Effect of leucaena forage and silage substitution in concentrates on digestibility, nitrogen utilization and milk yield in dairy cows

This experiment was conducted to determine the effect of feeding leucaena forage and silage substitution in concentrate on the performances of dairy cows. Nine cross-bred Holstein Friesian cows (410±12kg) in the 12th week of lactation were randomly allocated to one of three treatment groups with three replicates/treatments in a completely randomized design. The three treatments were control diet without substitution of leucaena forage and silage (DLFS0), diet with substitution of leucaena forage 10% (DLF10) and diet with substitution of leucaena silage 10% (DLS10). Cows were fed treatments for 60 days. Although nutrient intakes were not significantly different (p>0.05) each other, digestibility of DLFS0 was significantly higher (p<0.05) than others. Conversely, nitrogen utilization and average milk yield of cows offered DLFS0 were significantly lower (p<0.05) than those of cows fed on DLF10 and DLS10. The highest feed cost (p<0.05) per kg of milk was found in DLFS0 and the lowest cost was observed in DLF10. Therefore, although the leucana forage and silage could be substitute up to 10% of concentrates without adverse effects on the performances of dairy cows, the substitution of leucaena forage gave the better performances than that of leucaena silage

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

Les pratiques funéraires de la fin du Néolithique à l’âge du Bronze de la partie centrale du Myanmar (c. 1300-500 cal BC) : définitions et évolutions

En Asie du Sud-est continentale, la fin de la préhistoire est surtout définie à travers l’étude des sites funéraires. Les données disponibles jusqu’à présent concernent presque essentiellement la partie sud et est de la péninsule indochinoise, représentée par le Viet Nam et la Thaïlande. Le Myanmar pâtit d’un état de la recherche beaucoup moins favorable. Pourtant son emplacement est crucial. Il est le seul territoire d’Asie du Sud-est à partager des frontières terrestres avec l’Inde et la Ch..

The State of Interventional Radiology in Myanmar: A National Report

Purpose: Radiology global outreach programs have increased in recent years but progressed more slowly than other specialties. Establishing radiology services is increasingly recognized as a priority in resource-limited settings. Myanmar has a tremendous disease burden that is treatable with interventional radiology (IR) techniques, and aims to grow and effectively integrate this service into its public healthcare sector. Through collaborations between Asia Pacific Society of Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology (APSCVIR) and Myanmar Radiological Society (MRS), the field of IR has grown exponentially over recent years. This study aims to provide a Myanmar national IR report on the current trends and future challenges. Methods and materials: Descriptive variables across five domains (facility and equipment, workforce, supplies, infrastructure, and casemix) from the four public sector hospitals with IR capability were obtained between 2016-2019. The four hospitals were Yangon General Hospital (YGH), Yangon Specialty Hospital (YSH), Mandalay General Hospital (MGH), and Defense Services General Hospital (DSGH). Data were analyzed to demonstrate progress in IR and the differing casemix. Results: There are currently four IR-capable hospitals and nine interventional radiologists across Myanmar’s public healthcare sector. IR case volumes tripled from 514 cases in 2016 to more than 1,500 cases in 2019. The three most common procedures performed were trans-arterial chemoembolization (TACE, 63%), bronchial arterial embolization (BAE, 7.7%), and drainages (7.7%). Significant challenges to the growth and adoption of IR services span the domains of infrastructure, equipment and supplies, workforce, and IR awareness, among other clinical specialties. Conclusion: Myanmar’s healthcare priorities, coupled with international radiological outreach programs, have led to rapid growth of IR. The exponential growth in case volumes is promising for Myanmar and other developing countries. But to widen the scope of practice and integrate the service within local clinical workflows, a holistic effort that addresses multiple domains is needed in the future

Enhanced melioidosis surveillance in patients attending four tertiary hospitals in Yangon, Myanmar.

