Deep change in low-resource classrooms: Data-driven teacher professional development for educators from Burma using a choice-based approach

Under its democratically elected civilian government, teacher education in Burma was poised for change. The Burmese Ministry of Education, together with their development partners, had ushered in an era of system-wide education reform. This reform redefined the role of teachers, overhauled how teachers were to be trained and supported, and was on course to installing increased teacher accountability measures across the country. The centerpiece of reform efforts pertaining to educators was the Teacher Competency Standards Framework (TCSF), which was developed through a multi-year process culminating in the publication of robust “beginning level” indicators in 2019. This study evidences the existing competencies of Burmese educators employed in migrant learning centers on the Thai-Burma border through enrollment in a comprehensive in-service teacher training program which utilizes the TCSF. Participants (n=132) enrolled in a 10-month teacher training program based on TeacherFOCUS’s Learn-Choose-Use Approach. Overall, participants improved by 15.34% across ten observed and eight knowledge-based teaching competencies when comparing baseline and endline evaluation results. Significantly, teachers exhibited the greatest gains when presented with different options of how they could improve. This study affirms key aspects of teacher professional development that should be considered in low resource contexts: teacher ownership, transparent accountability measures, place-based instruction and coaching, high quality feedback and modeling, contextually relevant design, and strong professional relationships

Kaempulchraols A−H, diterpenoids from the rhizomes of Kaempferia pulchra collected in Myanmar

Eight new diterpenoids, kaempulchraols A−H (1−8), along with five known analogues were isolated from the CHCl3 soluble extract of rhizomes of Kaempferia pulchra of Myanmar. The structures of these compounds were elucidated using extensive spectroscopic techniques including X-ray diffraction analysis. All the isolates were tested for their antiproliferative activity against a panel of five human cancer cell lines (A549, human lung cancer; HeLa, human cervix cancer; PANC-1 and PSN-1, human pancreatic cancer, MDA-MB-231, human breast cancer) and TIG-3, normal human primary fibroblast cells. Kaempulchraol F (6) exhibited weak activity against human pancreatic PSN-1 cell line with an IC50 value of 12.3 μM

Kaempulchraols PT: diterpenoids from the Kaempferia pulchra rhizomes collected in Myanmar

The isolation of the oily fraction obtained from the CHCl3-soluble extract of the rhizomes of Kaempferia pulchra (Zingiberaceae) afforded five new isopimarane diterpenoids, kaempulchraols P−T (1−5), along with two known analogues. The structures were elucidated using spectroscopic techniques, including 2D NMR spectroscopy

Kaempulchraols IO: new isopimarane diterpenoids from Kaempferia pulchra rhizomes collected in Myanmar and their antiproliferative activity

The isolation of the CHCl3 soluble extract of Kaempferia pulchra rhizomes afforded seven new isopimarane diterpenoids, kaempulchraols I−O, together with one known analogue. The structures of these compounds were elucidated using 1D and 2D NMR and X-ray diffraction analyses. The antiproliferative activity of the isolated compounds was evaluated against a panel of five human cancer cell lines. Kaempulchraol L exhibited weak antiproliferative activity against PANC-1 and PSN-1 cells with IC50 values of 39.9 and 22.6 μM, respectively

Anti-influenza virus activity of extracts from the stems of Jatropha multifida Linn. collected in Myanmar

Background: To contribute to the development of novel anti-influenza drugs, we investigated the anti-influenza activity of crude extracts from 118 medicinal plants collected in Myanmar. We discovered that extract from the stems of Jatropha multifida Linn. showed anti-influenza activity. J. multifida has been used in traditional medicine for the treatment of various diseases, and the stem has been reported to possess antimicrobial, antimalarial, and antitumor activities. However, the anti-influenza activity of this extract has not yet been investigated. Methods: We prepared water (H2O), ethyl acetate (EtOAc), n-hexane (Hex), and chloroform (CHCl3) extracts from the stems of J. multifida collected in Myanmar, and examined the survival of Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells infected with the influenza A (H1N1) virus, and the inhibitory effects of these crude extracts on influenza A viral infection and growth in MDCK cells. Results: The H2O extracts from the stems of J. multifida promoted the survival of MDCK cells infected with the influenza A H1N1 virus. The EtOAc and CHCl3 extracts resulted in similar, but weaker, effects. The H2O, EtOAc, and CHCl3 extracts from the stems of J. multifida inhibited influenza A virus H1N1 infection; the H2O extract possessed the strongest inhibitory effect on influenza infection in MDCK cells. The EtOAc, Hex, and CHCl3 extracts all inhibited the growth of influenza A H1N1 virus, and the CHCl3 extract demonstrated the strongest activity in MDCK cells. Conclusion: The H2O or CHCl3 extracts from the stems of J. multifida collected in Myanmar demonstrated the strongest inhibition of influenza A H1N1 viral infection or growth in MDCK cells, respectively. These results indicated that the stems of J. multifida could be regarded as an anti-influenza herbal medicine as well as a potential crude drug source for the development of anti-influenza compounds

