Lower Myanmar Research Articles

Land Cover Disaggregated Fire Occurrence and Particulate Matter2.5 Relationship in the Mekong Region: A Comprehensive Study

Air pollution has become an increasing concern in the Mekong region due to seasonal vegetative burning triggered by related anthropogenic activities and climate change. While the assumption of a correlation between agriculture burning and air pollution is a common postulation, little evidence exists on the association between fire incidents and air pollution concentrations. The current study explores the relationship between satellite-derived fire occurrence, land surface characteristics, and particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) concentrations for the five Lower Mekong countries, namely Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam, in an effort to gain new insights into fire distributions related to air quality. Publicly available daily active fire hotspots from the VIIRS satellite instrument, annual land cover products from the MODIS satellite, and mean monthly ground-level PM2.5 estimates from the V5.GL.04 database were analyzed in two relational assessments; first, the distribution of VIIRS active fire counts and fire radiative power (FRP) temporally and spatially and secondly, the correlations between the monthly VIIRS active fire counts, cumulative monthly FRP and mean monthly PM2.5 estimates per country and land cover type. The results suggest a statistically significant positive correlation between monthly fire counts, cumulative FRP, and PM2.5 estimates for each country, which differ based on land cover. The strongest correlation between monthly fire incidences and PM2.5 estimates was found in the case of Myanmar. For all countries combined, fires detected in forests displayed the highest correlation with monthly PM2.5 estimates. This study demonstrates the use of the VIIRS active fire product and provides important insights into temporal and spatial fire distributions as baseline information for fire prevention and mitigation strategies in the Mekong region.

Outcomes of Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) in Adolescents and Young Adults (AYAs) Compared to Adults in a Referral Center from Lower Myanmar

Introduction Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the second most common form of haematological malignancies with high prevalence among all age groups in Myanmar. However, there are very limited data particularly related to AML in adolescents and young adults (AYAs). To fill the gap in AML data from resource-constraint countries and to compare the treatment outcomes of AYAs (15-39 years) with adults (40 years and above), a hospital-based, prospective study was conducted between January 2019 to October 2021, on the cases of AML treated at the North Okkalapa General and Teaching Hospital, one of three referral centers of Myanmar. Methods All cases of AML other than acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) received two courses of induction containing daunorubicin and cytarabine followed by three courses of consolidation with high dose cytarabine. Treatment of APL included differentiation agents (all-trans-retinoeic acid and arsenic trioxide) based induction with addition of daunorubicin and cytarabine in high-risk cases until remission followed by chemotherapy free consolidation and maintenance up to two years. Patients were followed up for a minimum of one year and overall survival (OS) was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results A total of 140 including 81 (57.9%) AYAs and 59 (42.1%) adults with newly diagnosed de-novo AML were treated during 34-months period. Median age of AYA AML was 22 years (range-13-39 years) whereas that of adult AML was 54 years (range-40-76 years). There was no gender difference (49.2% versus 50.7%, for male and female). Among AML subtypes, M4 was the commonest subtype (28.5%) and APL, M3 (22.8%) was the second most prevalent AML followed by M2 (18.5%) and M5 (10.7%) subtypes. Cytogenetic data was available in 37 of 108 (34.2 %) non-APL cases with 16.2 %, 67.6% and 16.2 % respectively had good, intermediate, and high-risk cytogenetics. Of 108 non-APL including 61 (56.5%) AYAs and 47 (43.5%) adults, 46 (42.6%) died within one week or during induction and remaining 62 (57.4%) achieved remission at the end of induction. Among 32 APL (20 AYAs and 12 adults), mortality rate was 21.9% due to early death (12.5%) and induction death (9.4%) with only 78% achieved remission after induction. There was no statistically significant difference between the remission rates of AYAs and adults, in both APL (75.0% versus 83.3%, respectively, p=0.68) and non-APL groups (60.65% versus 53.2% respectively, p=0.43). During follow-up, 29 (20.7 %) were lost to follow-up while 6 non-APL AML (5 AYAs and 1 adult, 5.6%) relapsed within one year with 18 of 32 APL (56.3%) and 32 of 108 non-APL AML (29.6%) remained alive at one year. Two-year cumulative survival for AYAs compared to adults was 47% vs 42% respectively for non-APL AML (p=0.42) and 74% vs 83% for APL (p=0.608) with no statistically significant difference between two age groups. Conclusion In this resource limited setting, although having higher proportion of younger population and better prognostic types like APL, remission rate and survival was still low due to higher number of early and induction deaths which could be improved by early diagnosis and better supportive care.

