11 research outputs found
Researchers’ Attitudes towards Varietal Development of Hybrid Rice: A Case Study in Myanmar
No full textInvestigation of the ring resonator parameters influence on the characteristics of the three-axis optoelectronic angular velocity transducer
No full textDevelopment of Polyelectrolyte Chitosan-gelatin Hydrogels for Skin Bioprinting
No full textAbstractBioprinting is an emerging technology that offers the unique ability to deposit and pattern different cells and matrix materials to fabricate three-dimensional (3-D) tissue constructs. Markedly, bioprinting demonstrated great potential for skin tissue engineering ranging from the development of 3-D skin tissue models to in-situ bioprinting of skin directly over the wound site. Nevertheless, one of the major challenges that impede the progress in this field is the limited choices of printable biomaterials. In this paper, we report the development of printable polyelectrolyte chitosan-gelatin hydrogel for potential applications in tissue engineering of skin. The oppositely charged functional groups from chitosan and gelatin respectively first interacted at a specific pH range to form a polyelectrolyte complex, followed by further pH-dependent crosslinking. The pH-crosslinked polyelectrolyte chitosan-gelatin hydrogel was then evaluated in terms of its rheological behavior, biocompatibility, printability and lastly material stability under physiological conditions. The polyelectrolyte chitosan-gelatin hydrogel remained in a robust gel-state over the temperature range of 20-40 oC and facilitated cellular attachment and proliferation. Furthermore, it demonstrated good printability and the multi-layered hydrogel construct was mechanically stable after subjecting it to physiological conditions for 7 days
Potential Contribution of Iron Deficiency and Multiple Factors to Anemia among 6-to 72-Month-Old Children in the Kokang Area of Myanmar
No full textThe prevalence of anemia among children in Myanmar has been reported to be among the highest in the world. This study was conducted to determine 1) the prevalence of anemia in preschool children and 2) risk factors associated with anemia. A total of 138 children aged from 6 to 72 months were recruited through cluster sampling from six villages in Kokang. Hemoglobin (Hb) concentration, blood trace elements, and anthropometric indicators were measured. Feces samples were collected to examine for the presence of ascarid eggs. The overall prevalence of anemia in children was 61.6%, including 10.9% with severe anemia. Meanwhile, high prevalence of stunting (40.0%), underweight (22.4%), wasting (6.3%), and small head circumference (6.7%) was found. Children with anemia were more prone to stunting. Children with severe anemia and moderate anemia had significantly lower blood iron and zinc levels than children without anemia (P < 0.001 and P = 0.007). The prevalence of ascarid infection was 64.9%; however, it was not associated with anemia. Drinking spring water was positively associated with anemia (odds ratio [OR] = 6.368). This study demonstrated that anemia is an important public health problem among children from the Kokang area. Iron deficiency and drinking spring water may be the important causes of anemia among children.SCI(E)[email protected]
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
Active deformation of the Central Myanmar Forearc Basin : insight from post-Pleistocene inversion of the Pyay Fault
No full textPyay sub-basin is located in the southern part of the Central Myanmar Forearc Basin, an elongate belt of en-echelon folds and thrust faults formed as a result of the hyper-oblique convergence of the India and Asia plates. Limited neotectonic studies suggest that the Pyay Fault is a major Pliocene inverted structure that trapped the hydrocarbons in Pyay sub-basin, where only sparse field-based observations are available to address the nature of very recent neotectonic processes. This study focuses on structural deformation related to active inversion of the Pyay Fault using field-based geological observations and interpretations of industrial seismic data. We map the ∼105 km long Pyay Fault, an east- dipping high-angle reverse fault with a significant dextral strike-slip component. The fault underlies the western limb of the major NNW-SSE- striking anticlinal ridge that forms the western margin of Pyay sub- basin. Growth strata within the Pliocene-Pleistocene Irrawaddy Formation, imaged in the shallow part (<1 km) of 2D seismic profiles, reflects the deposition of Pliocene-Pleistocene sediments synchronously with the inversion of the underlying Pyay Fault. In addition, uplifted fluvial terraces of the Ayeyarwady River on the hanging wall of Pyay Fault reflect the post-Pleistocene inversion of the Pyay sub-basin. This study suggests that the Pyay Fault is a prime example of active deformation of the Central Myanmar Forearc Basin which plays an important role in the basin evolution and an earthquake source potential of the Myanmar territory.Ministry of Education (MOE)National Research Foundation (NRF)Published versionThis work is a part of the first author’s Ph.D. dissertation at the University of Yangon, Myanmar. The first author would like to thank to U Thit Lwin, Pyay University and his graduate students for their help in various ways during the field work. The authors would like to express sincere appreciation to Prof. Punya Charusiri, Chulalongkon University and Dr. Jonathan R. Weiss, University of Potsdam for their reviews that greatly improved the quality of this manuscript. Our thanks are also extended to Prof. Khin Zaw, University of Tasmania for handling the manuscript and editorial input. We also thank Dr. Kyaw Linn Oo, Petronas Myanmar Exploration and Dr. Wang Yu, National Taiwan University for their comments on an earlier draft. Field surveys for this work were partially supported by Resource and Environment Myanmar Ltd. and Myanmar Earthquake Committee. This research was supported by the Earth Observatory of Singapore via its funding from the National Research Foundation Singapore and the Singapore Ministry of Education under the Research Centres of Excellence initiative. This work comprises EOS contribution number 343
