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Abstract Background To fight the current coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, many countries have implemented various mitigation measures to contain the spread of the disease. By engaging with health service providers, the community’s participation in adherence to preventive measures is certainly required in the implementation of COVID-19 mitigation strategies. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the level of adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures and its associated factors among the residents, Yangon Region, Myanmar. Methods A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out among 636 residents in Yangon Region, Myanmar, from October to December 2021. A multistage non-probability sampling method, purposively selected for three townships in Yangon Region and convenience sampling for 212 participants from each township, was applied and the data were collected by face-to-face interviews using structured and pretested questionnaires. Data were entered, coded, and analyzed using IBM SPSS version 25.0. Simple and multiple logistic regression analysis were performed to identify the significant variables of adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures. Results As a level of adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures, the proportion of residents who had good adherence was 39.3% (95% CI 35.5–43.2%), moderate adherence was 37.6% (95% CI 33.8–41.5%), and poor adherence was 23.1% (95% CI 19.9–26.6%). The age group of 31–40 years (AOR: 3.13, 95% CI 1.62–6.05), 30 years and younger (AOR: 3.22, 95% CI 1.75–5.92), Burmese ethnicity (AOR: 2.52, 95% CI 1.44–4.39), own business (AOR: 3.19, 95% CI 1.15–8.87), high school education level and below (AOR: 1.64, 95% CI 1.02–2.69), less than 280.90 USD of monthly family income (AOR: 1.51, 95% CI 1.01–2.29), low knowledge about COVID-19 (AOR: 1.90, 95% CI 1.26–2.88) were significantly associated with poor adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures. Conclusions In this study, nearly one-fourth of the residents were experiencing poor adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures. Therefore, building up the risk communication through the community using widely used mainstream media, the continuation of disease surveillance and announcement of updated information or advice for the public to increase awareness towards COVID-19, and enforcement to follow the recommended directions and regulations of health institutions are vital to consider for improving the adherence to preventive measures against COVID-19 among the residents.

Objectives To achieve malaria elimination by 2030, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) adopted a reactive surveillance and response (RASR) strategy of malaria case notification within 1 day, case investigation and classification within 3 days and foci investigation and response within 7 days. It is important to evaluate the performance and feasibility of RASR implementation in Lao PDR so that the strategy may be optimised and better contribute towards the goal of malaria elimination.Design A mixed-methods study comprising of secondary data analysis of routinely collected malaria surveillance data, quantitative surveys and qualitative consultations was conducted in 2022.Setting Primary data collections for quantitative surveys and qualitative consultations were conducted in Huaphan, Khammouane, Luangprabang and Savannakhet Provinces of Lao PDR.Participants Quantitative surveys were conducted among malaria programme stakeholders and service providers. Qualitative interviews were conducted with malaria programme stakeholders, and focus group discussions with malaria programme stakeholders, service providers and mobile and migrant populations (MMPs).Outcome measures Outcomes of interests were awareness and acceptability of current RASR activities by different group of participants, implementation, performance and feasibility of RASR activities including enablers and barriers.Results In Lao PDR, malaria programme stakeholders and service providers were aware of RASR; however, these activities were not well known in MMPs. Respectively, the timeliness of case notification and case investigation was 0.0% and 15.6% in 2018 but increased to 98.0% and 98.6% in 2022. Implementation of RASR was acceptable to the malaria programme stakeholders and service providers, and continued implementation was perceived as feasible. Nevertheless, issues such as low level of community awareness, high level of migration and limitations in health system capacity were identified.Conclusion Overall, the timeliness of case notification and investigation in Lao PDR was high, and malaria programme stakeholders and service providers had positive opinions on RASR. However, some operational and health system-related barriers were identified, which need to be addressed to improve the performance of RASR in Lao PDR.