Knowledge and awareness on breast cancer among midwives and auxiliary midwives from three townships in Lower Myanmar

Background: In Myanmar, more than seventy percent of the population reside in rural areas and as the midwives (MW) and auxiliary midwives (AMW) are the basic health care workers who provide crucial health information to the rural women, their knowledge and awareness on breast cancer needs to be explored.Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out to assess the perceived knowledge and awareness of MWs and AMWs regarding the early signs and symptoms, risk factors, and screening of breast cancer.Results: A total of 203 respondents (including 154 MWs and 49 AMWs) participated in the study. The mean age of the participants was 20.27±3.6 years and the majority (96%) was single. The majority of respondents (94%) had heard of breast cancer and breast cancer screening. AMWs had a significantly lower knowledge on risk factors such as: family history (68% versus 19%); nulliparity (62% versus 43%); change in shape of breast (47% versus 25%); dimpling (44.3% versus 18.45%); lumps in axilla (42% versus 21%); use of oral contraceptive pills (34% versus 8%) than the MWs.Conclusions: More knowledge on breast cancer and breast cancer screening need be imparted to the MWs and AMWs to be able to convey knowledge and information of breast cancer to the women residing in rural areas.

Rotavirus infection among children under five years of age hospitalized with acute gastroenteritis in Myanmar during 2018–2020 – Multicentre surveillance before rotavirus vaccine introduction

BackgroundRotavirus gastroenteritis (RVGE) is a leading cause of severe diarrhea in children under-five worldwide, with the majority of mortality in lower -income countries. This study aimed to provide baseline information on epidemiology of rotavirus and circulating strains before rotavirus vaccine introduction in Myanmar. MethodsHospital-based, prospective surveillance was conducted from May 2018 to January 2020 at four sentinel sites; two hospitals in Lower Myanmar, one hospital each in Middle Myanmar and East Myanmar. Children under five years of age hospitalized for acute gastroenteritis were enrolled; demographic and clinical data were collected. Stool samples were screened by ELISA (ProSpecT™ Rotavirus, OXOID-UK) for rotavirus antigen and a subset of ELISA positive samples were genotyped by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. ResultsRotavirus was detected in 45.7% (799/1750) of cases enrolled at three sites in May 2018–April 2019 and 42.5% (521/1227) at four sites in May 2019–January 2020. RVGE cases were predominantly male (58.7%; 775/1320) and 92.6% (1223/1320) of RVGE cases occurred in <2 years old. Rotavirus detection was higher in the cold and dry season (November–April). RVGE compared to non-RVGE cases had more frequent vomiting (78.3% Vs 68.1%, p < 0.01), fever (65.8% Vs 61.3%, p = 0.01), severe dehydration (3.6% Vs 2.1%, p < 0.01) and requirement of treatment by IV fluid (58.3% Vs 53.1%, p < 0.01). The most prevalent genotypes identified were G1P[6] (113/359, 31.5%), G1P[8] (94/359, 26.2%) and G2P[4] (33/359, 9.2%). ConclusionsThis study confirms the persistent high prevalence of RVGE among children under-five admitted to hospitals in different parts of Myanmar and the diversity of rotavirus strains over time prior to vaccine introduction. The rotavirus vaccine was introduced nationwide in February 2020 in Myanmar and these data will be important baseline data for post-vaccination monitoring of vaccine impact and circulating strains.

Bioacoustics Reveal Hidden Diversity in Frogs: Two New Species of the Genus Limnonectes from Myanmar (Amphibia, Anura, Dicroglossidae)

Striking geographic variation in male advertisement calls was observed in frogs formerly referred to as Limnonectes doriae and L. limborgi, respectively. Subsequent analyses of mtDNA and external morphological data brought supporting evidence for the recognition of these populations as distinct species. We describe two new frog species of the genus Limnonectes (i.e., L. bagoensis sp. nov. and L. bagoyoma sp. nov.) from Myanmar. Limnonectes bagoensis sp. nov. is closely related to L. doriae whereas L. bagoyoma sp. nov. is closely related to L. limborgi. Results of this integrative study provide evidence for the presence of additional undescribed species in these species complexes but due to the lack of bioacoustical data, we consider these additional diverging populations as candidate species that need further study to resolve their respective taxonomic status. Both new species are distributed in Lower Myanmar. Limnonectes doriae is restricted to southern Myanmar along the Malayan Peninsula whereas L. limborgi is known to occur in eastern Myanmar and northwestern Thailand. The remaining populations formerly referred to as either L. doriae or L. limborgi are considered representatives of various candidate species that await further study. We further provide a de novo draft genome of the respective holotypes of L. bagoensis sp. nov. and L. bagoyoma sp. nov. based on short-read sequencing technology to 25-fold coverage.

