Assessing the Impact of an Intervention on Caregivers' Awareness and Completion of Continuum of Care Among Pregnant Women.

Background And Objective: The continuum of care (CoC) is an important approach that should be prioritized for improving maternal health. The World Health Organization recommends working with individuals, families, and communities to ensure continuous care throughout pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of an intervention on the awareness of the CoC among main caregivers and the completion of CoC among pregnant women.

A Review of Regulatory Frameworks for Biobanking in Southeast Asia.

Southeast Asian countries are at the forefront of public health pressures due to a confluence of factors such as population growth, urbanization, environmental pollution, and infectious diseases (re)emergence. Therefore, the ability to be able to conduct research addressing local and regional needs is of paramount importance. As such, biobanking activities, the standardized collection of biological samples, and associated data, developed over the past few decades supporting ongoing biomedical and clinical research, as well as surveillance are of critical importance.

Mother's Dietary Diversity and Underweight among Under-five Rural Children in Three Major Agro-climatic Zones, Myanmar.

Background: Children's growth is essential to nutritional status and population health. In 2015, 18.9% of under-five children in Myanmar were underweight, and only 25% of 6-23-month-old children had the minimum dietary diversity (MDD).

Institutional delivery and postnatal care utilisation among reproductive-aged women who had completed four or more antenatal care visits in Myanmar: a secondary analysis of 2015-2016 Demographic and Health Survey.

Objectives: To examine the prevalence of institutional delivery and postnatal care after home delivery and to identify their determinants in Myanmar mothers who received at least four antenatal care visits.

Design: The study used the Myanmar Demographic and Health Survey data (2015-2016), a nationally representative cross-sectional study.

Participants: The study included women aged 15-49 years who had at least one birth within the 5 years preceding the survey and completed four or more antenatal visits.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding plagiarism of postgraduate students in Myanmar.

Information regarding the prevalence of plagiarism and its contributing factors are limited in Myanmar. We aimed to explore the knowledge, attitudes, and self-reported plagiarism practices of postgraduate students in Myanmar's universities and determine the factors associated with plagiarism. We conducted a cross-sectional questionnaire study during 2019-2020.

Utilization of modern contraceptive methods and its determinants among youth in Myanmar: Analysis of Myanmar Demographic and Health Survey (2015-2016).

Reproductive health service is crucial for youth to reduce maternal and child mortality. However, many young women face unintended pregnancies and pregnancy-related complications due to insufficient knowledge of contraceptive methods and low contraceptive utilization. This study aims to assess the modern contraceptive prevalence rates among youth and identify factors influencing modern contraceptive utilization among youth.

Developing and validating a questionnaire to assess an individual's perceived risk of four major non-communicable diseases in Myanmar.

Adopting healthy lifestyles is greatly influenced by an individual's perceived risk of developing non-communicable diseases (NCDs). This study aimed to develop and validate a questionnaire that can assess an individual's perceived risk of developing four major NCDs. We used the exploratory sequential mixed methods design.

Assessing Research Ethics Committees in Myanmar: Results of a Self-Assessment Tool.

Background: Human subject research has increased in Myanmar since 2010 and accordingly, the establishment of research ethics committees (RECs) have increased to review these research studies. However, characteristics that reflect the operations of RECs in Myanmar have not been assessed.

Objectives: To assess the structures and processes of RECs at Medical Institutions in Myanmar.

Country compliance with WHO-recommended antenatal care guidelines: equity analysis of the 2015-2016 Demography and Health Survey in Myanmar.

Introduction: Early access to adequate antenatal care (ANC) from skilled providers is crucial for detecting and preventing obstetric complications of pregnancy. We aimed to assess factors associated with the utilisation of the new WHO ANC guidelines including the recommended number, on time initiation and adequate components of ANC contacts in Myanmar.

Methods: We examined data from 2943 mothers aged 15-49 years whose most recent birth occurred in the last 5 years prior to the 2015-2016 Myanmar Demographic and Health Survey.

Determinants of breastfeeding practices in Myanmar: Results from the latest nationally representative survey.

Optimal breastfeeding practices can ensure healthy growth and development of infants, which in the long term can impact the country's economic development. Nevertheless, Myanmar has yet to achieve the WHO's target of 70% for early initiation of breastfeeding, and the country's target of 90% for exclusive breastfeeding. The purpose of this study was to assess the associations between early initiation of breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding and bio-demographic, socio-economic and behavioral factors in Myanmar.