Inappropriate Feeding Behavior: One of the Important Causes of Malnutrition in 6-to 36-Month-Old Children in Myanmar
No full textThe complementary feeding period is an important time for children's growth and development. This study was conducted to 1) determine the feeding behaviors of 6- to 36-month-old children in Myanmar, 2) explore health effects of feeding behaviors, and 3) determine factors associated with feeding behaviors. A total of 807 children and their mothers (N = 642) were recruited from nine villages in Kachin, Shan, and Kokang, Myanmar. Feeding behaviors and sociodemographic characteristics were investigated using a validated questionnaire. Hemoglobin and anthropometric indicators were measured during the fieldwork. In our sample, 18.6%, 72.7%, and 9.8% of children were introduced to complementary foods (CFs) earlier than 4 months of age, between 4 and 8 months of age, and later than 8 months of age, respectively. For different types of CFs, up to the age of 24.1-36 months, there were still 6.5% and 4.1% of the children who had never been introduced to eggs and meat. Introduction of CFs earlier than 4 months of age was a risk factor for being underweight (age-adjusted odds ratio (ORadjust-age) = 1.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.2-2.5) and for stunting (ORadjust-age = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.1-2.3), whereas introduction of CFs later than 8 months of age was a risk factor for anemia (ORadjust-age = 3.5, 95% CI = 1.7-7.2). Mothers who had anemia (OR = 3.7, 95% CI = 2.0-6.9) tended toward early introduction of CFs. Women with a lower family income tended toward later introduction of CFs (OR = 2.0, 95% CI = 1.3-3.3). This study demonstrated that inappropriate feeding behavior was one of the important causes of malnutrition.SCI(E)PubMedARTICLE3702-7089
Inertial-Based Filtration Method for Removal of Microcarriers from Mesenchymal Stem Cell Suspensions
No full text© 2018, The Author(s). Rapidly evolving cell-based therapies towards clinical trials demand alternative approaches for efficient expansion of adherent cell types such as human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). Using microcarriers (100–300 µm) in a stirred tank bioreactor offers considerably enhanced surface to volume ratio of culture environment. However, downstream purification of the harvested cell product needs to be addressed carefully due to distinctive features and fragility of these cell products. This work demonstrates a novel alternative approach which utilizes inertial focusing to separate microcarriers (MCs) from the final cell suspension. First, we systematically investigated MC focusing dynamics inside scaled-up curved channels with trapezoidal and rectangular cross-sections. A trapezoidal spiral channel with ultra-low-slope (Tan(α) = 0.0375) was found to contribute to strong MC focusing (~300 < Re < ~400) while managing high MC volume fractions up to ~1.68%. Accordingly, the high-throughput trapezoidal spiral channel successfully separated MCs from hMSC suspension with total cell yield~94% (after two passes) at a high volumetric flow rate of ~30 mL/min (Re~326.5)
Rational deployment of antimalarial drugs in Africa: should first-line combination drugs be reserved for paediatric malaria cases?
No full textArtemisinin-based combination therapy is exerting novel selective pressure upon populations of Plasmodium falciparum across Africa. Levels of resistance to non-artemisinin partner drugs differ among parasite populations, and so the artemisinins are not uniformly protected from developing resistance, already present in South East Asia. Here, we consider strategies for prolonging the period of high level efficacy of combination therapy for two particular endemicities common in Africa. Under high intensity transmission, two alternating first-line combinations, ideally with antagonistic selective effects on the parasite genome, are advocated for paediatric malaria cases. This leaves second-line and other therapies for adult cases, and for intermittent preventive therapy. The drug portfolio would be selected to protect the 'premier' combination regimen from selection for resistance, while maximising impact on severe disease and mortality in children. In endemic areas subject to low, seasonal transmission of Plasmodium falciparum, such a strategy may deliver little benefit, as children represent a minority of cases. Nevertheless, the deployment of other drug-based interventions in low transmission and highly seasonal areas, such as mass drug administration aimed to interrupt malaria transmission, or intermittent preventive therapy, does provide an opportunity to diversify drug pressure. We thus propose an integrated approach to drug deployment, which minimises direct selective pressure on parasite populations from any one drug component. This approach is suitable for qualitatively and quantitatively different burdens of malaria, and should be supported by a programme of routine surveillance for emerging resistanc
