant leadership in educational settings to foster a positive and future-oriented mindset among students. The limitations include the cross-sectional nature of the study, reliance on self-reported data, and a sample drawn from a specific cultural context. Future research should adopt longitudinal designs and consider diverse psychological constructs to expand the understanding of the influence of leadership.