Lutein derived from marigold (Tagetes erecta) petals triggers ROS generation and activates Bax and caspase-3 mediated apoptosis of human cervical carcinoma (HeLa) cells.

The present investigation was designed to determine molecular and cellular events involved in anticancer properties of lutein derived from marigold (Tagetes erecta) petals using Human cervical carcinoma (HeLa) cell lines. In vitro experiments demonstrated that lutein at concentration of 10 μM significantly inhibited proliferation of HeLa cells by up to 62.85% after 24 h of treatment and 84.

Feeding practices and nutritional status of children age 6-23 months in Myanmar: A secondary analysis of the 2015-16 Demographic and Health Survey.

Nutritional deficiencies are a major problem among developing countries including Myanmar. They can occur in all age groups, but the impact is more severe among children age 6-23 months as this period is critical for child development, and irreversible damages can occur due to nutritional deficiencies. Proper infant and young child feeding practices are pivotal to tackle nutritional problems and to prevent irreversible consequences among children.

Evaluation of in vitro antioxidant, antiglycation and antimicrobial potential of indigenous Myanmar medicinal plants.

Objective: Myanmar has a long history of using medicinal plants for treatment of various diseases. To the best of our knowledge there are no previous reports on antiglycation activities of medicinal plants from Myanmar. Therefore, this study was aimed to evaluate the antioxidant, antiglycation and antimicrobial properties of 20 ethanolic extracts from 17 medicinal plants indigenous to Myanmar.

Management of pregnancy at and beyond 41 completed weeks of gestation in low-risk women: a secondary analysis of two WHO multi-country surveys on maternal and newborn health.

Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends induction of labour (IOL) for women who have reached 41 completed weeks of pregnancy without spontaneous onset of labour. Many women with prolonged pregnancy and/or their clinicians elect not to induce, and chose either elective caesarean section (ECS) or expectant management (EM). This study intended to assess pregnancy outcomes of IOL, ECS and EM at and beyond 41 completed weeks.

Consumption of fruits and vegetables and associations with risk factors for non-communicable diseases in the Yangon region of Myanmar: a cross-sectional study.

Objectives: To explore the intake of fruits and vegetables in the Yangon region, Myanmar, and to describe associations between intake of fruits and vegetables (FV) and established risk factors for non-communicable diseases.

Design: 2 cross-sectional studies, using the STEPs methodology.

Setting: Urban and rural areas of the Yangon region of Myanmar.

PEG-POSS assisted facile preparation of amphiphilic gold nanoparticles and interface formation of Janus nanoparticles.

A general approach to transfer water-soluble nanoparticles with different shapes, sizes, and surface charges into organic solvents, retaining their surface charge properties was developed, and its application in fabrication of hybrid Janus particles with opposite charges in solution was also demonstrated.

Self-assembly of block copolymer micelles: synthesis via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization and aqueous solution properties.

Poly(hexafluorobutyl methacrylate) (PHFBMA) homopolymer was synthesized by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT)-mediated living radical polymerization in the presence of cyano-2-propyl dithiobenzoate (CPDB) RAFT agent. A block copolymer of PHFBMA-poly(propylene glycol acrylate) (PHFBMA-b-PPGA) with dangling poly(propylene glycol) (PPG) side chains was then synthesized by using CPDB-terminated PHFBMA as a macro-RAFT agent. The amphiphilic properties and self-assembly of PHFBMA-b-PPGA block copolymer in aqueous solution were investigated by dynamic and static light scattering (DLS and SLS) studies, in combination with fluorescence spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).

Time-dependent polymerization kinetic study and the properties of hybrid polymers with functional silsesquioxanes.

Methacrylate-functionalized cubic silsesquioxane homopolymers [p(MA-CSSQ)] were synthesized by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT)-mediated living radical polymerization in the presence of dodecyl(dimethylacetic acid)trithiocarbonate (DDTA) chain transfer agent, and their polymerization kinetics were studied. The DDTA-terminated p(MA-CSSQ) was then employed as a macro-RAFT agent in the polymerization of methylmethacrylate (MMA) for the synthesis of a brushlike p(MA-CSSQ)-b-PMMA block copolymer. The kinetics study of p(MA-CSSQ) showed that the monomer to polymer conversion, evaluated by (1)H NMR, was found to be approximately 80% with the maximum number average molecular weight (M(n)) of 24000 and 32300 Da, for the [MA-CSSQ]/[DDTA] ratios of 100 and 200, respectively, as determined by gel permeation chromatography (GPC).

