Gender difference in betel quid consumption levels and tobacco use among adults in Myanmar

Several small scaled studies in Myanmar investigated determinants of betel quid chewing status but to better understand more complete profiles of betel quid chewing habits, this study investigated the associations of betel quid consumption levels with tobacco and sociodemographic factors using a nationally representative sample in Myanmar. A cross-sectional, secondary data analysis was conducted by using Myanmar demographic and health survey (MDHS) (2015-2016). Chi-square tests and multinomial logistic regression were performed with p-value<0.05 as significance. Men averagely chewed 5.59 (SD=8.229) pieces per day while women chewed 1.25 (SD=3.584) pieces. The prevalence of chewing daily pieces 1-2, 3-5 and 6+ were 7.9%, 17.1% and 34.2% for men and 6.1%, 8% and 7.1 %, respectively, for women. In multivariate analysis, low education, low family wealth, married, and urban were more likely to chew 6+ pieces per day relevant to no consumption in both genders, while a positive association with age was observed only in women. Tobacco use was associated with low consumption level (1-2 pieces), relative to no consumption in both genders. Therefore, this study underlined the need to improve knowledge on the dangers associated with betel quid chewing and tobacco use among socially disadvantaged populations and urban residents

Late prehistoric and early historic chronology of Myanmar: a four-millennia sequence from Halin

Myanmar is located within an important geographic corridor of prehistoric demographic and technological exchange, yet relatively few archaeological sites have been securely dated. Here, the authors present a new radiocarbon chronology for Halin, a UNESCO-listed complex in the north-central Sagaing Division of Myanmar, which contributes to the generation of nuanced regional chronologies and to improving the temporal resolution of Southeast Asia more generally. Discussion of 94 radiocarbon determinates, together with site stratigraphy and pottery traditions, provides a chronological sequence from the early third millennium BC to the early second millennium AD. Corroboration of the beginning of this sequence would place Halin as the oldest currently dated Neolithic site in Mainland Southeast Asia and would provide support for the two-layer model of Neolithic migration

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

Growth and Characteristics of Lanthanum Manganite La1-x MnxO3 (x=0.02 mol) Powder)

An improved method is proposed for the preparation of lanthanum manganite powder by the calcinations of a composite carbonate (NH4)2 CO3 of the respective metallic elements formed by mixing and aqueous solution of inorganic salts Lanthanum chloride (LaCl3) and Manganese Chloride (MnCl2). The chemical compositions of these powders have been characterized by XRF, SEM, XRD and TGA-DTA analysis have been carried out to determine their structural, micro structural, micro structural and thermal decomposition

Study on Lanthanum Manganite Ultra-fine Fibres

Local-made electrospinning experimental set-up is firstly constructed. Lanthanum Manganite (La0.98Mn0.02O3) nano fibres are fabricated by electrospinning utilizing sol-gel precursors. The crystal structure and thermal analysis are studied by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Thermogravimetry and simultaneous Differential Thermal Analysis (TG-DTA) respectively

Adverse Drug Reactions in Selected Wards of the Yangon General Hospital and Yangon Specialty Hospital During the First Quarter of 2019 : An Active Pharmacovigilance Study in Myanmar

Previous studies in Europe and the USA have reported a high prevalence of adverse drug reactions (ADRs), but data on local ADRs in Myanmar are sparse. Our objective was to study ADRs in patients admitted to selected wards of Yangon General Hospital (YGH) and Yangon Specialty Hospital (YSH), Myanmar. This was a prospective observational study in three hospital wards during the first quarter of 2019. Suspected ADRs were carefully investigated in a face-to-face interview with each patient and via review of clinical records. Patients transferred to other wards or discharged were followed-up by the researchers until day 28 after admission. ADRs were divided into those that (1) led to the admission and (2) occurred during the hospital stay or after discharge (up to day 28 after admission). A total of 65 ADRs were identified, with 47 (29.4%) of 160 patients experiencing at least one ADR. Among these, 16 (24.6%) had led to hospital admission and 49 (75.4%) occurred in 31 patients during their hospital stay. Of 160 patients, 21 had taken at least one herbal remedy and six of these developed an ADR. Five ADR-drug associations (hypokalaemia with methylprednisolone, increased transaminase levels with standard antituberculosis drugs, upper gastrointestinal bleeding with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, constipation with tramadol, and increased transaminase levels with herbal remedies) represented 18 (27.7%) of the 65 ADRs in this study. According to the Schumock and Thornton preventability scale, more than half of these ADRs (35 [53.9%]) were preventable. The present study highlights the existence of ADRs among patients attending these hospitals. The implementation of active pharmacovigilance in hospitals could be a helpful first step to improving the awareness of unwanted effects of medicines and patient safety, as well as a way to strengthen the national pharmacovigilance system in countries such as Myanmar. The online version of this article (10.1007/s40801-020-00180-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Association between HLA-B* 15:02 and carbamazepine induced severe cutaneous adverse drug reactions in Myanmar

Genetic predisposition to carbamazepine (CBZ)-induced Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) had been reported in several Southeast Asian populations, but not in Myanmar. Previous studies had so far reported more than 70% of CBZ-induced SJS/TEN cases positive for HLA-B*15:02 allele.1-4 Myanmar, as the second largest country in Southeast Asia with a population of 54.5 million, has high HLA-B*15:02 carrier frequency in its general population (27.3- 49.1%).5,6