Nats in the Land of the Hintha: Village Religion in Lower Myanmar

Nats in the Land of the Hintha:Village Religion in Lower Myanmar Keziah Wallis (bio) Introduction1 When I first arrived in Myanmar in 2012, I had fairly well-developed expectations of the kinds of lived religious practices I would see.2 Fresh from completing a class in Religions of Southeast Asia, I had spent time reading the literature by Bénédicte Brac de la Perrière, Melford Spiro, and other scholars on the complex relationship between Buddhism and the nats (နတ်).3 What I found in Yangon largely conformed to these expectations. It was only when my fieldwork shifted from the urban space of Yangon to a village in the Bago region that I found these expectations fundamentally challenged. As I grew more familiar with the location, [End Page 193] I found significant differences between what my participants told me and what I read in the academic literature on the nats. It was not only the academic literature that seemed to contradict my experiences in the field. Yangonbased participants were often shocked when I described the rituals I had attended in the village. I came to realize that there were multiple distinctions separating the lives of my village-based participants from those depicted in the literature on the nats. First, my participants were Bamar living in contemporary rural Myanmar and not the rural Myanmar of the anthropologists working in the 1960s. Second, unlike the urban-based spirit-mediums (; nat-kátàw) of Brac de la Perrière's research, my participants were not religious specialists. The few who did live in Yangon had only moved there within the past fifteen years. Perhaps most importantly, my participants were from Bago in Lower Myanmar; the majority of research on nats—with the notable exception of Brac de la Perrière's work—has taken place in Upper Myanmar. While Bago today is included as part of myanmangainngán (), historically the space has been predominantly Mon. The city of Bago was founded by the Mon in the thirteenth century as the center of the influential Ramaññadesa Kingdom. The city was also the center of the Taungoo Empire, founded in the sixteenth century by Tabinshweti-min who had ties to the Bamar court at Ava and ostensibly "became Mon" in order to rule from the Mon city (Shorto 1961:68; Lieberman 1978:457). Inscriptions at Thaton locate Bamar presence within the Mon political center in the eleventh and twelfth centuries (Stadtner 2008:202) and suggest long-standing connections between Bamar and the Lower Myanmar region. While Bamar migration to Bago would have [End Page 194] undoubtedly occurred during Tabinshweti-min's reign when it was the center of the Bamar court, the widespread Bamar settlement of the region did not begin until the eighteenth century (Lieberman 2003:1:203). The pattern intensified during the Konbaung era (1752–1885) as Bamar people migrated south to work in the British control delta regions (see Adas 1974:chap. 2). According to the 1983 Population Census, Bamar made up 88.9% of the population of Bago (Ministry of Home and Religious Affairs 1987:I–14). While the data on ethnicity for the 2014 census have not been released, this ratio is unlikely to have changed substantially. Primary research for this paper took place in Shwe Moe,4 a medium-sized village which exemplifies the dynamics of identity in Bago. The Shwemawdaw pagoda, one of the premier Mon Buddhist sites in Myanmar, is visible from the village's southwest fields. All thousand residents of the village identified themselves as "only Bamar."5 Residents' pride in their "only Myanmar" (read Bamar) heritage was often distinguished with the neighboring village which shares the same village tract and is comprised of Mon and Bamar inhabitants. Despite expressing an explicitly Bamar identity, close conversations frequently revealed more complex ethnic heritages, and many residents saw themselves as the descendants of Bamar men who migrated from Upper Myanmar during the early colonial period and married Mon women already living in the region (see also Brac de la Perrière 1996:57). There is historical evidence to support this narrative of Mon-Bamar heritage. Konbaung policy of the...

