Suitability mapping for integrated aquatic food production systems – Decision Support System User Guide. Burmese version

The Integrated Aquatic Food Production System Decision Support System (IAFP DSS) provides a standardised approach to suitability analysis, enabling decision makers and stakeholders to engage with the technique in a simplistic yet comprehensive manner. The tool is suitable for application by a range of bodies including governmental and non-governmental organisations, research organisations and NGOs that have an interest in supporting the development of tailored and targeted investments for integrated aquatic food production systems within a given region. This report is the user guidelines translated in Burmese which support the training of the trainers implemented in Myanmar

A Phytochemical and Biomedical Investigation of Cissus Repens Lam. (Wa-Round-Chin) and Boesenbergia Otunda (L.) Mansf. (Seik-Phoo-Chin)

The present research focused on the evaluation of bioactive principles from the locally cultivated two medicinal plants: Cissus repens Lam. (Wa-round-chin) and Boesenbergia rotunda (L.) Mansf. (Seik-phoo-chin) including the phytochemical analyses, isolation and structural elucidation of organic compounds and biological activity screening such as antimicrobial activity, antioxidant activity, cytotoxicity test, antitumor activity and antiproliferative activity. The whole plants of C.repens and aerial parts and rhizomes of B.rotunda were collected from Kyauk Tan Village, Bago Region and their respective scientific name has been identified at Botany Department, University of Yangon. The preliminary phytochemical tests revealed the presence of alkaloids, carbohydrates, flavonoids, glycoside, organic acid, phenolic compounds, saponins, steroids, tannins and terpenoids in the whole plant of C.repens (WRC), aerial parts and rhizomes of B.rotunda (SPCA and SPCR). Determination of nutritional valves of WRC, SPCA and SPCR haveP also been carried out by AOAC method, resulting 3.11%,3.28% and 4.49% of moisture, 6.80%, 14.75% and 7.00% of ash, 12.18%,9.23% and 6.82% of protein, 13.73%, 28.54% and 12.24% of fiber, 7.90%, 5.81 % and 3.62% of fat, 56.28%, 38.39% and 65.83% of carbohydrate respectively based on the dried samples. In addition, some soluble matter contents of the samples were also analysed using PE, EtOAC, CH3COCH3, EtOH and water as solvents. On silica gel column chromatographic separation, eight compounds were isolated from PE extract of WRC, EtOAc and CHCl3 extracts of SPCR, characterized by some physical and chemical properties and structurally identified by the combination of UV, FT IR, IH NMR, 13C NMR, 2D NMR and ESI MS spectroscopic methods and also by comparing with the reported data. The compounds isolated from PE extract of WRC were identified to be friedelin (A, 0.014 %, m.pt. 258-259 °C) and friedelinol (B, 0.008 %, m.pt. 278-279° C). Two compounds isolated from EtOAc extract of SPCR were identified to be β-sitosterol (C, 0.26 %, m.pt.138-140 ° C) and β-sitosterol-β-D-glucoside (D, 0.9 %, m.pt-272-274 °C) whereas the compounds obtained from CHCl3 extract of SPCR were pinostrobin (E, 0.26 %, m.pt. 96-98 °C), 4', 7-dimethylkaempferol (F, 0.25 %, m.pt 179-182 °C), galanal A (G, 0.43 %, m.pt. 165-167 °C) and galanal B (H, 0.83 %, m.pt, 134-134.5 °C). The antimicrobial activity of PE, EtOAc, EtOH and MeOH extracts from WRC, SPCA and SPCR was screened on six microorganism such as Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus pumilus, Candida albicans and Escherichia coli by agar well diffusion method. All of these crude extracts have pronounced antimicrobial activity with inhibition zone diameters ranged between 13mm ~ 55mm in WRC, 14mm ~ 55mm in SPCA and 13mm ~ 35 mm in SPCR respectively. The MIC values of EtOAc extracts (24.4141 µg/mL, 2500 µg/mL) of WRC, (25000 µg/mL, 25000 mg/mL) of SPCA, (100000 µg/mL, 100000 µg/mL) of SPCR and some isolated compounds A-D [friedelin (12.5 µg/mL, 25 µg/mL), friedelinol (100 µg/mL, 100 µg/mL), β-sitosterol (25 µg/mL, 25 µg/mL), β-sitosterol-β-D-glucoside (100 µg/mL, 100 µg/mL)] of WRC, SPCA and SPCR were also determined against two species of organisms such as Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli by agar well diffusion method. The antioxidant activity of ethanol and watery crude extracts of WRC, SPCA and SPCR and some isolated compounds (friedelin, friedelinol, β-sitosterol-β-D-glucoside) was determined by DPPH radical scavenging assay by using UV spectrophotometric technique. The order of radical scavenging activity was observed as SPCA> SPCR > WRC for ethanol extracts whereas the order of radical scavenging activity was SPCA> WRC > SPCR for watery extracts. The antioxidant potential of isolated compounds were found to be in the order of β-sitosterol-β-D-glucoside > friedelin. Friedelinol did not show % inhibition in the range of concentration 28.71-47.69 µg/mL, Ethanol crude extract of SPCR possessed mild cytotoxicity on brine shrimp. Its LD50 was determined to be 370.50 µg/mL, after 24 hours while the other crude extracts did not exhibit their cytotoxic effect up to the optimum dose of 1000 µg/mL, Antitumor activity of ethyl acetate, ethanol and methanol extracts of WRC, SPCA and SPCR and some isolated compounds A-D (friedelin, friedelinol, β-sitosterol, β-sitosterol-β-D-glucoside) were also tested on tumor produced bacteria using PCG (Potato crown Gall) test. From this experiment, all of the test extracts from all samples were significantly found to inhibit the formation of tumor in the dose of 0.2 g/disc. Among test compounds, friedelin, β-sitosterol and β-sitosterol-β-Dglucoside showed to prevent the tumor formation with the dose of 0.1 µg/disc. Moreover, antiproliferative activity of MeOH extract of WRC, SPCA and SPCR, CHCl3) extract of SPCR and four isolated compounds (pinostrobin, 4', 7-dimethylkaempferol, galanal A and galanal B) was determined by using ten human cancer cell lines. The antiproliferative activity of four extracts were found to be in order of SPCA (MeOH extract) > SPCR (CHCl3 extract) > SPCR (MeOH extract) > WRC (MeOH extract) against lung (LK-2), lung (A549), stomach, breast human cancer cell lines and normal human fibroblast. The order of antiproliferative activity of three extracts were observed as SPCA (MeOH extract> SPCR (MeOH extract) > WRC (MeOH extract) against colon, liver, cervix, leukemia and prostate human cancer cell lines. Among the isolated compounds, galanal A and galanal B were found to be more potent than pinostrobin and 4',7-dimethylkaempferol in antiproliferative activity against lung (LK-2), lung (A549), stomach, breast human cancer cell lines and normal human fibroblast

