141 research outputs found
Orofacial pain of muscular origin is not associated with herpes virus-6 infection: a pilot study
No full textAbstract not availableYoshinobu Shoji, Heng Lungh Choo, Chee Onn Leong, Aung Lwin Oo, Grant Townsen
Theoretical and Textual Approaches to Contemporary Humanitarian Narrative: The Cases of Roberto Saviano’s Gomorra, Aung San Suu Kyi’s Letters from Burma, Jerry Piasecki’s Marie in the Shadow of the Lion and Nadine Gordimer’s The Ultimate Safari
No full textThe purpose of this thesis is to describe how some forms of fictional and non-fictional texts can be configured as and within the framework of humanitarian practices. In exploring the definitions and features of humanitarianism and humanitarian literature, the thesis attempts to answer the question of what purpose these texts try to serve. In examining the works Marie in the Shadow of the Lion (2000) by Jerry Piasecki, The Ultimate Safari (1989) by Nadine Gordimer, Gomorra (2006) by Roberto Saviano and Letters from Burma (1996) by Aung San Suu Kyi, we will argue that the scope of these books can be located by analogy to social and political humanitarian practices. Beyond their differences in genre, style and subject matter, these texts share a common feature: they are performative, namely they strive to do things with words. The humanitarian texts discussed in this thesis can be shown to act in the world in order to implement the values proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Financing Small and Medium Enterprises in Myanmar
No full textSmall and medium enterprises (SMEs) share the biggest part in Myanmar economy in terms of number, contribution to employment, output, and investment. Myanmar economic growth is thus totally dependent on the development of SMEs in the private sector. Today, the role of SMEs has become more vital in strengthening national competitive advantage and the speedy economic integration into the ASEAN region. However, studies show that SMEs have to deal with a number of constraints that hinder their development potential, such as the shortage in power supply, unavailability of long-term credit from external sources and many others. Among them, the financing problem of SMEs is one of the biggest constraints. Such is deeply rooted in demand and supply issues, macroeconomic fundamentals, and lending infrastructure of the country. The government’s policy towards SMEs could also lead to insufficient support for the SMEs. Thus, focusing on SMEs and private sector development as a viable strategy for industrialization and economic development of the country is a fundamental requirement for SME development. This paper recommends policies for stabilizing macro economic fundamentals, improving lending infrastructures of the country and improving demand- and supply-side conditions from the SMEs financing perspective in order to provide a more accessible financing for SMEs and to contribute in the overall development of SMEs in Myanmar thereby to sharpen national competitive advantage in the age of speedy economic integration.Small and medium enterprise (SME), Small and medium-scale enterprises, Financing, Competitiveness, Myanmar, Japan, ASEAN, Southeast Asia, Finance
Liphistius pyinoolwin Xu, Yu, Aung, Yu, Liu, Lwin, Sang & Li 2021
No full textLiphistius pyinoolwin Xu, Yu, Aung, Yu, Liu, Lwin, Sang & Li, 2021 Figs 1, 2B, 19-20 Liphistius birmanicus Thorell, 1897 (misidentification): Platnick & Sedgwick, 1984: 8-10, figs 7-15 (description of males and females in AMNH under L. birmanicus). – Schwendinger, 1990: 331-332, figs 1-4 (illustration of copulatory organs of 1 male and 3 females in AMNH misidentified as L. birmanicus). Liphistius pyinoolwin Xu, Yu, Aung, Yu, Liu, Lwin, Sang & Li, 2021: 45-50, figs 2D-E, 3-7 (description of males and females). Type material: CBEE (XUX-2018-089 to XUX-2018- 111A); male holotype, 7 male paratypes and 15 female paratypes (not examined); Myanmar, Mandalay Region, Pyin Oo Lwin District, Dat Taw Gyaint Waterfall (= Anisakan Falls), 908 m, 21.98°N, 96.38°E; l3.VII.2018; leg. Li, Liu, Xu and Yu. Material examined: MHNG, BRCM (sample MT-14/31); 12 males (matured 4.IX., 11.IX., 