Characterization and some Bioactivities of the Synthesized Citrus Pectin-ZnO Nanocomposites from Citron and Pomelo Fruits Peels

Pectin was extracted from the peels of citrus fruits (Citron: Citrus medica L. and Pomelo: Citrus maxima Merr.). In the extraction of fresh and dry pectin, acidic hydrolysis of the fresh or dry fruit peel samples was carried out followed by precipitation with ethanol. The yield percents of extracted pectins were 4.53 % (based on fresh peel) and 21.41 % (based on dried peel) from citron peels, and 3.03 % (based on fresh peel) and 9.18 % (based on dried peel) from pomelo peels. Extracted pectins were characterized by XRD, SEM, FT IR and TG-DTA analysis. The citrus pectin–ZnO nanocomposites were prepared by using co-precipitation method. Citron peel pectin-ZnO (CPPT-ZnO) nanocomposite (90.25 % yield) and pomelo peel pectin-ZnO (PPPT-ZnO) nanocomposite (64.95 % yield ) were prepared by using zinc nitrate and 0.2 M sodium hydroxide solution at 28 ± 0.5 oC. The stirring time require for CPPT-ZnO was found to be 1.5 h and that required for PPPT-ZnO was 2h.  The characteristics of the prepared citrus pectin-ZnO nanocomposites were studied by XRD, SEM, FT IR, TG-DTA, AAS and ED XRF (with C-H balance) spectroscopic methods.  The crystallite sizes of CPPT-ZnO and PPPT-ZnO were 32.30 nm and 24.46 nm determined by XRD analysis.The morphological observation of the SEM results revealed that the sizes of ZnO in CPPT-ZnO and PPPT-ZnO were 70.59 nm and 61.55 nm, and were embedded in the pectin matrix. AAS analyses showed that the zinc ion concentrations in CPPT-ZnO and PPPT-ZnO prepared at 28 ± 0.5 oC were 3.88 × 105 ppm and 5.27 × 105 ppm. Both of the tested samples (CPPT-ZnO and PPPT-ZnO) were observed to show antimicrobial activity with inhibition zone diameters ranged between 15 mm to 20 mm against two tested microorganisms such as Bacillus substilis and Staphylococcus aureus and only CPPT-ZnO aginsted Escherichia coli with inhibition zone diameters of 12 mm. Although both nanocomposites were active in tumor inhibitions, only the CPPT-ZnO was taken as positive in tumor inhibitions which shows inhibition percents 37.09 % (» 20%)

Breastfeeding duration in mothers who express breast milk: a cohort study

BACKGROUND: The expression of breast milk allows a mother to be away intermittently from her infant while continuing to breastfeed. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between expression of breast milk and breastfeeding duration METHODS: A cohort study of 12 months duration. The mothers were recruited from two public maternity hospitals in Perth, Australia between mid-September 2002 and mid-July 2003. While in hospital, participating mothers completed a questionnaire that included questions on how they were feeding their newborn. Telephone interviews conducted at regular periods monitored changes in infant feeding practices, including expression of breast milk. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to explore the association between breast milk expression and the duration of any breastfeeding. RESULTS: A total of 587 mothers, or 55% of those eligible, participated in the study. Of these 93.5% were breastfeeding at discharge from hospital. Mothers who expressed breast milk (at one or more time periods) were less likely to discontinue any breastfeeding before six months (Relative Risk 0.71, 95% CI 0.52, 0.98) than those who had never expressed milk. CONCLUSION: This study found that mothers who express breast milk are more likely to breastfeed to six months (any breastfeeding). While further research is required in different cultures to confirm these results, the appropriate use of expressed breast milk may be a means to help mothers to achieve six months of full breastfeeding while giving more lifestyle options

ミャンマー産植物Premna serratifoliaとJatropha multifida及び海綿Clathria proliferaに含まれるメラニン産生制御成分に関する研究

富山大学・富医薬博甲第305号・禹 昭年・2019/03/26当該博士論文は以下の項評論文で構成されています。①Woo, SY., Win, N.N., Wong, C.P. et al. Two new pyrrolo-2-aminoimidazoles from a Myanmarese marine sponge, Clathria prolifera, J Nat Med (2018) 72: 803-807. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11418-018-1205-y This is a pre-print of an article published in Journal of Natural Medicines. The final authenticated version is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11418-018-1205-y”.②So-Yeun Woo et al. Lignans with melanogenesis effects from Premna serratifolia wood, Fitoterapia (2019) 133:35-42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fitote.2018.12.008③So-Yeun Woo et al. A New Tetrahydrofuran Lignan from Premna serratifolia Wood, Natural Product Communications (2019) 14:113-116. https://doi.org/10.1177/1934578X1901400130富山大