Self-assembly of brush-like poly[poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate] synthesized via aqueous atom transfer radical polymerization.

Self-assembly of brush-like well-defined poly[poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate] homopolymers, abbreviated as P(PEGMA-475) and P(PEGMA-1100) is investigated in aqueous solution by employing dynamic/static light scattering (DLS/SLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), whereas 475 and 1100 is molar mass of the respective PEGMA macromonomer. The mentioned brush-like homopolymers are synthesized by aqueous ATRP at room temperature. The critical association concentration (CAC) of the synthesized polymers in water depends on the length of the PEG side chains but not on the overall molar mass of the polymer.

Light scattering and luminescence studies on self-aggregation behavior of amphiphilic copolymer micelles.

The self-aggregation behavior of three amphiphilic graft copolymers, oligo(9,9-dihexyl)fluorence-graft-poly(ethylene oxide) (OHF-g-PEO), with different architectures was studied by dynamic and static light scattering (DLS and SLS) in combination with fluorescence spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The formation of self-assembled polymeric micelles was confirmed by SLS and TEM. DLS and SLS analyses showed that the architecture of graft copolymers has a dramatic effect on critical aggregation concentration (CAC), micelle size distribution, apparent aggregation number (Nagg app), and apparent molecular weight of polymer aggregates (Mw,agg app).

Supramolecular assembled nanostructure containing cubic silsesquioxane in aqueous solution.

Micellization and aggregation behavior of amphiphilic cubic silsesquioxane-poly(ethylene oxide) (CSSQ-PEO) in aqueous solution was studied by Dynamic and Static Light Scattering (DLS and SLS), and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The effects of CSSQ-PEO concentration and temperature on particle size were also investigated. Above the critical aggregation concentration (CAC), a combination of unassociated single micelle and micellar aggregates is observed up to a certain level of CSSQ-PEO concentration as determined by DLS and TEM studies.

Core-corona structure of cubic silsesquioxane-poly(ethylene oxide) in aqueous solution: fluorescence, light scattering, and TEM studies.

Well-defined amphiphilic cubic silsesquioxane-poly(ethylene oxide) (CSSQ-PEO) was prepared from octakis (dimethylsiloxy)octasilsesquioxane (Q8M8(H)) and allyl-PEO through a hydrosilylation reaction. The structure of CSSQ-PEO was characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The amphiphilic properties and aggregation process of CSSQ-PEO in aqueous solution were investigated by fluorescence, dynamic and static light scattering (DLS and SLS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).

Dynamic and static light scattering studies on self-aggregation behavior of biodegradable amphiphilic poly(ethylene oxide)-poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate]-poly(ethylene oxide) triblock copolymers in aqueous solution.

The self-aggregation behavior of two amphiphilic poly(ethylene oxide)-poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate]-poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO-PHB-PEO) triblock copolymer samples with nearly identical PHB block lengths but different PEO block lengths, PEO-PHB-PEO(2000-810-2000) and PEO-PHB-PEO(5000-780-5000), was studied with dynamic and static light scattering (DLS and SLS), in combination with fluorescence spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The formation of polymeric micelles by the two PEO-PHB-PEO triblock copolymers was confirmed with fluorescence technique and TEM. DLS analysis showed that the hydrodynamic radius (R(h)) of the monodistributed polymeric micelles increased with an increase in PEO block length.

Aggregation-driven growth of size-tunable organic nanoparticles using electronically altered conjugated polymers.

A novel class of monodisperse conjugated polymer nanoparticles have been readily prepared by the facile reprecipitation of poly{1,3-bis[2-(3-alkylthienyl)]azulene} or poly{1,3-bis[2-(3-alkoxythienyl)]azulene}. The multicomponent poly(bithiophene-alt-azulene) macromolecules were efficiently self-assembled into a wide range of size-tunable nanoparticles from a few tens to five hundred nanometers via the hydrophobic and pi-stacking effects in the mixed chloroform/methanol solutions. Electronically altered polymer structures with different alkyl or alkoxy substitutes exhibited variable self-assembling behaviors to precisely tune the size and the optical/electronic properties of nanoparticles.