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

The Hidden Impact of Childhood Cancer on the Family: A

Abstract Introduction: The care of children with cancer creates emotional and fi nancial hardships for their families. There is a lack of information on the impact of childhood cancer on the family as a whole in Singapore. Thus, we set out to assess the fi nancial impact as well as its psychosocial impact in our local context. Materials and Methods: All patients diagnosed and treated for cancer at the Departments of Paediatrics, KK Women's and Children's Hospital and National University Hospital, Singapore were eligible for this study. Families of these patients completed 2 self-administered questionnaires: (i) Aboutyou and your-family and (ii) the Impact-On-Family scale. For the latter, the total score was obtained by the summation of all scores, where high scores correlated to high impact. Results: Seventy-nine parents were enrolled during the study period from October 2008 to February 2009. Being of Malay/Indian origin was associated with a high overall family burden. On the other hand, being of Malay/Indian origin was also associated with most successful at mastery when a child was diagnosed with cancer (P = 0.001). In addition, when compared to caregivers who remained employed, those who were asked to quit their job, experienced a higher Financial Burden (P = 0.03), a high Familial/Social Burden (P = 0.05) and a high Personal Strain (P = 0.03). Conclusion: Childhood cancer impacted family life in Singapore at many levels. In particular, the factors involved are various cultural discourses; employment status of caregivers; and those whose leave/pay are affected

Advanced HIV disease and associated attrition after re-engagement in HIV care in Myanmar from 2003 to 2019 : a retrospective cohort study

Background The burden of advanced HIV disease (AHD) and predictors of outcomes among people living with HIV (PLHIV) re-engaging in care are not well known. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of PLHIV who re-engaged in care after being lost to follow-up (LFU), from 2003 to 2019, in Myanmar. We calculated the incidence rates of attrition after re-engagement and performed Cox regression to identify risk factors for attrition. Results Of 44 131 PLHIV who started antiretroviral treatment, 12 338 (28.0%) were LFU at least once: 7608 (61.6%) re-engaged in care, 4672 (61.4%) with AHD at re-engagement. The death and LFU rates were 2.21-fold (95% CI 1.82 to 2.67) and 1.46-fold (95% CI 1.33 to 1.61) higher among patients who re-engaged with AHD (p>0.001). Death in patients who re-engaged with AHD was associated with male sex (adjusted HR [aHR] 2.63; 95% CI 1.31 to 5.26; p=0.006), TB coinfection (aHR 2.26; 95% CI 1.23 to 4.14; p=0.008) and sex work (aHR 7.49, 95% CI 2.29 to 22.52; p<0.001). History of intravenous drug use was identified as a predictor of being LFU. Conclusions Re-engagement in HIV care in Myanmar is frequent and those who re-engage carry a high burden of AHD. As AHD at re-engagement is associated with higher attrition rates, implementation of differentiated interventions that enable earlier linkage to care and prompt identification and management of AHD in this population is necessary

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