Reported measles cases, measles-related deaths and measles vaccination coverage in Myanmar from 2014 to 2018

BackgroundThere is a global resurgence of measles, consequent upon worldwide stagnating measles vaccination coverage. The study aim was to document trends and characteristics of reported cases of measles, measles-related deaths, and measles vaccination coverage (MCV1—first dose of measles-containing vaccine and MCV2—second dose of measles-containing vaccine) at national and sub-national level in Myanmar over a five year period between 2014 and 2018.MethodsThis was a descriptive study using routine data collected and submitted to the Expanded Programme on Immunization.ResultsBetween 2014 and 2018, there were 2673 measles cases of which 2272 (85%) occurred in 2017 and 2018. Five adjacent regions in lower Myanmar were the most affected: in 2017 and 2018, these regions reported 1647 (73%) of the 2272 measles cases in the country. Overall, 73% of measles cases were laboratory confirmed, 21% were epidemiologically linked, and 6% were clinically compatible (clinical diagnosis only), with more laboratory confirmed cases in recent years. Annual measles-related deaths were either zero or one except in 2016 when there were 21 deaths, all occurring in one remote village. In the recent years, the most commonly affected age groups were 0–8 months, 9 months to 4 years, and ≥ 15 years. Among 1907 measles cases with known vaccination status, only 22% had been vaccinated and 70% of those had only received one dose of vaccine. Annual MCV1 coverage nationally varied from 83 to 93% while annual MCV2 coverage nationally varied from 78 to 87%, with no clear trends over the years. Between 2014 and 2018, a high proportion of the 330 townships had MCV coverage < 95%. Over 80% of measles cases were reported from townships that had MCV coverage < 95%.ConclusionThere have been a large number of measles cases in recent years associated with sub-optimal measles vaccine coverage. Myanmar has already conducted supplemental immunization activities in October and November, 2019. Myanmar also needs to improve routine immunization services and targeted responses to measles outbreaks.

Traditional Design in an Ancient Village of Tanintharyi

The ancient village of Thagara is located circa ten kilometres north of Dawei, Tanintharyi Region of Lower Myanmar. While Thagara’s archaeology and the domestic religious architecture such as the pagodas and monasteries have been well documented, this article is the first to classify the main elements of the domestic dwellings. Five key components of the vernacular architecture are identified: the style of the house facade, the building materials, the hearth, the rice barn and the shrine. Constructed with local materials, the facades and roofs were designed to meet the challenges of the monsoonal climate and the hearth and rice barn adapted to the preferences of individual house dwellers and rice yields. The Buddhist and animistic shrines reflect the importance of spiritual activities in the traditional way of life. Using data from a systematic survey, the variations are defined in this article to illustrate aspects of the social, economic and religious daily life in the villages of Lower Myanmar

Dinorcassane Diterpenoid from Boesenbergia rotunda Rhizomes Collected in Lower Myanmar.

A new dinorcassane diterpenoid, seikphoochinal A (1), and four known compounds, pinostrobin (2), 4',7-dimethylkaempferol (3), and galanals A (4) and B (5), were isolated from the chloroform-soluble crude extract of wild type Boesenbergia rotunda rhizomes collected in Lower Myanmar. The chemical structures of these compounds were identified, using a combination of spectroscopic methods. The presence of the diterpenoids 1, 4, and 5 demonstrated the structural diversity of wild type B. rotunda. Among the isolates, compounds 4 and 5 exhibited significant antiproliferative activities against a small panel of human cancer cell lines, including lung (LK-2, A549), stomach (ECC4), breast (MCF7), cervix (HeLa), and prostate (DU145).

Measurement of diabetes, prediabetes and their associated risk factors in Myanmar 2014.