Evaluation of Fertilizer Management on Different Maize Varieties in Southern Shan State

The study was carried out with two objectives (1) to observe the highest fertilizer response on growth performance of grain maize varieties and (2) to determine the effect of fertilizer management practices in response on yield and yield components. The field experiment was conducted at Aung Ban Research Station under Department of Agricultural Research by using split plots design with three repli-cations. Five maize varieties were used as tested varieties under four levels of fertilizer management practices. Sustainable and Affortable Poultary for All (SAPA) fertilizer application practice gave the highest grain yields, yield components and agronomic parameters than the others. It may be probably due to higher fertilizer application rate together with micronutrients especially more potassium applica-tion with S, Ca and Mg than other practices. Among the varieties, NK 621 variety gave the maximum yield, yield components such as number of kernels per row, thousand seeds weight and agronomic char-acters such as SPAD value, ear weight and ear diameters. “In combination effect of SAPA fertilizer and SA 282 variety gave the maximum yield but the yield of SA 282 was not significantly different with NK 621. Therefore, these two varieties were found as the best performing in grain yield and good potential for the future in Southern Shan State

Investigation of the Bioactive Principles and α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Effect of some Myanmar Traditional Medicinal Plants

This research is focused on the evaluation of a-glucosidase inhibitors from eight Myanmar traditional medicinal plants such as Ammomum xanthoides Wall., Commelina communis Linn., Crataeva religiosa Forst., Eupatorium odoratum Linn., Gynura procumbens (Lour.) Merr., Momordica charantia Linn., Spirulina and Syzygium grande (WI) Walp.. All of these medicinal plants have been reported to possess the antidiabetic potential. In the present work, watery and ethanolic extracts, and some isolated compounds such as lupeol, lupeol acetate, friedelin, betulinic acid, gallic acid, stigmasterol, taraxasterol, B-sitosterol-B-D-glucoside, stearic acid, B-sitosterol, vitamin C, charatin and A. xanthoides essential oil were used to investigate their inhibitory effect on a- glucosidase enzyme activity. All of the selected medicinal plant extracts (IC50 = 0.14 ~ 2.07 µg/ml) as well as the isolated compounds (IC50 = 0.47 ~ 1.91 µg/ml) were found to show the a-glucosidase inhibitory activity. These values were found to be comparable with Voglibose (IC50 = 0.32 µg/ml), which was used as a reference in this study. Therefore these plants may be used as sources of natural a-glucosidase inhibitors in control or management of the postprandial hyperglycemia, Type 2 diabetes