24.IX., 25.IX., 1.X., 4X., 5.X., 16.X.2014, 19.X., 20.X.2014, 3.IX., 5.X.2015) and 3 females; Myanmar, Mandalay Division, Pyin U Lwin (= Pyin Oo Lwin) District, Anisakan Waterfalls (21°58’50”N, 96°23’11”E), 600 m; 8.VII.2014; leg. P.J. Schwendinger & S. Huber. – AMNH; 2 males (matured 14.X.1982 and 23.X.1982; one of them illustrated in Platnick & Sedgwick, 1984: figs 7-11, 14 and in Schwendinger, 1990: fig. 1) and 5 females (one of them illustrated in Platnick & Sedgwick, 1984: figs 12-13, 15, three of them in Schwendinger, 1990: figs 2-4); gorge near Maymyo (= Pyin U Lwin = Pyin Oo Lwin), 3500 feet; 13.VII.1982; leg. W.C. Sedgwick. Diagnosis: Medium-sized, dark spiders with annulated legs and palps (on posterior legs more distinctly so than on anteriors) in females and juvenile males. Males distinguished from those of other species in the birmanicus -group by paracymbium carrying 2-3 enlarged spicules (longer than the ones distal to them) on a narrowly rounded retrolateral-proximal heel (Fig. 19 E-F); base of embolus complex prolaterally with a lobate protrusion (Fig. 19 A-B). Females similar to those of L. lordae, distinguished by having annulated legs and palps; poreplate with a pair of anterolateral processes (absent in L. lordae); anterior lobes of poreplate quite narrow (very wide in L. lordae); posterior stalk posteriorly narrower than in L. lordae (Fig. 20 cf. Fig. 18). Additions to description: Males with scopulae very weak on tarsus I (especially in proximal half), increasingly denser on tarsi III-IV, covering distal 3/4 of tarsus I, distal 4/5 of tarsus II and distal 5/6 of tarsi III-IV. Male palp with tibial apophysis slightly set back from anterior margin of tibia (Fig. 19E); paracymbium with a moderately to narrowly rounded retrolateralproximal heel, always carrying 2-3 elongate spinules (longer than those situated more distally; Fig. 19 E-F); distal margin of tegulum not elevated, proximal edge coarsely dentate, bent and adpressed to contrategular surface below it (Fig. 19D); contrategulum with short, widely conical proventral process with a rounded apex (Fig. 19A); distal edge of contrategulum very wide (Fig. 19A), its prolateral part long, slightly elevated to a keel (Fig. 19C), its dorsal apex narrowly rounded (Fig. 19 A-B); base of embolus complex with a lobate prolateral protrusion (Fig. 19 A-B); para-embolic plate short and indistinct, not separated by an invagination from retroventral edge of embolus complex (Fig. 19D); embolus proper narrowly divided, its sclerotised part strengthened by 3 longitudinal ribs reaching apex and carrying denticles distally (Fig. 19 A-B, D); area at base of membranous embolus part wide, distinctly sclerotised and furnished with numerous quite long and deep wrinkles, its distal margin oblique (Fig. 19 B-C). Females with a pair of light marks half way between ocular mound and fovea; poreplates wider than long, with distinct, quite narrow (distinctly narrower than in L. lordae) anterior lobes and with anterolateral processes; posterior stalk mostly axe-blade-shaped, with an exceptionally long and narrow constriction in its anterior part (Fig. 20, Xu et al., 2021: figs 5-7, see also Variation). Variation: For carapace measurements and prefoveal setae counts see Table 1. All specimens examined have well-developed AME. Variation in the shape of the male palp is shown in Fig. 19. In distal view the apex of the proventral contrategular process is widely rounded in most specimens (Fig. 19A), in one it is very widely triangular. The unusually deep apex of this process shown in prolateral view (Fig. 19C) is due to an artificial swelling (caused by alcohol preservation?) of the membrane on its distal side. This is not so in illustrations by Xu et al. (2021: figs 3-4). The distinctly pigmented area at the base of the membranous embolus part has an oblique distal margin (Fig. 19C), in some specimens with a small median spike or a longer spike at the higher end. In illustrations of male palps by Xu et al. (2021: figs 3-4) two characteristic features (elongate spicules on lower retrolateral corner of paracymbium; bent and adpressed proximal edge of tegulum) are not clearly visible or not