Poverty among households living in slum area of Hlaing Tharyar Township, Yangon City, Myanmar

Background: Slums can be regarded as physical manifestations of urban poverty. Although the world has made dramatic improvement in reducing poverty since 1990, poverty still persists at an unacceptable level. Although current situations highlights the importance of slum areas to be given priority in poverty alleviation, there are limited data on poverty level among people living in urban slums of Myanmar.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among households living in slum areas of Hlaing Tharyar Township, Yangon City, Myanmar during 2016. Multi-staged systematic random sampling and face-to-face interview were applied in selecting the samples and collecting the data, respectively. The new global poverty line (1.9 USD per person per day) was used as a threshold in determining the poverty. Chi-squared test and multivariate logistic regression analysis were utilized in data analysis.Results: Altogether 254 participants were recruited after getting informed consent. The occurrence of poverty among households was 54.3% (95% CI: 48.2%, 60.5%). Head counts of poverty among study population was 58.8%. The education status of household’s head, size of household and the presence of less than 15 years old children in the household were detected as significant determinants of being poor household.Conclusions: Poverty among households living in slum area of Hlaing Tharyar Township, Yangon City was high. Measures to alleviate poverty in urban slums should be intensified. Education level of household’s heads should be improved. Family planning or birth spacing programme should also be strengthened, especially in urban slums.

Prevalence of Human Papilloma virus in women with Abnormal Cervical Smears from Sarawak, Malaysia

Introduction: Cervical cancer is common cancer and ranked in fourth place in both incidence and mortality worldwide. It is 3rd most common female cancer in Malaysia with a lifetime risk of 1 in 116. Infection with high-risk oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) is recognized as one of the substantial risk factors for the development of cervical cancers. Methods: It was a cross-sectional study conducted to determine the prevalence of HPV infection and its subtypes among women with various degrees of abnormal smears, who were seen in the colposcopy clinic of Sarawak General Hospital within six months’ period from January to June 2018. We recruited 56 participants. There were 23 each for an atypical squamous cell of undetermined significance (ASC-US) and low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL) and 10 high- grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL). DNA was extracted, and HPV genotypes were determined via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using two primer pairs MY09/MY11 and GP5+/GP6+. Results: The age ranged from 23 to 56 years, with a mean age of 42.96 years. HPV was detected in 20 out of 56 (35.7%). There were 6 high-risk oncogenic HPVs (18, 51, 52, 56, 58, 68) detected in participants and the most prevalent subtypes were 18, 52, and 58 (20% each). Four low-risk HPVs detected were 6, 53, 70, and 84. There was a significant association between the severity of cervical lesions and HPV positivity (P < 0.004). HSIL had the highest positive predictive value to have HPV infection as 70% compared to 43.4% of LSIL and 9.3% of ASC-US. Conclusion: Distribution of HPV subtypes from women with abnormal smears from Sarawak indicated a high prevalence of HPV 18, 52, and 58. We also identified HPV 70, which has never been reported in West Malaysia. These findings could contribute valuable information for HPV vaccination strategies, particularly for Sarawakian women

Health and human rights in eastern Myanmar prior to political transition: a population-based assessment using multistaged household cluster sampling

Background: Myanmar/Burma has received increased development and humanitarian assistance since the election in November 2010. Monitoring the impact of foreign assistance and economic development on health and human rights requires knowledge of pre-election conditions. Methods: From October 2008-January 2009, community-based organizations conducted household surveys using three-stage cluster sampling in Shan, Kayin, Bago, Kayah, Mon and Tanintharyi areas of Myanmar. Data was collected from 5,592 heads of household on household demographics, reproductive health, diarrhea, births, deaths, malaria, and acute malnutrition of children 6–59 months and women aged 15–49 years. A human rights focused survey module evaluated human rights violations (HRVs) experienced by household members during the previous year. Results: Estimated infant and under-five rates were 77 (95% CI 56 to 98) and 139 (95% CI 107 to 171) deaths per 1,000 live births; and the crude mortality rate was 13 (95% CI 11 to 15) deaths per thousand persons. The leading respondent-reported cause of death was malaria, followed by acute respiratory infection and diarrhea, causing 21.2% (95% CI 16.5 to 25.8), 16.6% (95% CI 11.8 to 21.4), and 12.3% (95% CI 8.7 to 15.8), respectively. Over a third of households suffered at least one human rights violation in the preceding year (36.2%; 30.7 to 41.7). Household exposure to forced labor increased risk of death among infants (rate ratio (RR) = 2.2; 95% CI 1.1 to 4.4) and children under five (RR = 2.1; 95% CI 1.3 to 3.6). The proportion of children suffering from moderate to severe acute malnutrition was higher among households that were displaced (prevalence ratio (PR) = 3.3; 95% CI 1.9 to 5.6). Conclusions: Prior to the 2010 election, populations of eastern Myanmar experienced high rates of disease and death and high rates of HRVs. These population-based data provide a baseline that can be used to monitor national and international efforts to improve the health and human rights situation in the region

