Deep learning SIC approach for uplink MIMO-NOMA system

Abstract. Deep learning-based successive interference cancellation (DL-SIC) for uplink multiple-input multiple-output -non-orthogonal multiple access (MIMO-NOMA) system tries to optimize the users’ bit error rate (BER) and total mean square error (MSE) performance with higher order modulation schemes. The recent work of DL-SIC receiver design for users with a QPSK modulation scheme is investigated in this thesis to validate its performance as a potential alternative approach to traditional SIC receivers for NOMA users. Then, a DL-SIC receiver design for higher order modulation with less dependence on modulation order in the output layer is proposed, which enables us to decode the users with different modulation schemes. In our proposed design, we employ two deep neural networks (DNNs) for each SIC step. The system model is considered an M-antenna base station (BS) that serves two uplink users with a single antenna in the Rayleigh fading channel. The equivalent conventional minimum mean square error-based SIC (MMSE-SIC) and zero-forcing-based SIC (ZF-SIC) receivers are implemented as a baseline comparison. The simulation results showed that the BER performance of the proposed DL-SIC receiver for both users with QPSK modulation results in a 10 dB gain between BER of 10^(-2) and 10^(-3) compared to the ZF-SIC receiver. Furthermore, the performance difference between the proposed scheme and ZF-SIC is significantly high when both users transmit with 16QAM. Overall, the proposed DL-SIC receiver performs better in all signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) regions than the equivalent ZF-SIC receivers and also aids in mitigating the SIC error propagation problem. In addition, it improves the processing latency due to the benefits of the parallelized computing architecture and decreases the complexity of traditional SIC receivers

Development of Leucaena Mimosine-Degrading Bacteria in the Rumen of Sheep in Myanmar

Myanmar has an agricultural base, and about 70% of people reside in rural areas. They depend for survival on agriculture and small-scale crop production, with ruminant livestock consuming fibrous agricultural residues. For optimal ruminant production, concentrates are needed as supplements to these residues. As concentrates are expensive, researchers are testing alternative protein sources like legumes, including foliage from leguminous trees such as leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala). Leucaena is the most widely used leguminous tree as a ruminant feed because it is rich in protein (~ 22%) and contains easily digestible fibre (23% neutral detergent fibre, 16.6% acid detergent fibre; Ni Ni Maw 2004). Khin Htay Myint (2005) noted that 25% of leucaena in the ration tended to increase nitrogen retention without decreasing dry matter and organic matter digestibilities. However, leucaena leaves contain a toxic non-protein amino acid, called mimosine. Research workers have endeavoured to reduce mimosine toxicity in animals fed leucaena in Myanmar (Aung Aung 2007, Wink Phyo Thu 2010) and one avenue of research was the development of mimosine-degrading bacteria in the rumen of sheep fed leucaena. In this paper we describe an experiment tracing the development of mimosine-degrading bacteria in the rumen of sheep

Medical and nursing students’ knowledge of accurate blood pressure measurement procedure in University Malaysia Sarawak

Blood pressure measurement is a basic, frequently-used clinical procedure. Nowadays with increasing use of automatic devices, blood pressure measurement procedure is the most inaccurately performed by the healthcare professionals. The medical and nursing students need good knowledge of accurate measurement procedure for correct diagnosis of hypertension. Our study assessed the knowledge of blood pressure measurement procedure among medical and nursing students in Faculty of Medicine and Health Science of University Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS). This was a quantitative, cross-sectional study. Data were collected from total 242 students (171 medical and 71 nursing programmes) with a pre-tested questionnaire including patient’s position, application of instruments, and measurement technique and blood pressure reading. Of 16 items tested, correct answers for 9 items were less than 70%: proper patient’s position (66.9%), choice of the arm (59.1%), appropriate cuff size(51.2%), chest piece (bell or diaphragm) of stethoscope used for listening of Korotkoff sound(11.6%), estimated inflation cuff pressure(66.1%), recommended deflation rate(65.3%), preference of last digit of blood pressure reading(60.7 %), awareness of the auscultatory gap (31.0 %), and habit of palpatory method (27.7%). 51.7% of total students (n= 242) had good knowledge scores. There was no significantly different between the medical and nursing students’ mean knowledge scores (p value=0.099). Our study found that the students need subsequent learning and practices to improve their knowledge for accurate blood pressure resul