visible at all; a third characteristic feature (lobate prolateral protrusion of embolus complex) is recognizable (Xu et al., 2021: fig. 3B, I). Variation in the shape of the vulval plates of three females examined is shown in Fig. 20. One of these specimens has wart-like ventral vesicles on the posterior margin of the poreplate and a very narrow posterior stalk (with roughly parallel lateral margins; Fig. 20 A-C). This is presumably abnormal, as is the vulval plate illustrated by Xu et al. (2021: fig. 6F, I) which completely lacks a posterior stalk. The posterior margin of the posterior stalk is straight (Xu et al., 2021: fig. 5E, H) or more or less widely arched, with a small median invagination (Fig. 20), with a very small median lobe (Xu et al., 2021: figs 6E, 7D-E, G-H) or with neither (Xu et al., 2021: figs 5D, G, 6D, G, 7B-C, F, I). The receptacular cluster of this species is also quite variable, not or only barely reaching the anterior margin of the poreplate in the three females examined (Fig. 20B, E, G), reaching the margin or surpassing it in six females illustrated by Xu et al. (2021: figs 5G-I, 6G-I, 7C, G-I). The CDO is mostly circular, small to medium-sized (Fig. 20A, D, F), in some females longer than wide, elliptical or teardrop-shaped (Xu et al., 2021: figs 5D, F, 6D, 7F). Relationships: Similarities in the shape of the vulval plate (anteriorly narrow posterior stalk; Fig. 20 cf. Fig. 18) and in the palpal organ (very wide distal edge of contrategulum, adpressed proximal edge of tegulum; Fig. 19 A-B, D cf. Fig. 17 A-D) suggest a fairly close relationship between L. pyinoolwin and L. lordae. Distribution: This species is currently only known from the type locality near the western edge of the Shan Plateau (Fig. 1). Biology: Most of the specimens examined were collected from earth banks at the bottom of a waterfall, a few on the sides of a trail. Most burrows were simple and undivided, closed by a single trapdoor; one burrow was Y-shaped and equipped with two doors close to each other; two burrows were sac-like, with two doors, built in the depression of a rock bolder, as know from cave-dwelling Liphistius species (see e.g. Klingel, 1967). Most burrows had 6-8 signal lines radiating from the entrance; only one had nine lines. The largest female had a 2.0 cm long and 2.9 wide trapdoor; penultimate males had 1.3-1.9 cm long and 2.1-2.8 cm wide trapdoors. Males matured between early September and late October, only a few months after being captured. No egg cases were found in the field in early July. Eggs are presumable laid in December, as it is the case in congeneric species in the mountains of northern Thailand (Schwendinger, 1990). In captivity large females moulted once per year, between September and October. One of the males carried parasitic mites of the genus Ljunghia (see Halliday & Juvara-Bals, 2016) which discarded their exuviae on the dorsal side of the spider opisthosoma (Fig. 2B). Another male fed on a cricket after reaching maturity, which is rather unusual because most adult Liphistius males stop feeding.Published as part of Schwendinger, Peter J., Huber, Siegfried, Lehmann-Graber, Christina, Ono, Hirotsugu, Aung, Mu Mu & Hongpadharakiree, Komsan, 2022, A taxonomic revision of the Liphistius birmanicus-group (Araneae: Liphistiidae) with the description of five new species, pp. 375-424 in Revue suisse de Zoologie 129 (2) on pages 408-411, DOI: 10.35929/RSZ.0083, http://zenodo.org/record/776148
Synchronized epiaortic two-dimensional and color Doppler echocardiographic guidance enable routine ascending aortic cannulation in type A acute aortic dissection
No full textHeat transfer enhancement in phase change materials (PCMs) by metal foams and cascaded thermal energy storage
No full textLow heat transfer performance has been the main problem restricting the use of Phase
Change Materials (PCMs) in situations requiring rapid energy release or storage. Three
innovative solutions are studied in this Thesis to improve heat transfer in PCMs. These
include combining PCMs with metal foams, Cascaded Thermal Energy Storage (CTES)
and Metal Foam-enhanced Cascaded Thermal Energy Storage (MF-CTES). Heat