Abstract To investigate the current epidemiology of melioidosis in Yangon, Myanmar, between June 2017 and May 2019 we conducted enhanced surveillance for melioidosis in four tertiary hospitals in Yangon, where the disease was first discovered in 1911. Oxidase-positive Gram-negative rods were obtained from the microbiology laboratories and further analysed at the Department of Medical Research. Analysis included culture on Ashdown agar, the three disc sensitivity test (gentamicin, colistin and co-amoxiclav), latex agglutination, API 20 NE, antibiotic susceptibility testing, and a subset underwent molecular confirmation with a Burkholderia pseudomallei specific assay. Twenty one of 364 isolates (5.7%) were confirmed as B. pseudomallei and were mostly susceptible to the antibiotics used in standard therapy for melioidosis. Ten patients were from Yangon Region, nine were from Ayeyarwaddy region, and one each was from Kayin and Rakhine States. A history of soil contact was given by seven patients, five had diabetes mellitus and one had renal insufficiency. The patients presented with septicaemia (12 cases), pneumonia (three cases), urinary tract infection (two cases) and wound infection (four cases). Eighteen patients survived to hospital discharge. This study highlights the likelihood that melioidosis may be far more common, but underdiagnosed, in more rural parts of Myanmar as in other countries in SE Asia.</jats:p

Confirmation of Skywalker Hoolock Gibbon (Hoolock tianxing) in Myanmar extends known geographic range of an endangered primate

Characterizing genetically distinct populations of primates is important for protecting biodiversity and effectively allocating conservation resources. Skywalker gibbons (Hoolock tianxing) were first described in 2017, with the only confirmed population consisting of 150 individuals in Mt. Gaoligong, Yunnan Province, China. Based on river geography, the distribution of the skywalker gibbon has been hypothesized to extend into Myanmar between the N’Mai Kha and Ayeyarwaddy Rivers to the west, and the Salween River (named the Thanlwin River in Myanmar and Nujiang River in China) to the east. We conducted acoustic point-count sampling surveys, collected noninvasive samples for molecular mitochondrial cytochrome b gene identification, and took photographs for morphological identification at six sites in Kachin State and three sites in Shan State to determine the presence of skywalker gibbons in predicted suitable forest areas in Myanmar. We also conducted 50 semistructured interviews with members of communities surrounding gibbon range forests to understand potential threats. In Kachin State, we audio-recorded 23 gibbon groups with group densities ranging between 0.57 and 3.6 group/km2. In Shan State, we audio-recorded 21 gibbon groups with group densities ranging between 0.134 and 1.0 group/km2. Based on genetic data obtained from skin and saliva samples, the gibbons were identified as skywalker gibbons (99.54–100% identity). Although these findings increase the species’ known population size and confirmed distribution, skywalker gibbons in Myanmar are threatened by local habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation. Most of the skywalker gibbon population in Myanmar exists outside protected areas. Therefore, the IUCN Red List status of the skywalker gibbon should remain as Endangered

Socializing One Health: an innovative strategy to investigate social and behavioral risks of emerging viral threats

In an effort to strengthen global capacity to prevent, detect, and control infectious diseases in animals and people, the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Emerging Pandemic Threats (EPT) PREDICT project funded development of regional, national, and local One Health capacities for early disease detection, rapid response, disease control, and risk reduction. From the outset, the EPT approach was inclusive of social science research methods designed to understand the contexts and behaviors of communities living and working at human-animal-environment interfaces considered high-risk for virus emergence. Using qualitative and quantitative approaches, PREDICT behavioral research aimed to identify and assess a range of socio-cultural behaviors that could be influential in zoonotic disease emergence, amplification, and transmission. This broad approach to behavioral risk characterization enabled us to identify and characterize human activities that could be linked to the transmission dynamics of new and emerging viruses. This paper provides a discussion of implementation of a social science approach within a zoonotic surveillance framework. We conducted in-depth ethnographic interviews and focus groups to better understand the individual- and community-level knowledge, attitudes, and practices that potentially put participants at risk for zoonotic disease transmission from the animals they live and work with, across 6 interface domains. When we asked highly-exposed individuals (ie. bushmeat hunters, wildlife or guano farmers) about the risk they perceived in their occupational activities, most did not perceive it to be risky, whether because it was normalized by years (or generations) of doing such an activity, or due to lack of information about potential risks. Integrating the social sciences allows investigations of the specific human activities that are hypothesized to drive disease emergence, amplification, and transmission, in order to better substantiate behavioral disease drivers, along with the social dimensions of infection and transmission dynamics. Understanding these dynamics is critical to achieving health security--the protection from threats to health-- which requires investments in both collective and individual health security. Involving behavioral sciences into zoonotic disease surveillance allowed us to push toward fuller community integration and engagement and toward dialogue and implementation of recommendations for disease prevention and improved health security