Young key affected population in Myanmar: are there any challenges in seeking information and care for HIV/sexually transmitted infections and reproductive health? [version 2; referees: 2 approved]

Background: Unmet needs and barriers in seeking HIV/STI and RH information and care are present especially among young key affected population (YKAP). Therefore, the study was conducted to determine the health seeking behaviors of YKAP regarding HIV/STI and RH, and challenges in seeking health information and care. Methods: A cross-sectional, mixed-methods study was conducted at two large cities in Myanmar. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with YKAP aged 15-24 years. In-depth interviews and key informant interviews were done with YKAP and health care providers. Descriptive statistics and bivariate analyses were done for quantitative data and thematic analysis was applied for qualitative data. Results: A total of 119 young men who have sex with men (YMSM) and 123 young female sex workers (YFSW) included in the study. Mean age of YMSM and YFSW were 20.9±2.4 and 21.7±2.2 years. Over 30% of YMSM and 49.3% of YFSW had experience of any STI symptom. Particularly, 17% of YMSM and 10% of YFSW had genital ulcer, and majority sought health care at NGO clinics. About 37% of YMSM and 40% of YFSW visited Drop-in-center (DIC) within one to six months. Over 13% of YMSM and 14.6% of YFSW had challenges in seeking HIV/STI and RH information.  YMSM/YFSW type and age of YMSM were associated with visit to DIC. Lesser proportions of Tha-nge (43.5%), younger age YMSM (66.7%), brothel-based YFSW (47.9%) visited DIC than others (p<0.05). Challenges and unmet needs expressed by YKAP were reluctance in asking health information, worry for future fertility, consequences of anal sex and contraception. Challenges expressed by providers were limited time during outreach service and difficulty in reaching entertainment-based sex workers. Conclusions: Special attention in provision of health information should be paid to YKAP since there is a considerable proportion of YKAP with unmet need in seeking HIV/STI/RH information and care

Survival analysis of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in New Yangon General Hospital by prognostic indicators

Background: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and it can infect anyone resulting in serious illness and death. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in New Yangon General Hospital (NYGH), Yangon between September and November, 2022. Previous records of COVID-19 in-patients admitted to NYGH from 1st June to 31st October, 2021, were reviewed. COVID-19 in-patients who tested positive by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) or rapid diagnostic test (RDT) were included in this study. Multivariate analysis by Cox proportional-hazards (CPH) model was used to identify the prognostic indicators associated with the survival of COVID-19 inpatients. Results: Of (460) COVID-19 positive patients, there were 133 (28.9%) deaths with mortality rate of 16.9 per 1000 person-days. Then, 97 (72.9%) deaths occurred within 21 days of symptom onset, with median survival time of 28 (95% CI: 25-36) days. The results of the CPH model showed that the abnormal chest X-ray (CXR) [aHR=3.8, 95% CI: (1.1, 12.6), p=0.032], SpO2 level below 92% [aHR=3.7, 95% CI: 2.3, 5.9, p&lt;0.001)], serum creatinine level more than 133 µmol/L [aHR=1.9, 95% CI: 1.1, 3.2, p=0.025] and C-reactive protein level (CRP) more than 10 mg/L [aHR=3.9, 95% CI: 1.2, 12.9, p=0.027] were the prognostic indicators of COVID-19 death among inpatients in NYGH. Conclusions: Patients with abnormal CXR result, low SpO2 level, high serum creatinine level, and high CRP level may have increased risks of death among COVID-19 inpatients in NYGH. Thus, close monitoring of the hospitalized COVID-19 inpatients by using these prognostic indicators should be emphasized