conduction is investigated in Chapter 3, in which it was found that metal foams can
improve heat conduction of PCMs by 5–20 times. Natural convection is investigated in
Chapter 4, in which metal foams were found to suppress natural convection due to their
large flow resistances. Nevertheless, metal foams can still achieve a higher overall heat
transfer rate (3–10 times) than PCMs without metal foams. CTES is examined in Chapter
5, with results showing that CTES has a higher heat transfer rate (30%) and a higher
exergy transfer rate (22%) than Single-stage Thermal Energy Storage (STES). MF-CTES
is proposed in Chapter 6; this is, to the best knowledge of the author, the first time that it
has been investigated. MF-CTES was found to further improve the heat and exergy
transfer of CTES by 2–7 times, meanwhile reducing melting time by 67%–87%
Epidemiological study to support the establishment of a progressive zoning approach for the control of Foot and Mouth Disease in Myanmar
No full textFoot and mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious viral disease which has a significant impact on the economy and livestock productivity of affected countries. The research reported in this thesis involved investigation of the epidemiology of FMD in a potentially free (Tanintharyi) and an endemic (Sagaing) region of Myanmar. The animal level sero-prevalence in the Sagaing was high (42%, 95% CI 37.7 - 47.1) in contrast to that in Tanintharyi Division (11.7%, 5.9 - 17.4). Possible source of FMD in those locations may be due to communal grazing, using only underground water sources, purchasing cattle in March annually as a logestic regression model. In contrast, FMD was negative associated with trading of cattle within the same village where the farmers possessed less than only 10 cattle.
During this study, the traditional Dutaik meeting approach which is conducted in rural area of Myanmar ,was developed as a participatory disease tool and was validated with data collected from serological surveys and questionnaire interviews. It was concluded that the MTD meeting approach is a suitable technique to use for detecting FMD with the significant advantages of time and cost effectiveness. It is proposed that the MTD meeting approach is suitable for use in progressive zoning for the control of FMD in Myanmar and can be used to actively involve farmers in the control program and to increase their awareness of the impact of FMD.
In this study, a partial budgeting model with Monte Carlo simulation was developed to understand the influence of FMD on the economics of animal draught power, which is the major livestock input into the nation's agricultural enterprise. The model revealed losses to farmers were very high if outbreaks occurred every year. The findings of this study are useful for convincing farmers of the potential losses from FMD and the financial benefit in controlling the disease.
The movements of livestock in the Sagaing Division and in the Tanintharyi Division were different, with movements in the Sagaing being more complex. These movement data support the decision to develop a potential free zone area for FMD without vaccination in the Tanintharyi Division (Myanmar MTM area). Positive results from a sero-surveillance study conducted in 2005 in the Tanintharyi Division were most likely false positive results. This was supported by findings from the MTD meetings where no evidence of clinical disease was reported by farmers in contrast to areas where the disease was endemic.
It is concluded that the use of a zoning approach with vaccination in the endemic area of the Sagaing Division is an appropriate option for the control of FMD. At this stage it is not feasible to undertake control and eradication of FMD in the whole country. The complex animal movement patterns and the endemic nature of the disease pose real challenges for its control. However, in Myanmar the MTD meeting approach is a cost-effective option for surveillance to improve the FMD status early in an eradication campaign
Open Repair of Superior Vena Cava Syndrome With High Intracranial Pressures Using a ‘Y’ Graft
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