A Lightweight Size Estimation Approach for Embedded System using COSMIC Functional Size Measurement

Functional Size Measurement (FSM) is an important component of a software project that provides information for estimating the effort required to develop the measured software. Although the embedded software is time-consuming to develop, COSMIC FSM can be estimated to get more accurate function size. The traditional Function Point methods are designed to measure only business application domain and are problematic in the real-time domain. As a result, COSMIC Functional Size Measurement (FSM) method is designed to measure both application domains. The design diagrams such as UML, SysML and the well-defined FSM procedure must use to accurately measure the functional size of embedded system. We have already developed the generation model based on SysML metamodel with an example of elevator control system. In this paper, we applied the generation model that is the classification of the instance level of object based on UML metamodel. After that, this paper also showed the mapping rules which mapped between the generation model and COSMIC FSM to estimate the functional size of embedded software with the case study of cooker system. This paper also proposed the light weight generation method of COSMIC FSM by using the generation model

Allopurinol causing generalized exfoliative dermatitis: a case report

Erythroderma is a scaly, erythematous dermatitis of the skin, which occurs in drug allergy, malignancy and underlying skin disorders. The diagnosis is challenging because the extent of skin involvement does not always correlate with the extent of internal organ involvement. Therefore, early recognition of symptoms is vital to minimize morbidity and mortality. Case report: A 52 years old man had asymptomatic hyperuricemia and prescribed allopurinol 300mg, daily. One month later, the rashes started to appear on his trunk and then progressed to the face and upper limbs. Then it continued to spread to the lower extremities. Management involves prompt cessation of the culprit drug, administration of corticosteroids and supportive treatment. It is Concluded that Allopurinol is commonly used in clinical practice for the treatment of symptomatic hyperuricemia and gout. It has been associated with erythroderma especially when used indiscriminately

Isolation of Plant Hormone (Indole-3-Acetic Acid - IAA) Producing Rhizobacteria and Study on Their Effects on Maize Seedling

18 rhizobacteria were isolated from various rhizospheric soils in Mandalay region, Myanmar and some of their biochemical characteristics were studied. Among them, 4 isolates belonged to Bacillus spp. and another 5 strains were recognized as Serratia spp. All 18 isolates were screened for indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) production and quantitative determination of IAA was done for all strains by UV-Vis spectrophotometer with 2 days interval during 10 days incubation. All isolates had different optimum IAA production periods and strain R1 was the best IAA producer strain with 121.1 ppm. It was observed that Bacillus spp. produced IAA ranging from 53.1 ppm to 71.1 ppm optimally and Serratia spp. can be regarded as poor IAA producer strains. Among these 18 strains, four of the best IAA producers (R1, R3, R5, R8) were selected for further study on maize plant and their activities of nitrogen fixation were also detected by plate screening method. Seed germination rate was studied with eight types of treatment and the treatment systems with isolates cannot show distinct positive effect on seed germination rate. At 20th day after sowing, dry root weight and fresh root weight, root length, number of adventitious roots, dry shoot weight and fresh shoot weight and shoot height were measured. In pot trial experiment, treatment R1 significantly increased the fresh shoot weight, shoot height and dry shoot weight whereas treatment R3 significantly increased fresh root weight, root length, dry root weight and number of adventitious roots and all treatments with bacterial isolates showed plant growth promotion than the control systems

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<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

Alcohol consumption among adult males in urban area of Thanlyin Township, Yangon Region, Myanmar

Background: Alcohol consumption is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. It is frequently related to health and behavioural problems as well as socio-economic hardship. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the prevalence and risk factors of alcohol consumption among adult males residing in urban area of Thanlyin Township, Yangon Region.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 380 adult males. Multi-stage random sampling was applied. Data entry and analysis was done using Stata 11.0 statistical package.Results: The prevalence of current alcohol drinking, ex-drinking and never drinking were 20.5%, 9.0% and 70.5%, respectively. There was a significant decreasing trend of alcohol consumption across the levels of age-group. Age, education status and practicing other health-risk behaviours such as smoking and betel chewing were detected as significant risk factors of alcohol consumption. Ever smokers and ever betel chewers were about 4 times more likely to be ever alcohol user compared to their counterparts even if age and education level were adjusted. By controlling smoking and betel chewing habits, 79.2% and 76.6% of existing prevalence of alcohol consumption among respondents would be reduced, respectively.Conclusions: There is an urgent need to curb the habit of alcohol consumption among adult males living in urban area, especially young adults. Alcohol and tobacco control policies in Myanmar should be strengthened or reinforced. Tobacco control program also needs to be intensified. Health education and health promotion activities should be enhanced in order to reduce alcohol consumption in the country.

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

Are there any changes in burden and management of communicable diseases in areas affected by Cyclone Nargis?