Emotional Intelligence Level of Year One and Two Medical Students of University Malaysia Sarawak: Association With Demographic Data

Emotional intelligence is the ability to monitor one’s own and other’s emotions, to discriminate among them, and to guide one’s thinking and actions. It is very important to assess as it helps to reason out our emotional responses. The objective of this study is to assess the emotional intelligence level of Year one and two medical students of UNIMAS. Majority has strength in all the domains except managing emotions domain where 51.5% need attention. No respondent fall into the development priority competency. There were no significant difference among all the domains between two groups but Year 1 students need more attention in managing emotions domain compared to Year 2 students. There was no significant association between demographic characteristics – age, residency, qualification and ethnicity – but there was a significant association (p value of 0.038) in male with empathy domain. Further study should be done on groups spanning from Year 1 to Year 5 as they have a greater difference in age as well as exposure to clinical practice which may have a significant impact on their emotional intelligence

Local food-based complementary feeding recommendations developed by the linear programming approach to improve the intake of problem nutrients among 12-23-month-old Myanmar children.

Poor feeding practices result in inadequate nutrient intakes in young children in developing countries. To improve practices, local food-based complementary feeding recommendations (CFR) are needed. This cross-sectional survey aimed to describe current food consumption patterns of 12-23-month-old Myanmar children (n 106) from Ayeyarwady region in order to identify nutrient requirements that are difficult to achieve using local foods and to formulate affordable and realistic CFR to improve dietary adequacy. Weekly food consumption patterns were assessed using a 12-h weighed dietary record, single 24-h recall and a 5-d food record. Food costs were estimated by market surveys. CFR were formulated by linear programming analysis using WHO Optifood software and evaluated among mothers (n 20) using trial of improved practices (TIP). Findings showed that Ca, Zn, niacin, folate and Fe were 'problem nutrients': nutrients that did not achieve 100 % recommended nutrient intake even when the diet was optimised. Chicken liver, anchovy and roselle leaves were locally available nutrient-dense foods that would fill these nutrient gaps. The final set of six CFR would ensure dietary adequacy for five of twelve nutrients at a minimal cost of 271 kyats/d (based on the exchange rate of 900 kyats/USD at the time of data collection: 3rd quarter of 2012), but inadequacies remained for niacin, folate, thiamin, Fe, Zn, Ca and vitamin B6. TIP showed that mothers believed liver and vegetables would cause worms and diarrhoea, but these beliefs could be overcome to successfully promote liver consumption. Therefore, an acceptable set of CFR were developed to improve the dietary practices of 12-23-month-old Myanmar children using locally available foods. Alternative interventions such as fortification, however, are still needed to ensure dietary adequacy of all nutrients

Immune-Cell-Mediated Cancer Treatment: Advantages, Drawbacks And Future Direction

Cancer ranks as the most lethal and prevalent non-communicable disease in clinical settings. Therapeutic options for cancer comprise chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery, and combined treatment. Cancer remission and relapse cases are widespread despite having various advanced medications and sophisticated dissection techniques. A new approach involving immune-cell-mediated cancer therapy has been adopted extensively for cancer treatments by utilizing immune cells. Immunotherapy has gained much attention to prevent and treat various types of cancer. Immunotherapy treatments operate in multiple contexts. Several immunotherapy therapeutic interventions assist the immune function in halting or reducing the advancement of cancer cells. Many also facilitate the immune cells in destroying cancerous cells or safeguarding against cancer from disseminating to certain other regions of the human body. Among other methods, genetic manipulation of immune cells offers hope for innovative anticancer treatment. T lymphocytes and natural killer cells have become the most extensively documented immune cells for immunotherapy. Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy exhibits the most promising blood cancer treatment. However, adoptive NK cell transfer therapy displays potential anticancer treatment options, although more research is needed to be carried out. In addition, cytokine-induced immunomodulation is also plausible for cancer immunotherapy. This review will highlight the most comprehensive information, observations, and consequences associated with different cancer immunotherapy initiatives