BackgroundMyanmar, a low-income Southeast Asia country with an estimated population of 53.9 million, is currently facing an increasing burden of noncommunicable diseases. Research that systematically measures and reports the national prevalence of diabetes and prediabetes within Myanmar represents a gap in the literature. This study, a national survey, was conducted with the objectives of 1) measuring diabetic population, 2) measuring the prediabetic population, and 3) finding out the risk factors leading to diabetes and prediabetes in Myanmar.MethodMultistage sampling was applied in proportional cluster approach to recruit a nationally representative sample of 8,575 participants from 52 townships selected to represent 332 townships across the country. The Ethical Committee of the Department of Medical Research (Lower Myanmar) approved the current study. Fasting plasma glucose and the level of glucose 2 hours after 75 g glucose load were applied, to screen for diabetes and prediabetes. Interviewer-administered questionnaires were carried out to investigate demographic and lifestyle behaviors. Stadiometer, weighing scale, measuring tape, and Omron blood pressure monitor measuring devices were used for the anthropometric measurements. Survey data analysis used STATA version 13 and application of descriptive statistics with multinomial logistic regression.ResultPrevalence of diabetes in Myanmar was 10.8%: 11.5% in males and 9.2% in females. Overall prevalence of prediabetes was 19.7%: 16.5% in males and 23% in females. Increasing age, urban residence, big waist circumference, and high triglyceride level were significant factors associated with diabetes and prediabetes. Many people with diabetes were found to lack knowledge and awareness of diabetes.ConclusionDiabetes prevalence in Myanmar is high, and relatively higher than that reported in many Association of Southeast Asian Nations countries. The study findings call for urgent nationwide public health action in Myanmar such as screening people at risk of diabetes and prevention of the disease. The findings can also assist the health authority in Myanmar with the preparation and allocation of resources for diabetes prevention.

Benchmarks for improved productivity and profitability of monsoon rice in lower Myanmar

This research was undertaken to (i) determine the demographics and farming practices, particularly related to nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) inputs, associated with high levels of monsoon rice productivity (grain yields) and profitability (gross margins) in lower Myanmar and (ii) develop crop yield and economic benchmarks and input rates for N, P and K associated with those benchmarks. The study involved data collection from 100 rice-farming households during the 2010 monsoon season across five village tracts in Taikkyi Township, Yangon Region. The interviewed rice farmers were very experienced (average 30 years of farming) but had generally low levels of education with just 24% advancing beyond middle school. There was a widespread lack of mechanisation, with the cost and availability of labour representing a major constraint. Rice yields varied 0.8–4.1 t/ha, with an overall average of 2.6 t/ha. The primary factors affecting monsoon rice productivity were the use of legumes in the cropping system, the application of organic and mineral fertilisers containing N, P and K, the cropping of non-sandy land and the % of household income derived off-farm. Benchmarks, estimated as the means of the top five yielding farmer crops, were 4.0 t/ha grain yield, 40 kg fertiliser N input/ha, 95% legumes prior to monsoon rice, 80 kg total (fertiliser + legume) N input/ha, 14 kg fertiliser P input/ha and 14 kg fertiliser K input/ha. The average gross margin for the top five yielding farms was USD470/ha, compared with the average across the 100 farms of USD246/ha. The total cost of production on an area basis of USD196/ha was 13% higher for the top yielding farms, compared to the average, but at USD50/t grain was about 30% less than the average when expressed on a volume basis. For the top five yielding farms, 82% of the rice was sold, equivalent to 15.7 t paddy, at a price of USD173/t to generate USD2,780 income for the farming household. Novel and innovative extension programs, in which farmers participate as research partners rather than passive recipients of extension messages, may be needed in Myanmar to effectively disseminate the knowledge of farmers already producing the highly productive and profitable crops.

Integrating lesson study in Myanmar teacher training

Purpose This paper documents a case study implementing Lesson Study (LS) study into a two-year teacher training project in an education university training secondary school teachers in Lower Myanmar. The purpose of this paper is to stimulate interest and discussion about whether Lesson Study is a useful tool in continuing professional development (CPD), particularly within the unique context of developing country educational development. Design/methodology/approach Two LS cycles were evaluated by participants using a quantitative-qualitative questionnaire and the case study analysed by the author. Findings LS was a useful tool to encourage structured collaboration between university-level teacher educators, however, continued supported practice is needed to expand the benefits and ensure sustainability. Research limitations/implications A limitation of the case study is that the respondents were small in number compared to the number of participants. Furthermore, the questionnaire was not in respondents’ native language which will have affected how well they could communicate. Finally, it was difficult to separate the impact of other project activities from the perceived effects of LS. Practical implications This paper has practical implications not only for educators within Myanmar as the country continues its journey of education reform, but also for others implementing LS as a form of CPD, particularly in contexts where it is being introduced for the first time. Originality/value Until recently, little was known about Myanmar’s education system internationally. The paper documents the country’s first collaboration with outsiders since the start of the dictatorship to improve educational standards and the effects of introducing LS into this context.