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>This study aims to assess the situation of communicable diseases under national surveillance in the Cyclone Nargis-affected areas in Myanmar (Burma) before and after the incident.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Monthly data during 2007, 2008 and 2009 from the routine reporting system for disease surveillance of the Myanmar Ministry of Health (MMOH) were reviewed and compared with weekly reporting from the Early Warning and Rapid Response (EWAR) system. Data from some UN agencies, NGOs and Tri-Partite Core Group (TCG) periodic reviews were also extracted for comparisons with indicators from Sphere and the Inter-Agency Standing Committee.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Compared to 2007 and 2009, large and atypical increases in diarrheal disease and especially dysentery cases occurred in 2008 following Cyclone Nargis. A seasonal increase in ARI reached levels higher than usual in the months of 2008 post-Nargis. The number of malaria cases post-Nargis also increased, but it was less clear if this reflected normal seasonal patterns or was specifically associated with the disaster event. There was no significant change in the occurrence of other communicable diseases in Nargis-affected areas. Except for a small decrease in mortality for diarrheal diseases and ARI in 2008 in Nargis-affected areas, population-based mortality rates for all other communicable diseases showed no significant change in 2008 in these areas, compared to 2007 and 2009. Tuberculosis control programs reached their targets of 70% case detection and 85% treatment success rates in 2007 and 2008. Vaccination coverage rates for DPT 3^rddose and measles remained at high though measles coverage still did not reach the Sphere target of 95% even by 2009. Sanitary latrine coverage in the Nargis-affected area dropped sharply to 50% in the months of 2008 following the incident but then rose to 72% in 2009.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>While the incidence of diarrhea, dysentery and ARI increased post-Nargis in areas affected by the incident, the incidence rate for other diseases and mortality rates did not increase, and normal disease patterns resumed by 2009. This suggests that health services as well as prevention and control measures provided to the Nargis-affected population mitigated what could have been a far more severe health impact.</p

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

Evaluation on dry forage yields and nutritional characteristics of introduced herbaceous legumes in Myanmar

The study was carried out to evaluate the forage yields, nutritive values and in vitro fermentation parameters of herbaceous legumes. Five varieties of introduced herbaceous legumes; Stylosanthes guianensis cv. Ubon stylo, Macrotyloma axillare cv. Archer, Centrosema brasilianum cv. Ooloo, Stylosanthes guianensis cv. Stylo 184 and Macroptilum bracteatum cv. Cadarga were evaluated at the research farm, University of Veterinary Science, Yezin, Myanmar. No fertilizer and no irrigation were applied for cultivation to test drought resistance. Dry forage yield, nutritive values and gas production at four harvesting times were measured with 4×5 factorial arrangement (5 legumes and 4 harvesting time) in randomized complete block design. There was no interaction between legumes and harvesting time on forage yield, nutritive values and fermentation parameters but they were affected by the main effects of legume types and harvesting time. Among the legume forages, the highest dry forage yields were found in Ooloo, Ubon stylo, and Stylo 184, and followed by the DM yield of Archer and Cadarga. The DM yield of the second harvest was significantly higher (p&lt;0.05) than those of the first, third and fourth harvest which were not significantly different from each other. As a chemical composition, the DM content of Archer was lower (p&lt;0.05) than those of other varieties. Among the legumes forages, the lower CP content was found in Cadarga. The higher NDF was observed in Ooloo. Ooloo, Ubon stylo and Cadarga showed higher ADF in comparison with the other two varieties. Among the harvesting time, the lowest DM content was found at the first harvest. The highest CP content was found at third harvest. The NDF content was not significantly different. The lowest ADF content was found in fourth harvest. According to the dry forage yield, Ubon stylo and Ooloo had the highest dry forage yield and in term of nutritive values, Stylo 184 and Archer had higher nutritive values. As the main effect of forages, Stylo 184 and Archer had higher gas production in comparison with the other varieties. As the main effect of harvesting time, the fourth harvest had the highest gas production in comparison with other harvesting time. It could be better for cultivation by application of fertilizer and irrigation to get more forage yield and quality. &nbsp

Molecular Epidemiology of Dengue Viruses Co-circulating in Upper Myanmar in 2006

To understand the molecular epidemiology of circulating dengue viruses (DENV) in Upper Myanmar, DENV isolation was attempted by inoculating the sera of a panel of 110 serum samples onto a C6/36 mosquito cell line. The samples were collected from dengue (DEN) patients admitted at Mandalay Children’s Hospital in 2006. Infected culture fluids were subjected to a RT-PCR to detect the DENV genome. Three DENV strains were isolated. This was the first DENV isolation performed either in Mandalay or in Upper Myanmar. One strain belonged to DENV serotype-3 (DENV-3), and two other strains belonged to DENV serotype-4 (DEN-4). The sequence data for the envelope gene of these strains were used in a phylogenetic comparison of DENV-3 and DENV-4 from various countries. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that this DENV-3 strain was clustered within genotype II, and the two DENV-4 strains were clustered within genotype I in each serotype. The Myanmar strains were closely related to strains from the neighboring countries of Thailand and Bangladesh. These results are important for elucidating the trends of recent and future DEN outbreaks in Myanmar