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF FIRST PRIVATE BANK

This study is an attempt to evaluate the performance of First Private Bank (FPB)with the regulatory framework of CAMEL. It focuses mainly on a Bank’s Capital, Asset quality, Management, Bank’s earning and Liquidity. This study uses mainly in secondary data and descriptive analysis of financial data. To gather data which is used in the present study, financial information were obtained from audited financial statements, annual reports, articles, previous studies on related topic, published statement of disclosure of FPB. Five years (2014 to 2018) audited financial statements of First Private Bank have been collected and analyzed to evaluate the quality of management and performance quality by CAMEL measures to meet the purpose of objective. Each three types of financial ratios analysis has made for 6 periods in 5 topics. Then, composite ratings are used for identifying of quality level of First Private Bank. The finding is Capital, Asset quality and Liquidities are very fine but Management and Earnings have some issues. These findings from this analysis found that First Private Bank stands outstanding level for study period. The issues with management and earnings are profit before tax ratios are not in positive trends. Although the loan are rising, PBIT is still keep lowing. Total asset to liabilities ratios are raising but PBIT are declining. When total assets are getting high then the earning asset should be raised and net income should be also raised. ROA and ROE have fluctuations amongst financial years. The Pre-projected business plan should be drawn up before a new financial year start and monthly, quarterly and bi-annually detail monitoring and comparisons should make. For those discrepancies arise from the projection are to be adjusted with plan of proper action to achieve the Bank’s targets. The more positive trends with the bottom line of the Business, the better Bank future and more attractive at YSX stock market

Elemental Concentrations and Risk Assessment of Heavy and Toxic Metals in Some Instant Foods

Energy Dispersive X-rays Fluorescence (EDXRF) technique was used to analyze the elemental concentrations of some heavy and toxic metals in some instant food samples. For all measured samples, the mean concentrations of Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, and As are within their respective safe limit except Cd and Hg. It was found that the mercury concentration in instant noodles samples is significantly the highest among the instant food samples. No risk was found for the elements of Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, and As. But, the elements, Cd and Hg, were found to cause the risk to the consumers by consuming the instant foods

Assessment of rural livelihood in Kyaukpadaung Township as affected by PACT microfinance program

This study was conducted to assess the livelihood of rural households as affected by PACT microfinance program in Kyaukpadaung Township. The data were collected through personal interview in sample six villages in October 2014. Sample households were differentiated into participant and non-participant households in PACT microfinance program. Comparison analysis and multiple regression model were used in the data analysis. In both types of households, while farming was the major source of occupation, non-farm jobs became the second source. Family size and income earning family members were higher in participant households. In addition, majority of the participant households were small holder farmers and landless. In the study area, most households were still suffered from poverty and food poverty, in the meantime, migration rate was rather high in both households. Analysis of income composition found that crop income dominated among the income of both households in the study area. Participant households utilized more credit sources and higher credit amount than non-participant households. While participant households suffered from more health and social shock, both households had applied borrowed money as coping strategy if they faced shocks. By means of the income function analysis, household income was found to be more increased by older household head, larger family size, higher non-farm income and farming households. Although household income was increased by participation in PACT microfinance program but did not show significant effects