Prevalence and associated risk factors of Strongyloides stercoralis infection in Lower Myanmar

BackgroundStrongyloidiasis is prevalent in Southeast Asian regions along with other soil-transmitted helminthiases, but only limited present-day data was available for Myanmar.MethodsA prevalence survey for Strongyloides stercoralis infection was conducted among villagers in rural areas of three townships located in the Lower Myanmar during 2014–2016 by agar plate culture method in combination with specific identification by molecular assays. Risk factors associated with S. stercoralis infection were assessed by analyzing questionnaires obtained from study participants.ResultsStrongyloides stercoralis was identified in 40 out of 703 participants (5.7% overall prevalence). The highest prevalence (14.4%) was observed in Htantabin, while other two communities (Thabaung and Thanlyin) had much lower prevalence (2.2 and 2.5%, respectively). Infection was relatively rare (1.2%) in younger generations under 20 years compared to older generations (9.5%). Even in Htantabin, none of the female residents under age 40 (n = 33) had infection. In adult Htantabin residents, those who answered that they do not wear shoes regularly had an elevated risk of infection (odds ratio = 2.50, 95% confidence interval = 1.03–6.08).ConclusionsThis study showed that there is still an on-going transmission of strongyloidiasis in Lower Myanmar. It is highly desirable that the soil should be free of fecal contamination by improving the management of fecal waste. Meanwhile, health education to promote shoe-wearing would be beneficial to reduce the risk of transmission, especially for those who have frequent and intense contact with soil.

Prevalence and associated risk factors of Strongyloides stercoralis infection in Lower Myanmar

Prevalence and associated risk factors of Strongyloides stercoralis infection in Lower Myanmar

Impact of Erratic Rainfall from Climate Change on Pulse Production Efficiency in Lower Myanmar

Erratic rainfall has a detrimental impact on crop productivity but rainfall during the specific growth stage is rarely used in efficiency analysis. This study focuses on this untapped point and examines the influence of rainfall specifically encountered during the sowing stage and early vegetative growth stage and the flowering stage of pulses on productivity and efficiency in Lower Myanmar using data from 182 sample farmers. The results of a stochastic frontier production function reveal that rainfall incidence during the flowering season of pulses has a negatively significant effect on yield while replanting crops after serious damage by rain increases productivity. Controlled rainfall variables, seed rate, human labor and land preparation cost are important parameters influencing pulses yield. In the efficiency model, levels of yield loss have a negative impact while being a male household head, access to government credit, access to training, locating farms in the Bago Region and possessing a large area of pulses have a positively significant effect on technical efficiency. Policy recommendations include the establishment of a safety network, such as crop insurance to protect farmers from losses due to unpredictable weather conditions, promoting training programs on cultural practices adapted to climate change, wide coverage of extension activities, giving priority to small-scale farmers and female farmer participation in training and extension activities and increasing the rate of credit availability to farmers.

First report and molecular identification of Opisthorchis viverrini infection in human communities from Lower Myanmar.

Opisthorchis viverrini is endemic in the South East Asian region, especially in Cambodia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Vietnam and Thailand, but there have been no previous records from Myanmar. During stool surveys of rural populations in three regions of Lower Myanmar, Opisthorchis-like eggs were found in 34 out of 364 (9.3%) participants by stool microscopy after using the modified formalin-ether concentration technique. DNA was extracted from these positive stool samples and a portion of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (cox1) gene was amplified using the polymerase chain reaction and then sequenced. DNA sequences, successfully obtained from 18 of 34 positive samples (Bago Region, n = 13; Mon State, n = 3; Yangon Region, n = 2), confirmed that the eggs were of O. viverrini. Sequences showed 99.7% identity with O. viverrini mitochondrial cox1 (GenBank accession no. JF739555) but 95%, 88.7%, 82.6% and 81.4% identities with those of Opisthorchis lobatus from Lao People's Democratic Republic (GenBank accession nos. HQ328539-HQ328541), Metorchis orientalis from China (KT239342), Clonorchis sinensis from China (JF729303) and Opisthorchis felineus from Russia (EU921260), respectively. When alignement with other Opisthorchiidae trematodes, 81% similarity with Metorchis bilis from Czech Republic (GenBank accession nos. KT740966, KT740969, KT740970) and Slovakia (GenBank accession nos. KT740971-KT740973), 84.6% similarity with Metorchis xanthosomus from Czech Republic (GenBank accession no. KT740974), 78.6% similarity with M. xanthosomus from Poland (GenBank accession no. KT740968) and 82.2% similarity with Euamphimerus pancreaticus from Czech Republic (GenBank accession no. KT740975) were revealed. This study demonstrated, for the first time, O. viverrini from rural people in Myanmar using molecular methods and is an urgent call for surveillance and control activities against opisthorchiasis in Myanmar.