Bcl9の異なるエピトープを認識する二つの抗体を用いた免疫組織化学的マッピングによるミャンマー国若年性発症肝細胞がんの特徴付け

B-cell lymphoma 9 (Bcl9) is the core component of Wnt/β-catenin signaling and overexpressed in nuclei of various tumors, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the extent of Bcl9 expression relative to HCC differentiation stage and its functional aspects are poorly understood. In this study, we examined the expression pattern of Bcl9 immunohistochemically, using two anti-Bcl9 antibodies; one was a conventional polyclonal-antibody (anti-Bcl9ABC) against amino acid no.800?900 of human-Bcl9, while the other (anti-Bcl9BIO) was against amino acid no.50?200, covering Pygopus-binding sites of Bcl9. Immunohistochemistry using anti-Bcl9BIO demonstrated distinctive staining in the cytoplasm, while the anti-Bcl9ABC signal was detected in both cytoplasm and nuclei of HCC cells, reflecting different states of Bcl9 function because Pygopus-binding to Bcl9 is essential to exert its function together with β-catenin in nucleus. Quantitative analysis revealed a significantly higher immunohistochemical-score by anti-Bcl9BIO in normal liver comparing various differentiation grades of HCC (P < 0.004), whereas no significant difference was noted with anti-Bcl9ABC. Interestingly, immunohistochemical-score of anti-Bcl9BIO in patients aged < 40 years was significantly lower than that of ? 40 years group (P < 0.01). The results indicated that anti-Bcl9BIO detected cytoplasmic Bcl9, which does not bind to Pygopus suggesting it could be a useful indicator for development of HCC in young Myanmar patients.長崎大学学位論文 学位記番号:博(医歯薬)甲第1129号 学位授与年月日:平成31年3月20日Author: Myat Thu Soe, Yasuaki Shibata, Myo Win Htun, Kuniko Abe, Kyaw Soe, Nay Win Than, Thann Lwin, Myat Phone Kyaw and Takehiko KojiCitation: Acta Histochemica et Cytochemica, 52(1), pp.9-17; 2019Nagasaki University (長崎大学)課程博

OVERLAPPING LOAN OF MICROFINANCE USERS IN SHWEPYITHAR TOWNSHIP

Microfinance is considered as one of the social protection mechanisms for poverty reduction in the world. Thus many microfinance institutions have been working to enhance livelihoods opportunities and capacities of poor. In Myanmar, 176 Microfinance institutions are implementing microfinance activities. Currently, over four million clients have reached to access microfinance services in Myanmar. On the other side, competition among MFIs is sharply higher to serve their financial services in their targeted areas. Meanwhile, according to the multiple borrowing amongst MFIs clients in Myanmar report, 31% of clients are with 2 or more loan and 50% number of MFIs from whom loans have been taken (M-CRIL, 2018). Therefore, under such condition, this study carry out to identify cause of overlapping loan of microfinance users in Shwepyithar township, Yangon Division, Myanmar where MFIs are most crowded. To support the study, the required data were collected through sample survey. A structured questionnaire was used. The judgment sampling was employed. As a sampling process, samples are made from those who have been borrowing from at least two microfinance institutions. By this way, a sample of 150 respondents are selected as a study sample. To determine the cause of overlapping loan borrowing among participants in microfinance institutions, the three dimensions are divided in this studied, (1) Financial Service of MFIs, (2) Family Economic and (3) Family’ Consumption and Social Requirement. Regarding financial services, is that the respondents expresses ‘loan size is small’. It means that they have to do multiple borrowing from different source because of ‘ loan size they receipted is small’. Regarding Family Economy, the key point which respondents said that ‘Financial need to expand business is not fulfilled by one MFI loan range’ and repayment to money lender and MFIs are forced them to borrow again from another sources at the same time. Regarding ‘Family’s Consumption and Social Requirement’, the key influencing factor is to use in family consumption, children education and health program visibly. Whilst compare among three key factors, ‘family economy factor forces them to make multi borrowing again from another sources at the same time