Underweight Prevalence Among Young Adults from Rural Areas, Salin Township, Magwe Region

Maintaining a normal body mass index (BMI) throught the life-span of a person may reduce occurence as well as the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), in terms of years lived with disability and premature death. Lifestyle and socioeconomic factors like physical activity and availability of healthy or unhealthy food may contribute to both extremes of BMI, namely under-weight and overweight/ obesity

A first absolute chronology for Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age Myanmar: New AMS 14C dates from Nyaung'gan and Oakaie

Late prehistoric archaeological research in Myanmar is in a phase of rapid expansion. Recent work by the Mission Archéologique Française au Myanmar aims to establish a reliable Neolithic to Iron Age culture-historical sequence, which can then be compared to surrounding regions of Southeast Asia. Excavations at Nyaung'gan and Oakaie in central Myanmar have provided 52 new AMS dates, which allow the creation of Myanmar's first reliable prehistoric radiometric chronology. They have also identified the Neolithic to Bronze Age transition in central Myanmar, which is of critical importance in understanding long-range interactions at the national, regional and inter-regional level. This research provides the first significant step towards placing late prehistoric Myanmar in its global context

Serological evidence indicates widespread distribution of rickettsioses in Myanmar

Background Little research has been published on the prevalence of rickettsial infections in Myanmar. This study determined the seroprevalence of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies to rickettsial species in different regions of Myanmar. Methods Seven hundred leftover blood samples from patients of all ages in primary care clinics and hospitals in seven regions of Myanmar were collected. Samples were screened for scrub typhus group (STG), typhus group (TG) and spotted fever group (SFG) IgG antibodies using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Immunofluorescence assays were performed for the same rickettsial groups to confirm seropositivity if ELISA optical density ≥0.5. Results Overall IgG seroprevalence was 19% [95% confidence interval (CI) 16–22%] for STG, 5% (95% CI 3–7%) for TG and 3% (95% CI: 2–5%) for SFG. The seroprevalence of STG was particularly high in northern and central Myanmar (59% and 19–33%, respectively). Increasing age was associated with higher odds of STG and TG seropositivity [per 10-year increase, adjusted odds ratio estimate 1.68 (p < 0.01) and 1.24 (p = 0.03), respectively]. Conclusion Rickettsial infections are widespread in Myanmar, with particularly high seroprevalence of STG IgG antibodies in central and northern regions. Healthcare workers should consider rickettsial infections as common causes of fever in Myanmar

Epidemiological characteristics and real‐world treatment outcomes of hepatitis C among HIV/HCV co‐infected patients in Myanmar: A prospective cohort study

Abstract Background and Aims In Myanmar, public sector treatment programs for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection were nonexistent until June 2017. WHO highlights the importance of simplification of HCV service delivery through task‐shifting among health workers and decentralization to the primary health care level. Between November 2016 and November 2017, a study was conducted to describe the epidemiological data and real‐world outcomes of treating HIV/HCV coinfected patients with generic direct acting antiviral (DAA) based regimens in the three HIV clinics run by nonspecialist medical doctors in Myanmar. Methods HCV co‐infection among people living with HIV (PLHIV) from two clinics in Yangon city and one clinic in Dawei city was screened by rapid diagnostic tests and confirmed by testing for viral RNA. Nonspecialist medical doctors prescribed sofosbuvir and daclatasvir based regimens (with or without ribavirin) for 12 or 24 weeks based on the HCV genotype and liver fibrosis status. Sustained virologic response at 12 weeks after treatment (SVR12) was assessed to determine cure. Results About 6.5% (1417/21,777) of PLHIV were co‐infected with HCV. Of 864 patients enrolled in the study, 50.8% reported history of substance use, 27% history of invasive medical procedures and 25.6% history of incarceration. Data on treatment outcomes were collected from 267 patients of which 257 (96.3%) achieved SVR12, 7 (2.6%) failed treatment, 2 (0.7%) died and 1 (0.4%) became loss to follow‐up. Conclusion The study results support the integration of hepatitis C diagnosis and treatment with DAA‐based regimens into existing HIV clinics run by nonspecialist medical doctors in a resource‐limited setting. Epidemiological data on HIV/HCV co‐infection call for comprehensive HCV care services among key populations like drug users and prisoners in Yangon and Dawei