Before Siam: Essays in Art and Archaeology ed. by Nicolas Revire, Stephen A. Murphy

Reviewed by: Before Siam: Essays in Art and Archaeology ed. by Nicolas Revire, Stephen A. Murphy Miriam T. Stark Before Siam: Essays in Art and Archaeology. Nicolas Revire and Stephen A. Murphy, eds. Bangkok: River Books, 2014. 432pp, 312 color illustrations, 56 maps and plans, Notes, Bibliographies, Index. US $49.95. ISBN 9786167339412. The millennium-long period that began c. 500 b.c.e. has long vexed Southeast Asian archaeologists and historians for its odd mix of archaeological, documentary, and art historical data that mark a change from the prehistoric period to one recorded by local and visiting historians. We still struggle to understand this period, called variously the Iron Age, the protohistoric period, the Early Historic period, or simply Early South East Asia (with credit to Smith and Watson 1979), during which Southeast Asians embraced profound organizational and ideological transformations (Murphy and Stark 2016). Indianization, Hindicization, localization, Sanskritization: each of these terms captures some elements of settlement, subsistence, and political dynamics of the time. Yet each term reflects an outsider perspective; it is only in the last few decades that archaeologists and art historians have buckled down to do the hard work of understanding the material record of this “millennium-long no-man’s land” from the bottom up (Manguin 2011:xvi). Nicolas Revire and Stephen Murphy have done our field a great service by producing this 2014 edited volume, which includes 18 essays by 22 contributors and spans the period from protohistory to the end of the thirteenth century. HiramWoodward’s prologue surveys current knowledge of Thailand’s proto- and early historical periods. Southeast Asian archaeologists will gravitate toward the chapters that report on recent excavations in central and peninsular Thailand (i.e., Promthin Thai, Phong Tuek [central Thailand], Kamphaeng Saen; Yarang, Ban Bana, Khuan Mahut [peninsular Thailand]) and points as far west as lower Myanmar and as far north as southern Laos. Some sites are entirely new to the archaeological community; included in this group are the central Thai sites of Kamphaeng Saen and Phromthin Tai (Gallon, Lertcharnwit), Pattani sites of Ban Bana and Khuan Mahut (Noonsuk), and Muttama (Martaban, reported by Moore and San Win). In other places such as the Middle Mekong Valley, it is Michel Lorillard’s identification of a broader settlement pattern that is novel. Careful field-based archaeological research, and Hutangkura’s geoarchaeological study of Thai shorelines, in this volume’s chapters help clear the log jam that Karl Hutterer (1982:563) claimed prevented us making substantive linkages between the region’s ‘prehistoric’ and ‘historic’ traditions. Several of the book’s authors focus on excavated objects to offer essentially new archaeological and art historical research. Ian Glover and Shahnaj Husne Jahan’s analysis of a bronze bowl from Khao Sam Kaeo pinpoints potential new South Asia source areas for technological traditions that mark Thailand’s protohistoric period. Analysis of Mediterranean goods from peninsular Thailand by Borell and colleagues deepen our understanding of the range of goods and routes that linked Southeast Asia with the West. Himanshu Prabha Ray’s discussion of religious maritime linkages across the first-millennium c.e. Bay of Bengal to India’s eastern coast (and Nagarjunakonda [Andhra Pradesh]) [End Page 260] expands our knowledge of routes and the South Asian context. These linkages were robust, carrying ideas eastward from a complicated mix of South Asian traditions by the early sixth century. Paul Lavy’s carefully-argued analysis of conch-on-hip images in early Vaişņava sculpture not only provides a comprehensive survey of these early images, but also lays a convincing foundation for a sustained indigenous development of Brahmanical art in the region. A few of the book’s chapters interrogate discrete data classes to understand Thailand before Siam. Nicolas Revire’s painstaking analysis of Buddhist practice and ritual uses Dvāravatī period inscriptions (Buddhist donation and dedicatory; Pāli citation and Ye Dhammā) from first-millennium Thailand to move between what he calls material and ritual cultures. Pinna Indorf uses Dvāravatī cakras as analyzable texts; her seriation organizes these key artifacts through time and across space to understand historical and political events within the Dvāravatī period. Wesley Clark’s contextual analysis of burial...