Abstract Background Bleomycin (BLM)-induced lung injury is characterized by mixed histopathologic changes with inflammation and fibrosis, such as observed in human patients with bronchopulmonary dysplasia, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Although no curative therapies for these lung diseases exist, stem cell therapy has emerged as a potential therapeutic option. Multilineage-differentiating stress-enduring (Muse) cells are endogenous pluripotent- and macrophage-like stem cells distributed in various adult and fetal tissues as stage-specific embryonic antigen-3-positive cells. They selectively home to damaged tissue by sensing sphingosine-1-phosphate and replace the damaged/apoptotic cells by in vivo differentiation. Clinical trials for some human diseases suggest the safety and therapeutic efficacy of intravenously injected human leukocyte antigen-mismatched allogenic Muse cells from adult bone marrow (BM) without immunosuppressant. Here, we evaluated the therapeutic effects of human Muse cells from preterm and term umbilical cord (UC), and adult BM in a rat BLM-induced lung injury model. Methods Rats were endotracheally administered BLM to induce lung injury on day 0. On day 3, human preterm UC-Muse, term UC-Muse, or adult BM-Muse cells were administered intravenously without immunosuppressants, and rats were subjected to histopathologic analysis on day 21. Body weight, serum surfactant protein D (SP-D) levels, and oxygen saturation (SpO2) were monitored. Histopathologic lung injury scoring by the Ashcroft and modified American Thoracic Society document scales, quantitative characterization of engrafted Muse cells, RNA sequencing analysis, and in vitro migration assay of infused Muse cells were performed. Results Rats administered preterm- and term-UC-Muse cells exhibited a significantly better recovery based on weight loss, serum SP-D levels, SpO2, and histopathologic lung injury scores, and a significantly higher rate of both Muse cell homing to the lung and alveolar marker expression (podoplanin and prosurfactant protein-C) than rats administered BM-Muse cells. Rats receiving preterm-UC-Muse cells showed statistically superior results to those receiving term-UC-Muse cells in many of the measures. These findings are thought to be due to higher expression of genes related to cell migration, lung differentiation, and cell adhesion. Conclusion Preterm UC-Muse cells deliver more efficient therapeutic effects than term UC- and BM-Muse cells for treating BLM-induced lung injury in a rat model.

Superhydrophobic and superhydrophilic surfaces are attracting significant attention in fundamental and applied research. This study fabricated the micro/nanostructure with a Q-switched nanosecond pulsed laser on the Ti-6Al-4V surface. Three laser-generated surface topographies on titanium were produced based on three different pitch sizes (51 μm, 34 μm, and 29 μm). The laser textured surfaces (LTS) were studied in terms of both structure evolution and chemical composition using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM), Optical Microscopy (OM), Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM), Raman Spectroscopy, and X-ray Diffractometer (XRD). 29 μm pitch displayed the lowest water contact angle of 18.5° and surface roughness of 0.5 μm. This structure was further treated with cyclohexane at different temperatures. The best sample reached superhydrophobicity with a maximum water contact angle of 155.1° immediately after being treated with cyclohexane at the low temperature of 70 °C for 2 h, while the raw surface, for comparison, showed no change in hydrophobicity after being treated with cyclohexane under the same condition. Thus showing clear evidence of a combined effect between LTS and post-treatment. The surface features were assessed to explain the underlying process.

ABSTRACT Objectives This study aimed to assess the intricate relationship between salivary IgA antibody levels to PAc (361–386) (PPA), mutans streptococci colonization, and root caries development in older adults. Materials and Methods This study included 307 participants aged 76 years residing in Niigata city, Japan. Clinical oral examinations were performed at baseline in 2004 and 1 year later, during which the total number of untreated and treated root caries was assessed using the root decayed, filled tooth (DFT) index. The stimulated saliva samples were collected using the spitting method during the baseline survey. Salivary IgA antibody levels to amino acid residues 361–386 of Streptococcus mutans PAc were quantified using an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Statistical analyses, including the χ2 test, Mann–Whitney U test, and logistic regressions, were performed to examine the association of increased root DFT with the independent variables. Results Among the 307 participants (53.1% men), the mean root DFT at baseline was 3.77 ± 3.66, and 36.5% of the study sample exhibited increased root DFT after 1 year with a mean increment of 0.36 ± 0.48. Participants with increase in root DFT after 1 year had significantly higher rates of low PPA levels (≤ 25th percentile) than those without increased root DFT (p = 0.020). Low PPA levels (≤ 25th percentile) were significantly more likely to have an increased risk of root caries development compared with PPA levels > 25th percentile (adjusted OR: 1.88, 95% CI: 1.09–3.25). Conclusion Low PPA levels and root caries incidence correlated significantly, suggesting that low levels of salivary IgA antibody to PAc (361–386) may serve as a risk factor for increased root caries in older adults.

Examination of livelihood assets is crucial for displaced people as it informs effective resource allocation and support. This study investigates the livelihood decisions of households displaced by Nepal's Tanahu Hydropower Project using multinomial logistic regression to evaluate how different assets affect their choices. Data were obtained using questionnaires, with a total of 185 questionnaires used for the analysis in this study. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis. This study finds that physical assets substantially influence livelihood strategies, promoting diversification and nonfarming activities. Interestingly, social assets have a negative impact, whereas natural, financial, and human assets exert no significant effect. The study highlights the community's focus on economic stability, balancing immediate financial needs with long-term goals such as children's education. However, it reveals ongoing financial struggles, with an average daily income of only 1.962 USD and many households remaining in poverty, particularly those dependent on farming. The study also reflects on the mixed perceptions toward government policies, influenced by factors such as skill gaps and family aspirations. These findings provide essential insights for targeted support and resource allocation to displaced populations.