Investigation of power factor correction on single phase AC/DC converters

Abstract Traditional AC to DC converters converts AC source voltage to DC output voltage with poor power factor and efficiency. AC to DC converters can be found in most industries for supplying power to an electric load and the importance of having a high input power factor and efficiency has become more and more essential. Therefore, this project was created and the main objective is to design a new AC to DC converter which can effectively increase power factor and efficiency. In this project design, Buck Boost DC to DC conversion technique was applied to improve a power factor. During the software simulations, firstly simulate the normal full wave bridge rectifier and analyses the current and voltage waveform from the simulation results. Then calculate total harmonic distortion and the power factor of this normal AC to DC converter. After that, learned the different kind of DC to DC conversion techniques and design the new AC to DC converter together with Buck Boost DC to DC converter. To obtain the variable dc output voltage, the duty ratio of the transistor switch was controlled by constructing small switching control circuit. After analyses the simulation results of the newly constructed AC to DC converter, power factor is greatly improved as compared with the normal AC to DC converter. Therefore this design is very useful for industries which need AC to DC converters in their real application.Bachelor of Engineerin

探討適用於特定區域行動導覽系統之研究

As our living standard has risen, fair and commercial exhibition have been the places for leisure and entertainment. In the past, we can get the exhibition information from news-paper and travel magazine, the location of fair ground and route have to found from the plan that fair organization provided. Visitor regards the best quality of the fair, time costs, it is important to reduce the visitor time costing, and have the best experience in fair ground. Unfortunately visitor can be affected by the rush hour and some waiting time. Consider those problems that visitors met in the fair ground, this research is trying to develop the Fair guide to assist the visitors, giving the required exhibition lists, name, hall or locations information, visitor' physical environment, fast orientation and navigation. Nowadays, the smart phone using rate is increase, print-media and computer web-site were substituted by smart-phone. We tend to provide the fair information by using smart-phone. To understand visitor requirements and to assist them in their tour, we surveyed many factors such as visitor' needs, their aims and wishes and set up our proto-concept. As the situation-awareness concept application can help visitors to get information in the fair ground, and can navigate them, so we use situation-awareness concept to design our application. The application designed a different functions to assist the visitors and helping to reduce the time costs and visiting the fair effectively. We designed questionnaires to collect reflections of our system. The result shows that most of the respondents think the application can save their time, provide them required information and the system is useful, and show high willingness to use in their tour.隨著國人的生活水準逐漸提高，展覽園區、商業展覽也成了人們平時休閒活動的場所。一開始人們從報章雜誌得知展覽資訊，展覽地點以及如何到達得從園區提供的平面圖上查找。人們在逛展覽園區時注重展覽的品質，在意時間成本，為了讓遊客有效的遊玩，幫助遊客減低時間成本為之重要。但是，往往人們在逛展覽園區時因為不知道在哪些地點與時間有哪些展覽活動，進而錯失了可以參觀展覽的機會。