Chapter 10 Historical review of the contribution of geophysics to petroleum discoveries in the Tertiary basins of Myanmar

Petroleum resources from seeps or shallow excavations have been exploited by local people in Myanmar for at least 900 years for use in lighting, for medicinal purposes or as an insect repellent. When the British took over Lower Myanmar, crude oil obtained from Yenanchaung and refined in Duneedaw was supplied to India and exported to the United Kingdom or the United States of America. After the British occupied the whole of Myanmar in 1884, the Scottish Burmah Oil Company was established in the following year and commenced commercial extraction of oil from Yenangyaung; in 1902 Chauk was discovered. After 40 years of exploitation production began to decline, and further resources were sought. In 1938–40, before the Second World War in the Pacific, geophysical methods of gravity measurement by Shell and the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (now BP) covering the whole of Myanmar were planned to aid oil exploration. A network of measurements were established along all accessible roads and navigable rivers throughout the Tertiary Belt of Central Myanmar using Holweck, Thyssen and Ising torsion balance and pendulum gravimeters. The Holweck instrument uses an inverted pendulum to measure absolute values of gravity to an accuracy of 2–3 mGal. The best results were obtained with the Thyssen gravimeter, producing weighted deflection readings for about 90 stations a month, to an accuracy of 0.5 mGal or less. The Ising gravimeter, also using an inverted pendulum, can provide drift readings with a better productivity from 149 stations a month, with an accuracy of ±1 mGal. In all these surveys, with station intervals ranging over 1–5 km a total of 5–12 km could be covered each day. Elevation corrections were made from contours obtained during the topographic survey. The AA company completed gravity pendulum measurements over 80 000 square miles in Myanmar at a total cost …

First Molecular Identifications of Necator americanus and Ancylostoma ceylanicum Infecting Rural Communities in Lower Myanmar.

Hookworms are enteric parasitic roundworms infecting an estimated 400 million persons worldwide. Herein, we provide the first molecular identifications of human hookworms from certain parts of rural Lower Myanmar. DNA was extracted from hookworm-positive stool samples, as determined by microscopy. DNA sequences of the partial internal transcribed spacer 1, full length 5.8S gene, and partial internal transcribed spacer 2 were determined and compared with available hookworm sequences from public databases. Of the 11 polymerase chain reaction-positive samples, eight (Bago Region, N = 4; Mon State, N = 4) yielded sequences with high similarity to those of Necator americanus A further three sequences (Mon State, N = 2; Bago Region, N = 1) showed high similarity with those of Ancylostoma ceylanicum The latter is primarily a parasite of dogs and represents a zoonosis. Given that different species of hookworms exhibit different epidemiological and biological characteristics, accurate identification is essential for the planning and execution of effective control programs for hookworm infections.

Water Management in the Urban Cultural Heritage of Myanmar

AbstractThis article assesses indigenous perceptions of water through a comparison of the water management strategies at three ancient sites located in different ecological zones of Myanmar. Two of our examples are in the high-rainfall regions of Lower Myanmar: Thagara in the Dawei River valley flanked by mountains on the east and west, and Kyaikkatha on delta lands at the egress of the Sittaung River. We contrast these adaptations with the micro-exploitation of the scarce water resources at Bagan (also spelled Pagan) in the arid zone of Upper Myanmar. In the southern wet regions, despite the different geographical setting of Thagara and Kyaikkatha, the focus was on drainage and control. Multiple ramparts and moats were used to conserve the scarce water in the dry months between December and April and control the heavy floods of the rainy months between May to November. At Bagan, sited directly on the broad Ayeyarwady River, water management of inland streams and seasonal lakes maximised the gentle slope of the plain while also coping with intermittent flash floods in the rainy months. The sites of Thagara, Kyaikkatha, and Bagan demanded specific adaptations but are alike in the absence of extensive transformation of the landscape. This balance of manmade and natural elements provides common ground despite their variable size and urbanised extent, ecological setting, and occupational sequence to highlight the shared significance of water management in their long-term urban success.