Background: Postpartum depression (PPD) is non-psychotic depressive illness after childbirth, and PPD affects the health and social status of mothers and their children. This study aims to identify the prevalence of suspected PPD and associated factors among women in Yangon, Myanmar. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of 552 women at 6–8 weeks postpartum who visited at North Okkalapa General and Teaching Hospital for postnatal care from September to October 2022. Socio-demographic factors, obstetric and infant factors, family support, and medical history were collected using a structured questionnaire. Myanmar version of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was used for screening PPD, and all women were divided into suspected PPD (EPDS ≥10) and non-suspected PPD (EPDS

Trypanosomiasis, a significant health concern in South America, South Asia, and Southeast Asia, requires active surveys to effectively control the disease. To address this, we have developed a hybrid model that combines deep metric learning (DML) and image retrieval. This model is proficient at identifying Trypanosoma species in microscopic images of thin-blood film examinations. Utilizing the ResNet50 backbone neural network, a trained-model has demonstrated outstanding performance, achieving an accuracy exceeding 99.71 % and up to 96 % in recall. Acknowledging the necessity for automated tools in field scenarios, we demonstrated the potential of our model as an autonomous screening approach. This was achieved by using prevailing convolutional neural network (CNN) applications, and vector database based-images returned by the KNN algorithm. This achievement is primarily attributed to the implementation of the Triplet Margin Loss function as 98 % of precision. The robustness of the model demonstrated in five-fold cross-validation highlights the ResNet50 neural network, based on DML, as a state-of-the-art CNN model as AUC >98 %. The adoption of DML significantly improves the performance of the model, remaining unaffected by variations in the dataset and rendering it a useful tool for fieldwork studies. DML offers several advantages over conventional classification model to manage large-scale datasets with a high volume of classes, enhancing scalability. The model has the capacity to generalize to novel classes that were not encountered during training, proving particularly advantageous in scenarios where new classes may consistently emerge. It is also well suited for applications requiring precise recognition, especially in discriminating between closely related classes. Furthermore, the DML exhibits greater resilience to issues related to class imbalance, as it concentrates on learning distances or similarities, which are more tolerant to such imbalances. These contributions significantly make the effectiveness and practicality of DML model, particularly in in fieldwork research.

Abstract Background While research has explored the risk of periodontal disease in various eye conditions, the link between dry eye and periodontal disease remains underexplored, especially in Japanese adults. This study aims to investigate the association between dry eye and periodontal disease in community-dwelling Japanese adults. Methods This study is a subset of the Uonuma cohort study, which includes Japanese adults aged 40 years and older residing in the Uonuma area of Niigata Prefecture, Japan. Participants completed a self-administered, paper-based questionnaire. Statistical analyses, including the chi-square test, independent t test, ANOVA test, and logistic regressions, were employed to assess the association of periodontal disease with independent variables. Results Among 36,488 participants (average age 63.3 years, 47.4% men), 39.3% had a history of periodontal disease, and gender differences were statistically significant (p

This paper presents a comparative analysis of wastewater management practices in Myanmar’s major cities, Yangon and Mandalay, with a focus on drawing valuable lessons from Yangon’s experiences and proposing recommendations for the improvement of Mandalay’s domestic wastewater management, drawing insights from a SWOT analysis. Both cities are facing challenges due to rapid urbanization, leading to untreated discharge into the environment. The study identifies common challenges in both Yangon and Mandalay, such as limited treatment capacity, environmental concerns, and funding gaps. The decentralized-centralized strategy is a successful approach for Yangon even though the capacity is not high. Results showed that 17.5% of Decentralized Wastewater Treatment Systems (DEWATS) users were highly satisfied and 45% were somewhat satisfied. Yangon’s experience with centralized systems showed that it took several years to cover the entire city for treatment, resulting in issues to cover revenue expenditures. If Mandalay adopts a similar, it will likely encounter the same issues. A recommended approach would be to implement an integrated system with DEWATS, which offers a better solution. The recommendations for sustainable wastewater management in Mandalay include active stakeholders’ involvement in decision-making, promoting community participation, and providing training. Transparency and shared responsibility are crucial for success. Addressing membrane fouling, sludge disposal, and implementing monthly fees are essential for sustainable implementation. An integrated approach along with environmental and social impact assessments are necessary to develop a cost-effective and efficient wastewater treatment system while safeguarding public health and the environment. These insights offer broader implications, guiding developing countries towards more effective and environmentally responsible wastewater management practices.