為了解決這些問題，本研究進而設計出一個導覽系統，在特定的時間、空間，提供給使用者與他位置環境相關的資訊，在園區內快速定位以及幫助導航，以提升遊玩展覽園區的品質。 目前智慧型手機普及率逐漸提高，隨時隨地獲得資訊進而取代了紙本的傳單以及桌上型電腦。故本研究將結合Android作業系統發展出行動展覽服務應用程式，希望能解決遊客在展覽園區時所遇到的問題。本研究參考眾多相關文獻，歸納與討論出使用者在遊玩某個展覽區域時所注重的問題以及需求。由於「情境感知」裝置會預測使用者的需求而提供建議，並在整天的活動中提供指引，其角色已經跳脫傳統電腦的定位，反而像是使用者的個人助理。故根據情境感知的三層階級「觀察層」、「理解層」、「推測層」設計出對應此三層的功能。藉由行動導覽系統輔助遊客的遊玩的過程，系統設計了不同的功能以減少使用者在遊玩展覽園區時所付出的時間及心力成本。而為了驗證本系統對於使用者而言是否有幫助，本研究以問卷方式了解受測者的感覺，問卷結果顯示本系統提供的功能能夠隨時幫助使用者，系統的資訊對於使用者是有用的，可見本系統的確能在使用者遊玩展覽園區時提供適當的資訊，並讓使用者更有效的遊玩。誌謝 i 摘要 ii Abstract iii 目錄 iv 圖目錄 vi 表目錄 viii 第一章 緒論 1 1.1. 研究背景 1 1.2. 研究動機 2 1.3. 研究目的 3 1.4. 研究流程 3 1.5. 論文架構 4 第二章 文獻探討 5 2.1. 導覽系統相關文獻探討 5 2.1.1. 行動裝置導覽應用 5 2.1.2. 語音導覽 7 2.1.3. 擴增實境 7 2.2. 智慧型手機導覽應用程式 9 2.2.1. 行動導覽應用在大型商業展覽 9 2.2.2. 行動導覽應用在博物館 11 2.3. 情境感知 12 2.3.1. 情境感知應用在行動導覽系統 12 2.4. 科技接受模型(Technology Acceptance Model, TAM) 14 第三章 研究方法 16 3.1. 研究流程 16 3.2. 研究所需資料處理 17 3.2.1. 確認資料來源 17 3.3. 研究模型 18 3.3.1. 本研究科技接受模型 18 3.3.2. 本研究數項與其操作型定義 19 3.4. 系統評估:問卷設計 21 3.4.1. 「知覺有用性」變數題型 21 3.4.2. 「知覺易用性」變數題型 21 3.4.3. 「使用態度」變數題型 22 3.4.4. 「使用意願」變數題型 22 第四章 系統分析與設計 23 4.1. 系統架構 23 4.2. 資料庫設計 25 4.2.1. 後端資料庫設計 25 4.3. 系統實作 28 4.4. 系統使用情境模擬 36 4.5. 問卷結果 43 第五章 結論與未來發展 50 5.1. 結論 50 5.2. 研究貢獻 51 5.3. 未來發展 51 參考文獻 52 附錄 5

Effect of Thermal Annealing on xB2O3- (95-x) TeO2 - 5Fe2 O3 Glasses

Compositions of on xB2O3- (95-x) TeO2 - 5Fe2 O3 glass system (with x = 0, 10 and 20) treated by isothermal annealing have been investigated using X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA), Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) and Raman spectroscopic techniques. The XRD data reveals the formation of a paratellurite (α- TeO2) and irontellurite on isothermal annealing. The changes in glass transition temperature (Tg) and crystallization temperature (Tc)max with composition x are interpreted in terms of the mixed-former effect using data of DTA. FTIR and Raman spectra of this glass system have been analyzed

An Important Ga p between the Awareness and Practices of Rural People in Sustainable Development: A Case Study of Minbu and Bogalay

Since the 19905 the word "sustainability' became popular in all academic disciplines. With the acceleration in usage of the word sustainability. the public awareness became popular. Many academic publications and government movements are related 10 public awareness. However. there are still a gap between awareness and actual practices of people. Due to this gap. although people arc aware about some negative impacts of their action. they usually carry on conducting or hesitate to conduct something that has positive impact. This paper tried to find out the factors that make differences between awareness and practices from two different case studies (Minbu and Bogalay) by means o f structured Interviews and open talks to the villagers. The result of this study show that acquired information of the people changed into awareness with the combination of individual's knowledge level. Man)' acquired informal ion do not actually reach into the level of awareness. In next stage. awareness has 10 pass through individual' s situation (three filters: social. economic. and cultural filters) and environmental condition s (institutional and physical facilities! constraints). Due to different combination of above three individual internal factors and two external environmental l factors gaps are occurred between awareness and practice of people in concern with sustainable development