The rich physical properties unveiled in a plethora of transition and rare-earth metal oxides have been attributed to the intricate interplays between the orbital, charge, and spin degrees of freedom. Among them, rare-earth manganites (RMnO3) have been attracting tremendous attention owing to the ionic size-induced lattice distortion dictated by the Goldschmidt tolerance factor and the substantial Jahn–Teller distortion unique to Mn3+ ions, which evidently have resulted in a variety of emergent characteristics in electronic, magnetic, and orbital ordering. In this work, we deliberately engineered the orientation of a series of orthorhombic YMnO3 (o-YMO) films grown on SrTiO3(100) [STO(100)] and SrTiO3(110) [STO(110)] substrates by means of pulsed laser deposition. The x-ray diffraction (XRD) and reciprocal space mapping revealed that o-YMO/STO(100) is c-axis-oriented and o-YMO/STO(110) is a-axis-oriented, respectively. The XRD ϕ-scans further indicate that both films have excellent in-plane crystallinity, allowing the exploration of anisotropies along the respective crystallographic orientations. Indeed, the x-ray absorption linear dichroism spectroscopy taken along the respective crystallographic orientations evidently exhibited substantial anisotropy. Theoretical fitting with configuration interaction cluster calculations suggests that the d3z2−r2 orbitals are parallel to YMO[001]/(100), leading to stronger electron scattering along the c-axis. Independent polarization-dependent Δ R/R spectra obtained using the femtosecond pump–probe method exhibited substantial anisotropic behaviors in carrier relaxation dynamics when probing along different crystallographic orientations, presumably due to orbital ordering anisotropies.

This study investigated the use of chicken egg white (CEW) waste immobilized on weak acidic nanofiber membranes for removing the anionic acid orange 7 (AO7) dye in batch and continuous flow modes. Different experiments were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of CEW-modified nanofiber membranes for AO7 removal, focusing on CEW immobilization conditions, adsorption kinetics, and thermodynamics. The CEW-modified nanofiber membrane (namely NM-COOH-CEW) exhibited a maximum AO7 adsorption capacity of 589.11 mg/g within approximately 30 min. The Freundlich isotherm model best represented the equilibrium adsorption data, while the adsorption kinetics followed a pseudo-second-order rate model. Breakthrough curve analysis using the Thomas model and the bed depth service time (BDST) model showed that the BDST model accurately described the curve, with an error percentage under 5%. To investigate AO7 elution efficiency, different concentrations of organic solvents or salts were tested as eluents. The NM-COOH-CEW nanofiber membrane exhibited promising performance as an effective adsorbent for removing AO7 dye from contaminated water.

Non-high-risk (non-HR) neuroblastoma (NB) patients have excellent outcomes, with more than a 90% survival rate, whereas HR NB patients expect less than a 50% survival rate. Metastatic disease is the principal cause of death among both non-HR and HR NB patients. Previous studies have reported the significant but limited prognostic value of quantitative PCR (qPCR)-based assays, measuring overlapping but different sets of neuroblastoma-associated mRNAs (NB-mRNAs), to detect metastatic disease in both non-HR and HR patient samples. A droplet digital PCR (ddPCR)-based assay measuring seven NB-mRNAs (CRMP1, DBH, DDC, GAP43, ISL1, PHOX2B, and TH mRNAs) was recently developed and exhibited a better prognostic value for HR patient samples than qPCR-based assays. However, it remained to be tested on non-HR patient samples. In the present study, we employed the ddPCR-based assay to study peripheral blood (PB) and bone marrow (BM) samples collected at diagnosis from eight non-HR and eleven HR cases and characterized the expression profiles of NB-mRNAs. The most highly expressed NB-mRNAs in PB and BM differed between non-HR and HR cases, with the CRMP1 mRNA being predominant in non-HR cases and the GAP43 mRNA in HR cases. The levels of NB-mRNAs in PB and BM were 5 to 1000 times lower in non-HR cases than in HR cases. The PB to BM ratio of NB-mRNAs was 10 to 100 times higher in non-HR cases compared to HR cases. The present case series suggests that non-HR and HR NB patients have the distinct expression profiles of NB-mRNAs in their PB and BM.